Matt Stoller's attack on Dean is using Florida party talking points.

[madfloridian]

Matt is appearing as the main blog speaker on the 27th of this month in Orlando. Florida blogging network is taking the side of the Florida Democratic Party against Howard Dean. I can not think of any of them who have presented the real truth of it.

From an email today:

The Florida Democratic Party, along with members of the Florida Progressive Coalition, have planned a full afternoon of speakers and panel discussions on netroots to grassroots activism. If you've ever wondered how the Internet can be used to support the political ground game, then please plan to attend these events to get your questions answered. You do not have to be a convention delegate to attend, and there is no charge. Best of all, liberal blog hero Matt Stoller willbe our keynote speaker!

Unfortunately Stoller's post at Open Left today absolutely puts all the blame on Howard Dean for not bringing the primary situation under control.

Matt Stoller seems sadly unaware that Florida went right along with all of it, voted 115 to 1 to move up the primary. Then they sent out emails saying Dean was stealing our votes. Very sad.

They did it to be relevant.

"Florida Democrats are all for it"...March 2006. All for the early primary that far ahead.

Those are the words of the state Democratic spokesman back in 2006.

Here's Matt Stoller's post today.
http://openleft.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2011

I don't think I want to post any of it. It is too disheartening. I think the move is on to get Dean out of that position. I have my own opinions about why.

Matt, enjoy the week-end. Hubby and I were invited, but we are not going to go. I believe that the way Florida has tried to hurt the DNC's fundraising is shameful. I think the lawsuits are a terrible thing.

We are not going to work with the state party as long as the current leaders don't allow the whole truth out.

I was never one who wanted Dean to be chairman to begin with, I felt they would stifle his voice.

I was right. He is pretty damn quiet now. Guess he got tired of fighting the system just like the rest of us. I must admit Florida did a bang up job of spreading the propaganda and lies.

More of what it is about. More that Matt Stoller should read before he starts blaming. First rule of blogging, sir, know your facts. Do not allow Florida bloggers closely tied with the state party to sway you until you read up on the facts.

Enough of this. Florida Democrats now threaten Dean and the DNC with a "voting rights probe".
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1453

The "appropriate legal official" to "investigate" Dean and the DNC...is...Gonzales.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1452

Nelson: "I will lead the delegates to Denver whether or not the DNC plans to let them in."
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1455

Two summaries of the DNC committee ruling about Florida.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1456

Florida sowed the seeds of a propaganda war against the DNC.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1458

Proof. Vindication. Both Florida parties did it for "relevance." From March.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1459

The latest Florida propaganda tactic here about attacking the DNC...local email.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1460

Florida's Geller joked about his amendment: "sarcasm and audible laughter in chamber"
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1461

Florida Democratic Party website building anger toward the DNC
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1465

Democratic activist sues over loss of Florida delegates
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1466

"Dean was conciliatory and offered DNC help for the state"..hour long phone call
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1467

Gelber admits they did not fight the GOP about the primary.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1468

"Primary bully Florida ought to be ashamed"...four articles catch on to Florida's primary ploy.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1469

Bill Nelson today will file a bill for regional primaries...but first he had to get your attention
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1478

Bill Nelson today: "DNC penalties unacceptable, unacceptable, unacceptable"
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1479

[Larkspur]

1. I posted on OpenLeft the link to your thread here

and asked Matt if he had a conflict of interest in regards to his bash of Dean.

[madfloridian]

2. Florida bloggers have been strangely silent about the truth.

I read several posts right after it happened, and right after some meetings I know they had with leadership.

The progressive coalition needs to examine what is truth and what is spin.

[Larkspur]

4. Matt responded to my post

My Post on Open Left

Matt, is the real reason that you are slamming Howard Dean
because you will be the main blog speaker on Oct. 27th in Orlando at a convention sponosred by the Floriday Democratic Party and Florida Progressive Coalition?

madfloridian at Democratic Underground is calling you out -- http://www.democrati...

Florida's blogging network is taking the side of the Florida Democratic Party against Howard Dean. Are you just trying to curry favor with them?
by: Larkspur @ Mon Oct 22, 2007 at 15:43:07 PM EDT

Matt's response to my post

I didn't speak to any Florida bloggers or Florida party people about this situation, nor did it cross my mind as I wrote the post. I don't even know much about the situation except that people are mad at each other, though it should probably never have come to this in the first place.

On the other, I do write blog posts in return for the right to give up my weekends flying across the country.

[madfloridian]

6. Well, for not "knowing much" about the situation, he wrote a hell of a lot

about it.

I have never been so angry and felt so alone in trying to get out the truth. The blogger coalitions in Florida know the truth, that Florida planned it with the GOP. It is their obligation to tell the truth.

The party does not deserve someone who truly wants change as Dean does.

He is most welcome to come back to DFA if they keep on screwing him like that.

ALSO..someone needs to verify if fundraising in the states is left there....I think at least part of it is.

I found this at Blue Jersey a while ago.

"http://www.bluejersey.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=5715

"Gov. Howard Dean, seen here about 2 minutes after his unanimous election a couple years ago as DNC Chair, is coming to the Garden State on Friday, October 5, to raise money for the NJ State Democratic Committee.

Dean's faced down criticism from 2006 DCCC Chair Rep. Rahm Emanuel, and a howling call for his resignation from the DNC Chairmanship from (Hillary Clinton supporter) James Carville. In his paradigm-shifting 50-State Strategy, which seeks to take money and power out of the beltway and over to state and local organizing, Dean's found his first line of defense in the netroots and in the grassroots. And 50-State Strategy means something in New Jersey.

This is breakfast. For $35 bucks, with the money going to NJSDC. Event details here."

I thought that was still happening. I just don't know how it works.

[KoKo]

3. I went to link and read it. The "Comment Section" has some push back

and hopefully others will counter Matt's comments. He didn't even quote how much the DNC has brought in so far...and if he's going to write an article he should support his comments with references.

Watching the blogs it's starting to look like the follow through of Pelosi/Reid's Censure is starting to have its effect. The "grassroots" isn't necessary when the Big Money of Hillary comes in and Dems have dreams of many $$$$$$$$$$'s swirling in their heads. I begin to wonder who is going to be the next Tom Delay of the Democrats given the antics and alliances springing up. Not that these alliances weren't always waiting in the wings ...they showed their hand with the ABB Movement where Kerry was selected but we did think there was some hope that "grassroots/liberal internets" would get some attention after all we tried to do to re-energize the Party. Thing is...the Party never saw us as "energizing" it. So...they think they owe us nothing. In their minds we didn't get Kerry elected and even '06 wasn't due to us because it was the Indpendents who were disgusted with Bush and believed Pelosi/Reid's draining the swamp and ending the war rhetoric. So... who needs disruptors. Throw them under the bus and take Howard Dean and the rest of the "change makers" and make sure the tire tracks are left for all the others to see as a warning.

It remains to be seen how they will do without us for '08. But, then maybe the energy for change inevitably had to move local and in other directions. Clearly it's only the legal groups like CREW/ACLU/Center for Constitution, etc...and a few Citizen's Activist Environmental groups plus struggling Indie Investigative news blogs that re working for CHANGE and trying to hold this Administration Accountable. Waiting for Congress is waiting for the train that will never come...

[madfloridian]

9. I am concerned how no one in the media or blogosphere

presents the DNC side.

It seems rather odd for a blogger to come out with such strong criticism when there is really no need to do so.

It also concerned me when Pelosi said none of it was Florida's fault. Do they not know or do they not care?

Pelosi says it is not Florida's fault at all. So if the speaker says it I must be wrong.
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1567

[Larkspur]

5. The DNC called Matt. Here's Matt's interpretation of that call

UPDATE: DNC Internet Director Josh McConaha called me up and said I had multiple errors in my piece. I've invited him on to take advantage of the right to respond, but in case he doesn't, I'll reiterate the gist of our conversation. He told me that Dean has been the most successful chair at fundraising in history, and that the DNC doesn't fly Dean around to push Democracy Bonds. My response is that the overall environment for fundraising has gotten much better for Democrats, and despite a dramatic and new margin for the DCCC, DSCC, and the Presidentials over their Republican counterparts, the DNC has fallen behind the RNC, which is clearly outlier behavior. McConaha also said the DNC doesn't fly Dean around for the Democracy Bonds, and that the program has been successful, with 35K bond holders reliably bringing in revenue.

These numbers can be interpreted in many different ways, so I take Josh's arguments as reasonable though I do not agree with them.

[madfloridian]

7. That reiterates a lot of what I thought as well. Josh is on the ball.

It is a way of getting power back to the state parties instead of centralizing it in DC. They may or may not let him get away with it.

But Dean still has enough people who will be right there whatever he decides to do.

Moving the piggy bank

[madfloridian]

10. Come to think of it....if the DNC called me and said I had "multiple errors"

I would correct my post.

:shrug:

[madfloridian]

8. Now it is spreading ...

to the centrist Democratic Strategist.

http://www.thedemocraticstrategist.org/strategist/2007/10/deans_dnc_how_effective.php

They describe it as very perceptive.

Interesting how it all works.

I keep thinking of things like this county chairwoman in Pasco County not letting John Russell a candidate into the county fundraiser.

But Matt is credible on the topic of Florida and the primaries, although he admits not to knowing much about it.

And although the DNC spokesperson called him to tell him of multiple errors.

How about this? Why don't you guys address county chairs who won't let certain people into fundraisers??

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/madfloridian/1578

God, I am so tired of all the spin I could scream. We were so enthusiastic in 2003 and 04, but we have lost it. We were eager for change, we cared. They do everything to stop people from caring.

[madfloridian]

11. Update: Making it worse by digging the hole deeper

From the later added comments:

"This thread makes me sad. (0.00 / 0)
I start to imagine how things might look if Dean remained able to express his full-throated disapproval of idiocy, criminality, greed, fear, and political surrender.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

he is able (0.00 / 0)
Dean chooses not to speak out, he would just have to take political risks to do so and do work he doesn't want to do, like build alliances.

by: Matt Stoller @ Mon Oct 22, 2007 at 17:13:46 PM CDT"

Dear Matt, Dean is building alliances all over the 50 states, just not the ones you want him to build...right? He was told not to speak out on policy...Reid and Pelosi jump his butt when he does. Probably not worth it.

And your last comment: "It's all academic anyway."

Really?

You will be well-received in Florida next week-end, Matt. I have talked with several delegates who feel as I do....but most everyone there sounds like you do. Have fun.

[madfloridian]

12. Just remembered who the first blogger was who blamed the DNC

and took Florida's side very loudly right after it happened. Markos is going to be speaking to the convention by phone. Before anyone knew what really happened. Bam..all over the DNC

Did I say we are not going?

[madfloridian]

13. Update, someone else takes a stand about that post.

I am not sure whose blog this is, but he seems pretty knowledgeable. I am so glad to see someone else take a stand about that awful post which gave so many half truths.

http://eteraz.org/2007/10/24/wherein-i-watch-in-fascination-as-stoller-throws-a-tantrum

He doesn't say as much about the primary stuff as I did, but he vents on other stuff.

"1. Stoller and I must be reading reports from two different FEC’s. Mine is The Federal Election Commission and his must be FREAKIN’ ENTIRELY CRAZY. In a post BCRA environment, Dean has not only raised money in similar amounts to Mac, but also surpassed him. Moreover, Dean doesn’t have the luxury of going after massive soft money donations. There will be no massive room at the DNC named for Casey Wasserman under Dean’s tenure. Instead, we’ll get money in states like Alabama and Wyoming that haven’t been sympathetic to Democrats since Southern Democrats talked like secessionist bigots. So, we’re raising massive money under worse circumstances and from more donors. Real failure."

I also found a little more stuff about the fundraising, which really is quite good and up to par, just being spent differently. It is just that Dean is staying off the air and doesn't defend himself.

http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/10/gop_national_committee_keeps_u.html

September was not a very good month on paper, but part of that could have Florida's temper tantrum efforts to hurt the fundraising.
CQ Politics has some info I did not realize.

"The DNC spent more ($5.1 million) than it received ($3.7 million) in September, in part because it paid for salaries for DNC staff in all 50 states — consonant with the strategy instituted by committee Chairman Howard Dean to make the Democrats competitive in all areas of the country — and in part because the committee gave more than $1.4 million to its state affiliates. The DNC gave $817,000 to the Democratic organization in Massachusetts, which helped Tsongas overcome an unexpectedly difficult race against Ogonowski. The DNC also transferred $283,000 to its affiliate in Kentucky, where party members are confident that Beshear will unseat Fletcher on Nov. 6."

So anyway, thanks to the blogger above who took time to respond to Matt Stoller. Matt and Markos will be taking part in the convention in Orlando this week-end to which we will not be going. But I think I already said that.