Discussion of right wing blog attacks on AAR Minnesota this morning - -

[jean]

This morning on Air America Minnesota (950 AM on the dial), Nick Coleman talked about the attack on Sen. Mark Dayton by right wing blogs, especially Powerline blog, a Minnesota-based right wing blog run by 'Ivy League lawyers' who call themselves Big Trunk and Hind Rocket. This blog won the Time magazine blog of the year award in '04.

Coleman detailed how in South Dakota, the Thune campaign utilized right wing blogs to help in the takedown of Sen. Tom Daschle. After the election, Coleman says it was revealed that Thune backers paid bloggers for their services. At a recent repub get-together, now 'Senator' Thune spoke to the issue of using the blogosphere for political gain, according to Coleman (I don't have a link).

Nick says this game has already come to Minnesota and that the right wing is determined to slime, smear and take down Sen. Dayton with the help of their bloggers.

How can we help thwart these creeps?

Nick Coleman is a columnist for the Star Tribune - his archive is here:
http://www.startribune.com/coleman/

powerline blog is here:
http://www.powerlineblog.com/

Update: a caller and Coleman just talked about how repubs aren't afraid take charge of language (since dems are timid) and use words like 'Islamofascist' to label politicians like Sen Dayton.

... now taking a call from a right winger and getting into it - called Gov Pawlenty juvenile and adolescent in not raising taxes

...caller says to get opposition viewpoints on his show - Coleman says forget it - the airways are dominated by the repub noise machine

. . . caller keeps saying 'your party' - Coleman says he has no party, he's no one's monkey - we are trying to counter the right wing noise machine - do you listen to Patriot Radio, do you listen to 1500 radio, do you read Powerline??? These places don't allow opposing point of view

Nick says - the right wing noise machine does not represent the great traditions of the state of Minnesota, and that's why AAR Minnesota is here.

[sniffa]

1. fight back

i'm not against going after dayton's pedophiLe opponent.

[SheepyMcSheepster]

2. franken had hind rocket on the other day

they guy couldn't remember anything he wrote. whenever al called him on the misleading and false specifics of his (hind rocket's) blog he would just say he doesn't remember writing that.

[mistertrickster]

4. Steve Martin did this hilarious routine when he still a stand-up comic

in which he says, (imitating an infomercial) "You can be a MILLIONAIRE and never PAY TAXES! You can have ONE MILLION DOLLARS and never pay taxes. BUT, I know what you're thinking, 'Steve, what do I say to the tax man when he comes to my door and says, "you have never paid taxes."'

"Two little words. Two little words in the English language.

"I forgot."

Right after that, Reagan took the stand on Iran-Contra and said he forgot whether he illegally funded troops.

Condi Rice says she can't remember saying anything about a mushroom cloud explosiong detonated by Iraq.

Gonzalez can't remember whether he authorized torture or not.

Call it Republican Amnesia. They all seem to have it.

[jean]

5. and don't forget, Poppy said he 'was out of the loop'

[SheepyMcSheepster]

7. i have found the phrase to be quite useful people

who don't want to admit to something.

"i forgot"

"i can't remember"

"i don't recall"

it is funny how easily the phrases diffuse the situation, not being able to remember stuff sure has its benefits.

[peacetalksforall]

3. Dems are like most Americans...they let people be and do their own

thing. Not Republicans. Therefore, Repbulican are not Americans. Concluded. We've been invaded.

[carlvs]

6. I wonder if "Hind Rocket" knows...

that he shares the same name as a Russian http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/mi-24.htm">assault helicopter which gained a rather infamous name for itself during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan?