Meet The New Punditocracy, Just Like The Old Punditocracy
. I see that some of the Kool Kidz got a Guardian mention. But only the extra-special ones:
When historians come to write the definitive account of the rise of the liberal blog in the US, it is quite possible they will identify a small meeting in Harlem this week as a tipping point. The gathering looked unremarkable enough, a group of about 20 men and women sitting round a boardroom table, but it represented something highly significant.
The people assembled were the elite, if that’s not a contradiction in terms, of the Democrat-leaning blogosphere. And the man at the centre was Bill Clinton.
Yes, indeed, the Kool Kidz got to meet to meet the Big Dog, in his Harlem, NY office no less. Yay for the progressive, inclusive blogging future! The new elite, eh? Coool.
But… they’re all white! And middle aged! Just fancy that. Well, one might be Hispanic if you squint, but that’s nearly white, so that’s OK, phew, they nearly got caught being equable there.
Other, less hideously caucasian and coincidentally non-Hillary supporting bloggers who weren’t invited are understandably not very happy, notably Liza at Culture Kitchen:
To Peter Daou and the DailyKos crowd, there are no black bloggers in New York City or Harlem
Submitted by liza on 15 September, 2006 – 12:17.
Blogosphere Blogs Politics Race Racism Triangulation
I honestly do not know what to make of this.
These are the 20 liberal bloggers that met with Bill Clinton in Harlem. As you can see, not one of them is black or latino.
Via Republic of T.
This photo proves that It’s official : Hillary to run for President, so she kills the Liberal Blogosphere first.
I am just shocked at the glee with which Peter Daou has shown his disrespect for Pam Spaulding, Steve Gilliard, Louis Pagan, Chris Rabb, Earl Dunovant and me when he decided to not invite neither of us, or for that matter, any other black or latino bloggers.
Yes, Steve Gilliard, Pam Spaulding, and me have been vocal about Hillary’s run for the presidency. You’d think though our opinions would be given the weight they deserve within the blogosphere itself –let’s not even talk about the Clintonites or Washington.
Which is why I stand by what I said : In order for Hillary Clinton to run for president, she will do anything and everything to squash the voices of dissent raised through the progressive netroots. Stuffing their faces with lunch is one tasty way to go about it.
The more pressing question remains :
What does it mean though that there are 20 bloggers invited to this lunch and not one is black or latino? What does it mean for this group of bloggers to be patting themselves on the backs for being with Clinton when they are all in Harlem and not one of them is a person of color? What does it mean for these people to be there and have not one of them raise this issue in their blogs? Feministing
Seeing the forest
Liberal Oasis
AmericaBlog
Well, why haven’t they spoken up? The Democratic power structure is not stupid and has cleverly picked on some (though I hasten to add not all the 20 can be so characterised) of the most reformist, the most likely to suck up to power and the most personally ambitious of the supposed ‘left’ bloggers to attend their all-white lovefesr. Same old same old – divide and conquer, don’t consult the competition, co-opt it.
It’s been said that one of the advantages of the blogosphere is that no-one can tell your race or sex. Well, the Clinton event organisers seem to have managed it allright.
Do I think the individual bloggers are racist or elitist? No, probably not, though there are those who could do with a bit of assumption-challenging, as could most of us. It’s no shame to be played by the flattery and blandishments of a smooth political operator like Clinton. Many have been and will be again, he’s a pro.
What is a shame is not to speak up about it when it’s pointed out to you that what you’ve been involved in is an event that just upholds the white-privilege status quo. Did anyone attending even enquire about the diversity, or lack of it, of the invitees?
But then why would you? Wow, Clinton wanted to meet you. You’ve arrived. It’s all gravy now.
Read more: Blogging, Kool Kidz, Democrats, Clinton 08, Canpaigning, Racism, Social Exclusion
