Progressive popularity contest

Good article in today's Salon about the MoveOn Primary:

This week's virtual Democratic primary, sponsored by the progressive advocacy group MoveOn.org, may not carry the weight of a state contest, but it could have far more influence than just another online poll. Hundreds of thousands of Americans are expected to cast ballots in the Internet election, and the victor could net millions in campaign cash, as well as a big boost in buzz.

MoveOn has billed the primary, which begins today and will be open for 48 hours, as an attempt to get liberals involved in the Democratic kingmaking process early in the presidential campaign. The group's leaders say they want their people to decide who they think is a viable candidate, before corporate donors and droning pundits decide for them. Some Democratic critics say that MoveOn is stacking the deck in favor of its favorite candidates. Yet even if MoveOn's detractors dispute the contest's legitimacy, they concede its importance. MoveOn has promised the winning candidate the organization's full support, a pledge that could involve millions of dollars and an army of volunteers. The group, which formed in 1998 to fight Clinton's impeachment, raised $4.1 million for congressional candidates in 2002. Since then, its membership has tripled to 1.4 million.

(Note: if you're not a subscriber, you can still use the Day Pass option to read the article in its entirety. Free!)

Any criticism of today's primary is just silly. Gosh, a progressive PAC is skewed toward ostensibly more progressive candidates? Whodathunkit? I guess the DLC is scared. Good.

I think the most important thing about MoveOn is that it has the potential to motivate the more progressive elements in this country. I don't always agree with liberal positions, but on the whole I think they've got the right attitude about this country's founding principles. So I'm glad to see a group who can pool that idealism, energy and, yes, money, to create social and political change. And it's not all that surprising to me that the Internet is the catalyst.

Keep hope alive,
ntodd



  ¶ 6:12 AM