Reply #19: contradicting article here

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in his piece Perlstein gives ten examples of victorious netroots-approved candidates that he seems to believe the DCCC somehow abandoned. He hints that the bloggers put these candidates over the top. "The thing all these successful candidates share in common is backing by the same dirty-necked bloggers and netroots activists that pundits have been calling the political kiss of death," he writes.

I suppose that's one thing they had in common. Others might look at Perlstein's list of winners and say the thing they had in common, with the exception of one, is that the DCCC dumped tons of money, strategic advice, and fundraising assistance into their races.

Let's go through Perlstein's list. In the case of John Hall (NY-19) and Larry Kissell (NC-08), the DCCC helped with fundraising and developed a ground game for both campaigns. There was little reason to do more. In the case of Kissell, the DCCC polled three times and each poll showed Robin Hayes well ahead.

In Kentucky, John Yarmuth (KY-03) receieved $350,000 worth of support from the DCCC. In the case of Chris Carney (PA-10), who was a top target and obsession of staffers at the DCCC, Emanuel spent at least $1.5 million. The DCCC spent about $500,000 on Jerry McNerney (CA-11). As for Joe Sestak (PA-07), the DCCC spent over $2 million on him. The money helped destroy his opponent, Curt Weldon, and the NRCC actually abandoned the race. The idea that Sestak was some kind of blog creation is ludicrous.

The story was the same with Lois Murphy (PA-06), where the DCCC spent over $3 million; Bruce Braley (IA-01), where it spent over $2 million and where it was on the air as far back as August; and Kirstin Gillibrand (NY-20) where the DCCC spent over $1 million and ran two different ads simultaneously in the final days of the campaign.

Carol Shea-Porter (NH-01) is the only purported netroots candidate on Perlstein's list on which the DCCC did not spend any resources. So how much did Blue America, the group Perlstein ridiculously suggests is more responsible than Rahm Emanuel for the Democrats' victories, spend on the Shea-Porter race? According to the PAC's Web site, not a single dollar.

more: http://www.tnr.com/blog/theplank?pid=56035