TIME: The Unmaking of a Senator: How Bloggers Pulled It Off [View All]

[DeepModem Mom]

The Unmaking of a Senator: How Bloggers Pulled It Off
With Lieberman's primary loss, the netroots movement has established itself as a power center among Democrats. But will its influence haunt the party in November?
By PERRY BACON, JR/WASHINGTON
Posted Wednesday, Aug. 09, 2006

As much as it was a repudiation of his support for the Iraq War, Joe Lieberman's loss Tuesday in the Senate primary also signaled the ascendancy of a legitimate new power center in the Democratic party, the Netroots.

The much-hyped Internet activists of the Howard Dean presidential campaign, liberal blogs like Daily Kos and activist groups like MoveOn.org had generated lots of buzz, but few results at the ballot box until now. But in Tuesday's Senate Democratic primary in Connecticut, the bloggers didn’t just get a win, but a victory no one could have expected even four months ago. Joe Lieberman wasn't just a three-term Connecticut Senator, he was only a few thousand votes from being the vice-president in a Democratic administration six years ago. And despite almost the entire Democratic establishment supporting his run against a virtually unknown businessman named Ned Lamont, including former President Clinton campaigning for him in Connecticut, the bloggers and Connecticut voters have for all intents and purposes kicked Joe Lieberman out of the Democratic Party.

Even Lamont admitted that while he decided to enter the race himself, the blogs had long been hoping someone in Connecticut would take on Lieberman, and their support was crucial early in getting the word of his candidacy out. Markos Moulitas of Daily Kos appeared in one of his early ads, former blogger and Internet organizer Tim Tagaris left his job at the Democratic National Committee to work on Lamont’s campaign and bloggers from the site mydd.com headed up to Connecticut over the last several days to call voters and encourage them to support Lamont. And MoveOn.org strongly supported Lamont despite pleas from Democratic leaders not to.

Still, as the bloggers themselves admit, Lamont's victory was about far more than them. Lieberman's fervent support for the Iraq War, and his attacks on many of his party who opposed President Bush's policy there, annoyed Connecticut voters as much as bloggers. Also, aside from the war, Lieberman suffered from a feeling among many voters there that he was taking the state for granted, and liberals in the blue state were frustrated by his positions on other issues, such as his support for school vouchers. The bloggers and their supporters pumped a few thousand dollars into the race, but having a millionaire candidate like Lamont pour $4 million of his own money was crucial. And Lamont's campaign manager, Tow Swan, is a veteran Connecticut political operative who helped run the strong turnout operation that helped propel Lamont to victory....

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1224538,00.html