Chris Bowers: Obama Camp 'Decapitated' Influential Progressive Group

Open Left:

Progressive Media USA was a more important organization to the progressive movement than many people know. For one thing, it employed a large number of progressive movement types with an online focus. Also, even though it was accomplished behind the scenes, it is responsible for a strikingly large number of the anti-McCain stories to appear in the national press over the past six months. Further, it was not meant to just operate during the campaign, but also to fight media pushback against a new Democratic administration in 2009 and beyond.

Basically, it was a very netroots friendly organization doing a lot of very positive anti-McCain work, and was also a potentially important allay of a new Democratic administration. However, at the behest of the Obama campaign senior leadership, it has now been decapitated and decommissioned by Barack Obama's uber-wealthy donors.

Read the whole story: Open Left

Comments

[KarateKid]

This article is proof that anyone can make statements and accuse anyone else of malfeascance.

[personalpolitical]

He didn't do anything. He is just trying to discourage the use of third party groups, so he can go after McCain who will rely on third party swiftboat groups since he has no money of his own. It is a smart move. These progressive groups get a ton of money from small donors, and that won't stop. He didn't decapitate anything. Quit whining and being alarmist.

[slobodaneee]

Personalpolitical,

I hope you're right because I want liberal third party groups to operate against McCain. No matter what Obama's high intentions are, McCain will still rely on the swifboaters and won't be called on it. Like Bush before him, McCain will publicly call for civility but will privately cheer them on. I'm fearful that Obama will be disarming unilaterally. I'm as big an Obama supporter as anyone (having given money, canvassed, etc. here in NC) but I don't have as much faith in the American people. Here in NC there are so many people that will believe anything the repubs say and although they don't always agree with McCain believe he is an honorable man. For example most in NC don't known about all of McCain's affairs or his crazy temper. Unless the y believe there is something wrong with McCain, they will vote for him. Moreover, if the repubs know dems are willing to hit back just as hard or low as necessary they will throw the lowest at us. Lastly, I don't believe in concentrated power, even in Obama's hand.

[hiNY]

Obama relies on grassroots' donations, and he does not want his name to be linked to groups who are dependent on big donors. Moveon.org has Obama ads on, and I do not see neither Obama nor Moveon.org complaining, if anything they seems to understand each other Just fine. So i do not understand what Bower is talking about. This year Democrats should not be competing for big-donor money.

Sorry, It is grassroots time!!!!!!!

[Angelus2007]

That is all fine and dandy until some huge money flows into a conservative think tank, and they try to swift boat Obama. Like it or not, and I don't like it, sometimes you need to take big money. Look at 2004, those 527s were a large reason Bush won (Kerry have the personality and likability of a slug didn't help). But those swiftboat ads were so damaging that they are used as a verb. Something similar in 2004 or even 2000 by the dems and we might not be where we are today.

[cog1000]

So that's why Bowers is angry? He didn't actually say that. It's true that I worry that Obama is underestimating the power of all those swiftboaters and should let Dem independent orgs do their thing, but you do have to admire that he's sticking to the principles he stated. or trying to. And there is still Moveon.org and some others.

[drzoon]

we can raise just as much if not more when and if the time comes. we shouldn't do anything out of fear when it comes to money.

[cog1000]

"Given that Obama skipped the vote to defend MoveOn.org, referred to Daily Kos as boring, and that his campaign has generally been credited with the worst blogosphere outreach of any campaign this season, I won't be surprised if something like that happens again. Clearly, the Obama campaign does not appear keen to work with the online elements of the progressive movement that predated the campaign."

Given that Obama's campaign has relied heavily on online donations and organization for community outreach for his campaign, I don't understand the intense blogger hostility to Obama here. Who cares if he thinks DailyKos is boring (it often is boring reading endless political junkie posts). and what's with the "worst blogosphere outreach"??? (McCain apparently will be reaching out to Chris Bowers successfully with his new emphasis on 'blogoreac­h'.) Obama's whole message is not to be beholden to campaign big money donors--like an organized soft-money 527. And I believe he is trying to curtail the 527 ad campaigns in general. But Obama should be taking orders from the blogosphere because they supported him?

Just a weird article. I don't get it at all. I'm not a big blogosphere person. So I'd appreciate an insider's analysis of this argument.

[Nolewoman]

This is exactly what I was thinking. Don't understand it at all and thought I was missing something. I hope someone from the blogosphere will explain because I thought the grassroots movement was one of Obama's strong point. Like you said, weird.

[srtjsrtj]

COME ON REPUBLICANS THIS STUFF JUST DOESN'T WORK NOT ANY MORE. WE CAN PLAY HARDBALL TOO.......­..........­..........­..........­..........­..........­.

AND WE ARE ALL THE WAY TO THE WHITEHOUSE.

[NoahVail]

"....respo­nsible for a strikingly large number of the anti-McCain stories to appear in the national press over the past six months."

Uhh..... In which nation's press did these stories appear? I have been reading the US newspapers, and I have not seen these.

[ProgressiveNotLiberal]

I am a real progressive and not some liberal who likes a new name and I have never heard of this group. In fact, googling this group comes up with nothing! How influential could they be if Google doesn't even know who the hell they are?
Lets get real here, Progressive is not the new term for Liberal and there is a striking difference in the two groups politics. Please stop confusing the two groups that have similar concerns, but very different politics! Once and for all, a Progressive is not a Liberal.

[Nolewoman]

Could you enlighten me on the differences?

[tbone99]

Taking a shot here - Ted kennedy would be a liberal, Kucinich would be a progressive.
Thats my definiton anyway, tho' the poster seems to emphasize different processes , rather than platforms, I'd love to know , too

[tbone99]

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/05/democratic_media_group_scales.html
Looks like they are a spin off from a founder of Move On.

[Gma11]

Can anyone here tell me anything about "Talk Left" and/or about Chris Bowers? In all my online blogging, I'm not familiar with them.

[izAriver]

Why do I get the impression, from reading your articles and highlights of your accomplishments, that you are nothing more than a repugnican in democrats clothing or at the very least, an "old school" corporate corrupted democrat? True it's just an impression but I've learned to trust my intuition over the years.