Huffington Post: A Tool For The GOP?

[babylonsister]

http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=1277

Huffington Post: A Tool For The GOP?


Michael Calderone has a column at Politico that suggests a new tactical approach by Republicans to get their message out. He asserts, that the GOP is exploiting the broad reach of the Huffington Post to expand their media presence. It’s not a particularly bad idea as HuffPo is cracking 8.8 million unique visitors a month. But it is a cynical effort to advance propaganda and, to the extent that HuffPo is an accessory to it, it is shameful and counterproductive.

The insidious element to this plot is that the GOP isn’t trying to reach out to new voters or gain access to people that might not otherwise be exposed to their views. They are taking advantage of the popular web site to use as a platform from which to launch their viewpoints into more mainstream media in much the same way that conservatives have used the Drudge Report. In his column, Calderone interviewed a collection of Republican press reps who confess to this strategy.

snip//

There is nothing wrong with providing a forum that presents diverse opinions and perspectives. But there is a limit reached when you are seen by one side as simply an avenue to advance their public profile, further their media strategy, and beat you, and your audience, over the head with your own bat. You know you’ve reached that limit when Grover Norquist says of you…

“There are fewer better places to refute the opening bid by the {Democrats} than to plant your flag in the middle of The Huffington Post.”

HuffPo would be wise to consider that, if it is their readers that make them an appealing political community, they may want to avoid alienating those readers by serving the interests of their opponents. How many HuffPo readers would continue to visit the site were it to turn into a fancier version of the Drudge Report? And once readership scales back, how many Republicans would still view it as a useful platform?

Continuing down this path would be a downward spiral for HuffPo. They should take note of this and correct course as soon as possible. The market has no need for an Internet news/community that caters to the far right. They already have Fox Nation.

[mdmc]

1. I've never been to that site, but A.Huffington used to be a neo-con

I guess now she is a liberal?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

3. She had a come to Hey, Zeus moment

during clinton's last days, and by the time baby bush began beating up our country, she was in full Demo mode.

Huff post is not a bad site, although the efforts to push neocon ideaology by some guest writers is a bit trying. Makes sense that it is a plot by a desperate, evil group of maroons and morans.

[hlthe2b]

8. She used to be a Republican--NOT a neocon

I find it depressing that so many now don't know the history of the neocons and just blend them in with everyone on the RW. One must understand and know the history of our opponents to effectively counter them....

[ellenfl]

9. correct . . . imo, her republican registration may have been for convenience.

while her hubby was running for office. i think she switched registration shortly after they divorced. i never quite believed her republican bona fides when she was 'in bed' with al franken on one of bill maher's shows. she sure sounds like she's been a liberal for a long time.

ellen fl

[Jane Austin]

11. Me, too! Thanks for pointing out

the distinction.

[mdmc]

13. I really don't know much about a.huff - except what I read in doonesbury

I assumed they were neo-cons cause they came from texas to run for political office in California.. I assume the neo=cons came after the nixon cons...

[hlthe2b]

16. You should really read up on the neocon movement

starting with the Project for a New American Century (PNAC)...You obviously don't know that a fair proportion of the originators of the neocon movement came from those with democratic party roots... I could care less what you know about the Huffingtons, but the history of neocon movement versus the Republican party is some history progressives should take the time to learn. Otherwise you will be throwing these terms around in ways that undermine any credibility you might like to have--and leave you open to comparisons to RW pundits on tv spewing soundbytes that they don't really understand (like when they throw out terms like fascist or socialist or even Nazi--without even understanding the terms) I don't mean to offend you, but take the time....

[applegrove]

14. I think al franken changed her mind. She hasn't been a Repub for a long time now.

[malaise]

2. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm That's funny coming from anyone

at Politico since they are 100% GOP hacks.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

4. bingo!

politico suck 97% of the time.

[babylonsister]

5. I think that's the point; the r/w spin is in. I just hope huffpo recognizes

it. They must.

[Thrill]

6. Yup you have to search very hard to find a positive article

on Demcorats on that site.

[EFerrari]

10. Yup. And it works both ways. When you "plant your flag" at HuffPo,

you also give responders the opportunity to take it.

[santamargarita]

7. If it says Politico, I immediately dismiss it just as all right-wing...

bullshit - lies and propaganda!

[kentuck]

12. I don't believe that tis the case?

Sometimes I post over there and the dittoheads are almost always called on their bullshit.

[rucky]

15. Check all your sources, folks - before you react to a piece of news. n/t

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

17. not at all surprising.

I enjoy Huff Po, but have noticed a major increase of right leaning, corp propaganda spewing posters of late. I thought something was going on.

[Baikonour]

18. This is bullshit.

It's a stunt by Shitico to try to get HuffPo's liberal readers to abandon ship.

Fortunately, like every other dumb fuck repuke plan, this will fail.