Opinion: The media is figuring out that Biden was right: Left-wing Twitter is not real life

[iemanja]

Jennifer Rubin

Throughout the 2020 presidential campaign, much of the mainstream media coverage emphasized the strength of progressive elements of the Democratic Party. Progressives had the energy, the media told us. The party had “shifted left.”

The Biden campaign, however, maintained the adage that “Twitter isn’t real life.” By that, the Biden team meant that the hyper-partisan left-wing rhetoric on social media — a realm where many media personalities live — is not representative of the party and especially not of Black voters, who remain the backbone of the party. Biden was right; he won despite the media’s fixation on the loud but less politically viable left wing.

With a string of primary victories among Democratic moderates in 2021 — including Eric Adams in New York’s mayoral race, Shontel Brown in Ohio’s 11th Congressional District and Terry McAuliffe in Virginia’s gubernatorial race — the media has again discovered the strength of moderates.

The New York Times intones: “In the most important elections of 2021, the center-left Democratic establishment has enjoyed an unbroken string of triumphs, besting the party’s activist wing from New York to New Orleans and from the Virginia coastline to the banks of the Cuyahoga River in Ohio. It is a winning streak that has shown the institutional Democratic Party to be more united than at any other point since the end of the Obama administration — and bonded tightly with the bulk of its electoral base.” And yes, the Times concedes, “These more moderate Democrats have mobilized an increasingly confident alliance of senior Black and Hispanic politicians, moderate older voters, white centrists and labor unions, in many ways mirroring the coalition Mr. Biden assembled in 2020.” (That would be the same coalition political pundits said in 2020 lacked the energy and enthusiasm to decide the nominee.)

More at the link.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/08/05/media-is-figuring-out-that-biden-was-right-left-wing-twitter-is-not-real-life/

I actually think the differences between the wings of the party have less to do with policy and more to do with strategy and temperament.

[Budi]

1. Paul Wellstone was the example of Progressive, I wish more would follow today

The Progressive ideology was so well defined in Sen Wellstone's approach & belief, & the loosly used word today has lost his intention & has been reduced to a mere social media trend.

It is sadly a lesson missed.

[LuvLoogie]

2. Wellstone worked. AoC works. Ilhan Omar works.

The Progressive politicians who work help to anchor the party as a whole. Bomb throwers and obstructionists lose support.

Bobert and Greene were supposed to be the GOP's answer to The Squad. They're just lazy kooks. Bobert is a malevolent lemming and Greene is a malevolent narcissist. Bobert is like McCarthy. Greene is like trump.

[Budi]

3. Bomb throwers?

Who rushed to Ohio to cheer for the loudest & most juvenile bomb thrower of recent months?

Biden is not a 'bowl of shit'
Harris is not a 'mere seat filler'
Clyburn is not 'stupid'
And the Jews didn't lose the race for Nina.

Tell me more about the bomb throwers ideology again.

Progressive Sen Paul Wellstone was not this low level gutter politician.
Ever.

[crickets]

4. "less to do with policy and more to do with strategy and temperament"

Well said.

[lagomorph777]

5. Sure, we'll take advice from a Republican.

[iemanja]

6. It's not advice

It's an observation of recent electoral trends.
Rubin isn't a Republican anymore.

[slightlv]

7. I used to call myself a loud, proud bleeding heart liberal.

That was before I realized I was actually a Progressive. Am I still loud and proud? You bet! I'm 65, but I'm still the 16 year old who marched for abortion rights, the ERA, and "progressive policies on housing, equality, and humanity" at heart. It's just to bad that at 65, I have to march for these things all over again!

I'm against Wall Street's influence of the Democratic Party. I hold FDR in admiration and respect. I wish he could have gotten the rest of his goals accomplished.

It doesn't make any difference whether you call yourself a liberal, a progressive, or the man-in-the-moon... the ones with money will always have outsized influence and beat you down and back. It's the nature of power.

One thing I detest is the name calling between liberals and progressives. I always seem to end up on the wrong end of the stick in most arguments against democrats. My problem is I'm getting old enough to realize the things I've worked hard all my life for... equality, respect among all, and humanity for all (including the Earth and all her creatures) will never come to pass before I'm dead and in my grave. It's a strange thing that happens when you realize there are more days behind you than in front of you.

Dark money, in-your-face moneyed power, and all other sorts of ill-gotten power has achieved their first goal... they have managed to rip this country into two pieces who detest each other (and each sees "good" reasons for that). They've got Repugs ready to shoot Dems, and Dems screaming at Repugs in total frustration. Now... they need to break us apart further. They've done a masterful job in the Repug party -- moderate republicans are like Unicorns -- hard to find, and generally a myth.

Now they have to do the same thing to the Democratic party. THEN they can just plant their flag of Authoritarianism with no one to fight them, cause dang! we're too busy fighting each other!

I love AOC. I see myself of younger days in her. Does that mean she and the rest of the Squad don't make mistakes? Are infallible? Of course not. But with experience and mistakes comes wisdom. But before you can get there, you have to have the passion to risk your neck.

I'm rambling. This just seemed one too many "progressive" bashing times too many for me. I'm soft-hearted; I'm generally soft-spoken until you get my dander up or abuse an animal. And, although I'm not Xtian, I firmly believe in the old piece of scripture that reads the love of money is the root of all evil. I don't believe in a 2nd coming, but I do believe in self-fulfilling prophecies. And I'm afraid the Dominionists and other right-wing Xtianist Nationalists are working towards their version of Armegeddon.

I just wish we could stop bashing each other. I finally felt "safe" enough to register here and speak. I was one of the ones who felt DKos held no space for me. Our people (Democrats) are not perfect; we're just trying harder against Sisyphean odds. Liberals and Progressives need to pull together. And we need to ensure that money -- from wherever it might come -- doesn't corrupt or divide us like it did the repugs. In that direction lies death.

Respectfully, YMMV, of course.

[iemanja]

8. How is pointing out election results bashing?

Meanwhile, Nina Turner: "I am going to work hard to ensure that something like this never happens to a progressive candidate again. See, we didn't lose this race — evil money manipulated and maligned this election."

This from the candidate with more money than her opponent.

The problem with people like Turner is they believe themselves entitled to power.

[slightlv]

9. It's just one of those things

I've seen building up again over the last two weeks. Sometimes we CAN be each other's worst enemies. I'm just so sick of the meanness of everyday life I run into, I'm probably over sensitive at this point. If I offended, please accept a sincere apology.

[iemanja]

10. You didn't offend me

So no apology is necessary. I've spent years being the target of insults about not being progressive enough, not because of my views on issues (about which I agree with most progressives) but because I don't share the reverence for the same politicians. As a result, I don't see this as a one sided situation.