June 16
...serving up your daily dish.
Apparently our liberal (oops!) progressive credentials are on the line.
Every time we run into someone from BlueWave NJ, we hear a complaint that we've been picking on them. First we allowed that tart-tongued conservative Richard Szathmary to cover their first meeting. Then, in subsequent stories (mostly announcements of upcoming events), they've been slammed in the occasional comment. Strangely, some BlueWavers don't seem to realize that comments are the blog equivalent of letters to the editor. From what we gather, it's literally a game of telephone. They read these comments over the phone and grumble about Baristanet's contempt for the cause.
To the rescue, our friend Matt Stoller over at the Corzine campaign filed a lengthy report on his blog about last week's BlueWave meeting, widely attended despite the fact that it was held in a stuffy, un-airconditioned church.
How do you get 200 volunteers packed into a Unitarian Church without air conditioning to listen to a political speaker on a New Jersey summer evening? It's a good question. It's also something Blue Wave New Jersey pulls off on a regular basis. Last Thursday in Montclair, I was fortunate enough to attend one of the sessions. The first thing to notice about the BlueWave meeting is the incredible heat. Or at least that's the first thing I noticed. And then I looked around and saw hundreds of people sitting, listening, and learning about how to get involved and change New Jersey politics on their own time, without air conditioning.
An interesting note in Matt's report is that BlueWave is not simply preaching to the choir. They're sponsoring "purple coffees" and "purple parties" to open dialogue between the Right of Centers and Left of Centers of the world. We think that's news-worthy. (Sotto voce: Just don't tell Jerry Falwell. The religious right doesn't like that color.)
The rest of Matt's report is here. And a reminder: the big $100-a-person Bobbi Brown/Steve Plofker garden cocktail party for Corzine is this Friday night. For more information, write the Corzine campaign.
June 16, 2005 in Controversy | Permalink
Don't worry Barista, I am sure quoting Corzine's online
"Here is some info (present xeroxed flyer) about how Bush is ruining this country." "No thank you, I am a Republican and support The President." "How can you support the destruction of our freedoms and dismantling of Social Security?" (me quickly walking away) "(louder) How can you support the bla bla stolen election bla bla abu ghrab bla bla (louder still) library records......" You get the picture. Posted by: Right of Center | Jun 16, 2005 11:22:37 AM
oops... I'll try again...
Don't worry Barista, I am sure quoting Corzine's online Beadle-in-Chief will go a long way in restoring your progressive credentials.
I might have thought to attend a "purple coffee" if not for the fact that the one encounter I had with a BluewaveNJ member went something like this:
"Here is some info (present xeroxed flyer) about how Bush is ruining this country."
"No thank you, I am a Republican and support The President."
"How can you support the destruction of our freedoms and dismantling of Social Security?"
(me quickly walking away)
"(louder) How can you support the bla bla stolen election bla bla abu ghrab bla bla (louder still) library records......"
You get the picture.
Posted by: Right of Center | Jun 16, 2005 11:23:49 AM
I'm still a wee bit perplexed as to why these folks insist on the tag "progressive." I cannot think of one piece of *truly* progressive, fwd-looking legislation that the Dem party has pushed thru either the House or Senate in years (that can be said at the state and national level.) Now, if only the party in power would stop pushing dumb-ass energy and transportaion bills . . .
Posted by: Rchanin | Jun 16, 2005 11:28:36 AM
Boy was that a piece of self-serving crap off the Corzine blog. And no writer of any political persuasion and claimed maturity should ever seriously use the phrase "way cool." (Which by the way Corzine will never be.")
I am also distinctly not impressed that 200 people showed up on a weekday for a meeting that didn't have air conditioning. Millions of other people do so daily, sometimes 5 times daily, in lots of other buildings around the world. They're called mosques.
Interestingly, too, Stoller identifies speaker Jon Shure of NJPP as a "progressive" and notes that he spoke about "progressive" issues. And yet, as I've previously noted, NJPP's own website more than once claims it's a nonpartisan organization.
Really, this sense that liberal (excuse me, "progressive," which I believe is how both Eldridge Cleaver and Eugene V. Debs used to bill themselves) twits like Matt Stoller want to convey that their masters are somehow inventing the wheel politically is ridiculous. It was a laughably gushy story, and Corzine and his lackspittle should be ashamed of themselves for promulgating it. BlueWaveNJ is very much a choir of the converted, sure, and very much the sort of audience that might want to congratulate themselves on how "hardy" they are for sitting through a meeting without a/c (even as some of them vow to take their kids out of school on hot days), but sweating (a bit) for Corzine isn't necessarily the path to political virtue. I'll also pass on the purple coffee, Dunkin' Donuts is just fine with me.
And I believe his surname is spelled Szathmary, which the Barista herself should know given that she ran his story.
Posted by: cathar | Jun 16, 2005 11:32:33 AM
the BlueWave (form) I have noticed of late
And thanks, Barista, for the occasional "tossing-in" of "red" meat. It is much appreciated!
Posted by: Right of Center | Jun 16, 2005 11:42:18 AM
p.s. (and you can thank me later)
Any democrat serious about winning elections should be reading this site:
Posted by: Right of Center | Jun 16, 2005 12:16:24 PM
ROC, I believe the term "beadle" is still used in the Church of Scotland (COS). Very much so.
Once when I was in St. Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh, sort of the St. Peter's Basilica of COS, I was talking with a guy who told me he held church office. I asked whicb one.
"I'm a beadle," he said.
Then he paused for effect. "Like Freddie 'the Beadle' Barnes," he added with a wide smile for this American who watches John McLaughlin on Sunday morns.
Posted by: cathar | Jun 16, 2005 12:26:57 PM
Well, I understand how these blog thingies work and I still assumed you were a Republican. Am I wrong?
Posted by: MiloG | Jun 16, 2005 12:42:15 PM
uh oh! Barista it's worse than you thought! You'd better write something inflammatory about Holy Book Desecration, and be quick about it!
Or, you could simply print what Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill) during a debate on the Energy bill (talk about "off-topic"!). That might improve your Blue Bonifides with BlueWave NJ and the like minded.
Posted by: Right of Center AAUD™ | Jun 16, 2005 1:07:37 PM
oops...not doing my code well today! again...
uh oh! Barista it's worse than you thought! You'd better write something inflammatory about Holy Book Desecration, and be quick about it!
Or, you could simply print what Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill) said on the floor of the US Senate (PDF) the other day when he likened US Service personnel to "Nazis, Soviets in their gulags, or some mad regime—Pol Pot or others" during a debate on the Energy bill (talk about "off-topic"!). That might improve your Blue Bonifides with BlueWave NJ and the like minded.
Posted by: Right of Center ™ | Jun 16, 2005 1:10:10 PM
Republican Pary=War Party
Democratic Party=War Party
You would need an finely tuned electron microscope to find the differences these days.
Screw Blue Wave!
Screw the Republican!
Posted by: lc | Jun 16, 2005 1:20:53 PM
liberals are always whining about something!
Posted by: Left Of Center, like Suzanne Vega | Jun 16, 2005 1:46:25 PM
"liberals are always whining about something!"
What a fitting non sequitur to this thread, which is chock full of Republicans whining about 200 liberals in a church.
Posted by: walleroo | Jun 16, 2005 2:28:00 PM
Well, walleroo, the original point of this thread, I believe, was that assorted "progressives" were hopping mad that the Barista hadn't properly hailed the mere presence of 200 of them in a meeting house (which I believe is the proper Unitarian term for their gathering places). Even if that's mayhap as close to "church" as many of those in attendance may have come in a long, long time.
Posted by: cathar | Jun 16, 2005 2:46:59 PM
Since it is modern Unitarian do they like you to call it a "church". Isn't that awfully specific?
Posted by: Right of Center ™ | Jun 16, 2005 2:49:21 PM
Interestingly, too, Stoller identifies speaker Jon Shure of NJPP as a "progressive" and notes that he spoke about "progressive" issues. And yet, as I've previously noted, NJPP's own website more than once claims it's a nonpartisan organization.
Progressive does not necessarily mean a member of the Democratic Party any more than conservative or libertarian means a member of the Republican Party.
Posted by: Matt Stoller | Jun 16, 2005 2:52:36 PM
I kind of doubt that anyone out there in baristaville who styles himself/herself as "progressive" ever votes Republican. Socialist Workers or Greens, maybe, but nothing remotely to the right.
Also, I further "really, really, really, really " (like the Spice Girls sang) doubt that NJPP is interested in pitching its services and views to conservatives, Republics and libertarians alike save for purposes of conversion. Matt Stoller, in other words, is feigning naivete above. As, one might opine, befits a minion of Jon Corzine who blogs so smugly for his master.
Posted by: cathar | Jun 16, 2005 3:01:45 PM
will the whining liberals (oops, progressives)ever admit they are out of touch with the real world?
Posted by: Frosty | Jun 16, 2005 3:03:50 PM
(Heck, I'd be happy if some of them (ahem) would admit that increasing "acess" to healthcare in any kind of substantive way will most likely cost a weenie bit more than $19/year! - The Corzine Conundrum™!)
(like a dog with a new bone am I with my new trick)
Posted by: Right of Center™ | Jun 16, 2005 3:08:27 PM
Hey Matt Up for a challenge?
How about here, on neutral territory, we have a little Q&A, huh?
How about a little timed event I'll ask some questions about Corzine's proposals and you answer them. We could limit it to an hour.
Someone neutral could referee. I nominate Milo. The referee determines if the question is fair and whether the answer actually answers the question.
What do you say?
Posted by: Right of Center™ | Jun 16, 2005 3:24:46 PM
the 'winner' of the governor's race is only going to add to the national perception of jersey being corrupt. true or false the 2 candidates are perceived to be using their money to outspend and therefore 'buy' the election.
Posted by: frosty | Jun 16, 2005 3:49:17 PM
Milo: Me, a Republican? Are you serious? Heaven forbid. First of all, I'm not rich enough. Second of all, I don't have Republican hair or a GOP wardrobe. I can't be a Republican woman: I refuse to wear pantyhose. When the Republican party puts legalization of marijuana on their platform, I'll become a Republican.
I'd be a member of the Smart Aleck Party if there was one, and would gladly support either Jon Stewart or Stephen Colbert if they ran for president.
Until then, I'm a proud card-carrying member of the eastern, liberal, Jewish media conspiracy (which was the one that preceded that vast, right-wing media conspiracy). How can you tell: I drive a minivan, not an SUV. That said, I won't follow any marching orders from anybody, even if they're wearing earth shoes. And I'll mock anyone who deserves mocking.
Posted by: The Barista | Jun 16, 2005 3:53:21 PM
