Left-leaning bloggers flex muscle in Texas

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 7/20/8 | Joe Garofoli

[SmithL]

Austin, Texas -- Last year online activists inspired by DailyKos.com, the nation's most popular liberal blog, swelled with power as the Democratic presidential candidates debated at their annual convention, asking for their blessing and a little cash - or at least a link to their site.

And this year? In the words of Markos Moulitsas, founder of the Daily Kos blog on which this Netroots Nation convention of political gate-crashers originally gathered: "We are the mainstream."

The progressive online movement is now faced with its most significant challenge: using its online power to help elect a Democratic president. Doing that will require many of the 2,000 bloggers and activists gathered here since Thursday to leave their laptops behind and perform one of the oldest of political duties: knock on the doors of potential voters - especially in red-state America - and persuade them to vote their way.

Expanding "online to offline" is a dominant theme among the netroots who have gathered for four days in Austin, a sweltering blue island inside red Texas - and the Barack Obama campaign, long a favorite, is leading the way. On Thursday, the campaign talked up its "Neighbor-to-Neighbor" contact program now in 20 states, which hopes to coax a majority of the 1 million ardent Obama supporters roosting on the candidate's Web site, www.barackobama .com, to phone, door-knock or otherwise contact those within walking distance of their homes about the strengths of the presumed Democratic nominee.

"It's not just about being online and saying, 'Wouldn't it be great if?' " said Chris Hughes, the 24-year-old co-founder of Facebook who now directs Obama's online organizing strategy.

[normy]

"We are the mainstream."

Well lets rumble punk. I will bring my guys and you bring yours.

[McLynnan]

Austin, a sweltering blue island inside red Texas

It's embarrassing for the rest of Texas. Austin, our problem child.

[max americana]

> Left-leaning bloggers flex muscle in Texas <

Liberals couldn;t even flex one single brain cell.

> “We are the mainstream.” <

MSM? Yes, you are (sarc/)

[berdie]

I’m with ya. Please call me at 1-800-WILLHELP

I wonder if there is a place on the internet to post:

Welcome to Texas...please let me direct you to I35 North.

[humblegunner]

In the words of Markos Moulitsas, (Who does not bathe)
founder of the Daily Kos blog (Which features a goat-porn chat area)
on which this Netroots Nation convention of political gate-crashers
originally gathered: "We are the mainstream." And we are hermaphroditic!

[xDGx]

And this year? In the words of Markos Moulitsas, founder of the Daily Kos blog on which this Netroots Nation convention of political gate-crashers originally gathered: “We are the fruitbats.”

10-4

[DGHoodini]

"We are the mainstream."

Bwah! You wish...More like the River Shit...or the Shit Creek.

[Feckless]

Austin: the San Francisco of Texas.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

Left wing blogger and muscles are not two words I expect to see in the same sentence.

[normy]

I have quite a bit of family in Austin. They were nervous Kerry was going to win in 2004 because all they see is what is around them. I assured them things were gonna be ok.

I see way too many Californians moving to Austin and the Hill Country, it's losing it's rugged cowboy feel for the granola, hippie, "artist", ten speed rider feel.

[Ditter]

I didn't know that Californians were moving to the Texas hill country but it certainly has been ‘discovered’.

[dfwgator]

LOL, my money would be on your guys, they have the guns. ;)

[normy]

Oh I don’t think we have to go heels to get the drop on those guys.;)