1115.org

Another chapter in “What the mainstream media doesn’t know about blogs” played out yesterday as political analyst Stuart Rothenberg criticized MyDD for their House strategy. The point of Rothenberg’s piece was that MyDD and other bloggers are unrealistic when they demand that Democrats field and fund candidates in each of the 435 congressional districts. There will always be arguments about conserving contributions for truly competitive races vs. a 50 state / 435 district strategy, and both sides have their merits. But as large parts of the country become off limits to Democrats, it becomes more and more important to have someone in each district whose job it is to push the Democratic agenda. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) (the group responsible for identifying and recruiting candidates and deciding where funding will be most effective) disagrees, taking a more targeted approach by funneling more money to fewer races.

Rothenberg’s piece siding with the DCCC prompted spirited defenses by Jerome and Chris at MyDD who pointed out examples of two races that were originally left for dead only to be rescued by online fundraising. Stan Matsunaka took on entrenched incumbent Marilyn “Federal Marriage Amendment” Musgrave in Colorado and Ginny Schrader fought for an open seat in Pennsylvania only because they were “adopted” by the blog community. Neither won, but both fought valiant fights and carried the party message in races that didn’t meet the DCCC criteria when they started.

I contributed to the DCCC during the 2004 cycle, and I appreciate the hard work they do in a difficult political climate. That’s why is is so disconcerting that in commenting on the Rothenberg/MyDD exchange, the DCCC blog said:

We had every intention of winning the House in 2004, but the wind did not end up being at our backs. That said, outside of redistricting, we gained seats last cycle, and therefore frankly can claim better success all around than either the DSCC or the DNC.

There’s something inherently dangerous in looking for the silver lining during a thunderstorm. The wind hasn’t been at our backs for the five consecutive cycles that we’ve failed to retake the House. Redistricting or not, that’s the game we’re faced with: Republicans are going to lie, steal, cheat, and try to redistrict in every election because it has proven effective. We can’t afford to sit around and hope for an even playing field and use the lack of one as an excuse. I don’t begrudge the DCCC, DSCC or DNC their right to have a positive attitude about the future, but I don’t think it’s wise to look at the last cycle and point out that “we didn’t lose all that badly.” We lost. It’s time to start learning from mistakes and adjusting, not pointing out technicalities.

Accept the last defeat and make the appropriate changes to policy, personnel, strategy and tactics so that we don’t have to endure any more “three way tie for third place” rhetoric.