Reply #2: This is all so stupid

[ProSense]

From Greg Sargent piece:

"You play a great role in informing people about the stakes of elections," Axelrod told the bloggers. "One of the reasons I was eager to expend time was to enlist you."

But hovering over the call was the obvious disconnect between this plea for help and statements like those of Robert Gibbs, who recently pilloried the "professional left" for being overly critical of the White House.

That tension burst out into the open when Madrak directly asked Axelrod: "Have you ever heard of hippie punching?" That prompted a long silence from Axelrod.

"You want us to help you, the first thing I would suggest is enough of the hippie punching," Madrak added. "We're the girl you'll take under the bleachers but you won't be seen with in the light of day."

Axelrod didn't engage on "hippie punching," but he said he agreed with the blogger. "To the extent that we shouldn't get involved in intramural skirmishing, I couldn't agree more," Axelrod said. "We just can't afford that. There are big things at stake here."

Madrak replied that Axelrod was missing the point -- that the criticism of the left made it tougher for bloggers like herself to motivate the base. "Don't make our jobs harder," she said.

Sargent's final comment: "At any rate, for Axelrod to plead with liberal bloggers for their help turning out the base, only to get accused of "hippie punching," is an iconic moment in Campaign 2010."

What a complete waste of time.

"Madrak replied that Axelrod was missing the point -- that the criticism of the left made it tougher for bloggers like herself to motivate the base. "Don't make our jobs harder," she said."

Axelrod and the President are not on the ballot. There are Democrats across the country, including Russ Feingold, fighting for their seats.

This nonsensical tit-for-tat and the ridiculously overused meme "hippie punching" by a bunch of people who wouldn't know a hippie if one slapped them in the face is counterproductive.

It will achieve nothing. There is a diary up a Daily Kos focused on this exchange. What the hell is going to accomplish in terms of getting people to vote for members of Congress who are actually on the ballot?

The people who need to be reached don't give a shit that this person said to Axelrod "Don't make our jobs harder." The people who need to be reached, don't know her from a can of paint.

Nothing Axelrod or anyone in the WH can say is going to make a difference. The next opportunity to jump on statement will be fully exploited.

Axelrod didn't engage on "hippie punching," but he said he agreed with the blogger. "To the extent that we shouldn't get involved in intramural skirmishing, I couldn't agree more," Axelrod said. "We just can't afford that. There are big things at stake here."

Madrak replied that Axelrod was missing the point...

This is whining in an echo chamber.