I
t’s Day 2 at Netroots Nation 2010 at the Rio Las Vegas. Other than really bad Internet connectivity, it has been a really good gathering. I’ve met a good number of interesting folks.
Here is a part of how Day 1 has gone.
Yesterday morning I started with a forum on why Democratic primaries matter to the progressive movement. The panelists included Markos Moulitsas and Arkansas Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter whom I had the privilege of meeting after the panel. Markos emphasized that we as progressives, who don’t have the “billions and billions” (HT CS) of dollars of the big multi-national corporations to buy Congress, must use primaries to put up credible progressive candidates for office.
The key thing, however, is that we do put up serious electable candidates and not fall into the loosing teabagger “strategy” of nominating looney Sharon Angle or the Rand Paul-types who would only serve to erode our credibility. Bill Halter serves as a good case study. Although he lost, by a slim margin, to Senator Blanche Lincoln in the recent Arkansas primary, he clearly would have been a better general election candidate. He already serves as Lieutenant Governor of Arkansas which is clear evidence that he is an electable state-wide in Arkansas. Further, his populist message was resonating with general election voters. There were a number of examples provided which show that progressive ideas to sell and that the timidity of the President and the Democrats in Congress is actually diminishing their chances of holding on to office. The electorate like fighting populists.