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By Jesse Haff - February 2
7 Comments

Cliff blogs today on The Huffington Post:


We don't have FoxNews. We don't have Rush Limbaugh (which at least means less progressive cash spent on buckets of honey-glazed wings and Schedule IV narcotics). But we have something almost as powerful, if recent events tell an accurate story. We have synergy. Coordination. Call it what you will.

On Monday, along with filmmaker Robert Greenwald and his fantastic team at Brave New Films, I launched a blog called The Real McCain (which features Robert's impressive short film "John McCain Vs. John McCain"). We decided, like many progressives, that we are tired of McCain talking like a "maverick" and voting like a Helms.

The response has been amazing. Almost immediately, we were mentioned on almost every medium-sized and high-traffic progressive blog. We were able to take our message to the always fantastic Young Turks on Air America. Alternet prominently mentioned what we were doing.

We ended up getting our message out quite forcefully. There was an LA Times front-page story. A San Francisco Chronicle blog mention. And we already have two television stations working on stories. Hell, even Human Events wrote about us.

The result: In two days, Robert's video short has gotten over 110,000 views on YouTube, making it a top-rated, top-linked and top-viewed effort. Meanwhile, the blog has received over 60,000 visits.

So, for almost all of us forced to remember the political terrain of the 90s, how The Right disseminated false attacks on our politicians, causes and ideas, we now have a means to blow up a progressive message to the point where the MSM simply cannot ignore it. Don't get me wrong, we have a long way to go before we reach parity. But hey, it's a start.

The key is that we must coordinate, as progressive victories will take our working together. Yet, as in this case, the results will be glorious.

Well, at least if you're not John McCain.

Or some other right-wing hack masquerading as a "principled moderate."

Comments

Mary Ellen said:

It's about time we start getting the message out. I think the right wing has been hit with a double whammy this week. First, Hillary announced she was running and is already beating McCain in the polls and then there is this blog which is putting McCain in the spotlight and showing all his flip flops and backsliding remarks. He can't hide behind that war hero label anymore.

I can't wait to see Hillary and McCain debate. Maybe we'll all get an opportunity to see his temper at work. My prediction is that he will either lose his cool and walk off the stage or he will have that deer in the headlight look on his face as he flip flops in mid sentence. Heh,heh....this is going to be fun!

February 2, 2007 11:49 PM

Brian said:

Hopefully there won't be a Hillary-McCain debate.
Both supporters of free trade?
Both supporters of insurance company dominated health care.
Both voted for the illegal Iraq invasion.
Both worship on the altar of standarized testing for schools.
and on and on...
What will they debate?

February 3, 2007 9:07 PM

r€nato said:

We don't have Rush Limbaugh (which at least means less progressive cash spent on buckets of honey-glazed wings and Schedule IV narcotics).

...less progressive cash spent on trips to the Dominican Republic to have sex with children, too...

February 4, 2007 2:56 AM

Betty Boop said:

John McCain is now attacking supporters of the Senate Resolution and NOT supporting the troops (another one of those right wing attacks?) In essence he states that those supporting the Resolutions are "intellectually dishonest" (whatever the hell that spin is supposed to mean).

Everyone supports the troops, it's the morons sending them into a meat grinder we don't support.

John McCain is a lying sack of carpetbagging garbage. His whole life is based upon being a former tortured prisoner - he has nothing else. It's his life's work, suffering.

Again, my ideal 2008 ticket is McCain/Lieberman...the dream team.

February 4, 2007 1:11 PM

Betty Boop said:

By the way (apologies for 2 posts in a row): The article in the LATimes about these videos being made by Greenwald FINALLY made it into the AZ Republic today.

Great news!
Although many people who live in AZ are well aware what McCain "is".

Good grief, the idiot is a professional victim and making a career at it.

February 4, 2007 1:12 PM

Ron.Said said:

Ron said
Betty Boops you are a sick no good sack of Garbage. That is just what you are, plan SHIT.

February 5, 2007 7:10 AM

Basheert said:

Ron.Said:
Wow - thought about dealing with those anger issues there guy?

Let me guess, you're one of those 11% Bush-McCain supporters?

February 5, 2007 11:09 AM

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About Cliff Schecter

Cliff Schecter Cliff Schecter is a veteran campaign strategist and political commentator. Schecter is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and was a guest columnist for United Press International from 2002-2004. His work has been featured in a variety of publications including The Miami Herald, The American Prospect, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Fordham Urban Law Journal, The Washington Monthly and Salon.com. He blogs at cliffschecter.com and writes a weekly satirical column each Friday called "Cliff's Corner," summarizing the week's most ridiculous events, for AMERICAblog. Surprisingly, Tom DeLay gets mentioned a lot.

During the 2004 election cycle, Schecter worked as the "liberal" pundit for The Sinclair Broadcast Group, where he debated conservative Armstrong Williams -- for significantly less cost to the White House. He has also appeared on CNN, CNBC, NPR FoxNews and the Canadian Broadcast Channel. Recently, Schecter has been a regular contributor to MSNBC, where his debates against Republicans have become some of the most popular videos on YouTube, garnering as many as 125,000 viewings. Additionally, Schecter has provided analysis on American politics for international diplomats, journalists, students and politicians as part of The State Department Bureau of International Information Programs.

Schecter, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, holds an MA in International Affairs from the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs and is receiving his Ph.D. in American History as a Dean's Honors Fellow at American University.

Schecter was a pollster for the successful reelection of President Bill Clinton in 1996 and fundraiser for former Governor of Virginia Mark Warner in 2001. He has also provided initial opposition research for the Ned Lamont campaign's unprecedented victory over sitting senator Joe Lieberman in the 2006 primary race in Connecticut, and has consulted for the DNC, DCCC and candidates he won't mention here because they lost.

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