Redstate Founder Endorses Brad Miller

Submitted by James on

Mike Krempasky, one of the founders of the rightwing blog called Redstate.com, today endorsed Brad Miller for Congress. Speaking extemporaneously as part of a morning discussion at ConvergeSouth, Krempasky said:

One thing that I've certainly never done is endorse a Democrat. Ever. I am actually quite willing to say this when it comes to politics that we should (a little fuzzy) all just step back a little bit. If there's an uglier time in Washington than right now, I don't know. But Brad Miller ought to be re-elected.

This is the exact quote, courtesy of the Southern Dem who recorded and transcribed it. There was NO question whatsover among the applauding audience that Mr. Redstate was repudiating Vernon Robinson.

Looks like a good time to give it up, Vermin. The King of Reactionary is pulling for your Democratic opponent. Take the hint.

Comments

It was a good conference

Submitted by James on

and I got lots of ideas about how to improve BlueNC so that we can be more effective in influencing North Carolina politics. Now if I can just get Lance to help implement all of them.

But the highlight of the conference for me was the chance to meet the legendary Southern Dem - live and in person!

Awww...and the highlight for me was meeting you

Submitted by Betsy Muse on

....that and keeping my mouth shut enough so I didn't insult anybody. :)


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I will get that quote out

Submitted by Betsy Muse on

but that is very close.

I was impressed that with all he has on his plate, Brad Miller found yet another opportunity to reach out to the online activist community. He looked good - a little more relaxed. I'm sure being out of session is nice, even if he is having to deal with the Vermin out on the campaign trail.


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Convergence

Submitted by gregflynn on

Sorry I can't be there with you all. If you two keep this up I'll have to borrow Barry Saunders' terms: Big Daddy and Sweet Thang

OK...now that one made me laugh

Submitted by Betsy Muse on

We're both home now. It took me an extra hour with race traffic. If you come up just for the Saturday portion, it really is a very easy day. We learned a lot , got some great ideas from each other and we're home in the same day before dinner. They provided breakfast and lunch, so not too much running around. Everything is right there. Very nicely done.


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Okay, I Should Have Gone

Submitted by Nancy Miller Martin on

Now I'm sorry I didn't go. I couldn't convince myself that I was a blogger, so I thought I shouldn't be there. Somebody in my family told me I should go. Next time I will listen.

Lovex7

You absolutely would have fit right in

Submitted by Betsy Muse on

Not everyone there was a blogger or professional journalist. It wasn't an "elitist" group. I am very excited about what I picked up in such a small amount of time. I had my ears open.


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Vote Democratic! The ass you save may be your own.

Yep, they let me in so their standards were set pretty low...

Submitted by WillR on

It was great seeing team BlueNC. SouthernDem was a dynamo - nice meeting you in real space. Wish I had gotten someone to snap a photo of me wedged in between Gerry and Anglico - who were both quite interesting as usual. Heck, it was even especially fun trading barbs with zabouti....

CitizenWill
there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right. MLK,Jr. to SCLC Leadership Class

CitizenWill
there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular, but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right. MLK,Jr. to SCLC Leadership Class

WillR, I am so excited to have met you too

Submitted by Betsy Muse on

I would have taken a picture. I had my camera and didn't think to pull it out for us, but you can ask Zabouti just how long it takes to get pictures back from me. ;)


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WillR

Submitted by James on

I'm glad we got to catch up.

During lunch there were a couple of conversations going, as you remember. But the one that struck me the most was the one where you and Zabouti started going techno on me. You guys said twenty things in two minutes ... none of which I understand at all.

But the idea of an automated "front page" framework for capturing selected feeds and serving them up to targeted readers made a lot of sense to me. I'm going to put that on my wishlist for Christmas!

Ditto

Submitted by James on

You would have loved it and learned a lot . . . plus we could have pinned a BlueNC button on you!

Exact quote

Submitted by Betsy Muse on

.....One thing that I've certainly never done is endorse a Democrat. Ever.....I am actually quite willing to say this when it comes to politics that we should (a little fuzzy) all just step back a little bit. If there's an uglier time in Washington than right now, I don't know. But Brad Miller ought to be re-elected.




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SD

Submitted by Nancy Miller Martin on

Did you fall out of your chair?

Lovex7

Yes, I just about fell on the floor

Submitted by Betsy Muse on

but then, I realized I would make an ass out of myself......and I already do enough of that!

I was surprised to see Brad there. He really looks great....much more relaxed than the last time I saw him.


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I hope he's not pissed that I stole his thunder

Submitted by James on

On the drive home I was thinking about what was the most surprising thing I heard at the conference, and Krempasky's comments pretty much took the cake.

Heck no,

Submitted by Nancy Miller Martin on

he won't be pissed. He's probaly too stunned. Should have gone with him, but besides not being a blogger, I would have had to make some family members very unhappy with me. I worked until 7:00 and then I had to go to a footbabll game that started at 7:00. It was almost half time when I got there. Almost froze my buns off. Something happened to the weather during the day.

Lovex7

Thursday Night

Submitted by Nancy Miller Martin on

he seemed relaxed too. Being in session and running home to campaign on the weekends has to be very stressful. I think he really enjoyed it, because he has been gone for so long. It was a good turnout and a lot of fun. Larry was a very pleasant surprise, and he gave you lots of credit for his success. When I saw him, I ran up to him and hugged him and said, "You are up eight points in the polls?" He said, "Only seven." Then Brad told me to quit exaggerating. One of our friends said, "You are probably right. He's probably up by eight by now." I it sooo much fun to be with smart people, and all the smart people that I know are dems.

Lovex7

But I have NEVER

Submitted by Nancy Miller Martin on

voted for a republican.

Lovex7

asdf

Submitted by James on

Dave925 at DailyKos wrote this:

A very small group of elite self-appointed and would be masters wish to neutralize any threat to their exalted and privleged status. They believe in a twist on the old "Divine Right of Kings" hokum that enshrined tyranny as the "will of God" for a thouand years.

They believe by virtue of their ridiculous wealth they are by nature, if not by the divine, endowed with the right to rule. Of course they know this is not something if they presented it honestly would get them empowered all nice and legal. Nope, so they lie. They spread lies about "Government being the problem", because a truly representative government of, by and for the people strips them of their ability to do as they damn well please and would be a hindrance to their accumulation of even more wealth and power.

Of course this is all self-serving nonsense, but never the less they have succeeded in foisting Prsidents, Political Parties and Repesentatives upon us as their puppets doing their bidding.

Democracy scares them. An enlightened electorate in an honest system would make the relative handful of the uberwealthy who control upwards of 50% of the nation's assets actually pay 50% of the costs of a system that supports and protects them. They call this "Communism". We as progressives call this fairness and it is what we fight for.

So, Down with the Oligarchs and all Power to the People!

Krempasky responds:

Submitted by James on

Someone at Daily Kos got a Blackberry message from The Red King:

"Just to be clear, I said something nice about Brad, I didn't go so insane that I came out for government regulation of the internet."

This is an example of dismiss and deflect, which is a classic right wing move when they are confronted with reality. And yes, Krempasky did say something nice about Brad Miller. He endorsed him.

Ain't that just like a Republican....

Submitted by zabouti on

Krempasky definitely endorsed Brad Miller. It was wonderful to see Brad kind of tiptoe over to Krempasky after he sat down and ask him to step out into the hall, where they appeared to be having an animated and friendly conversation.

Krempasky may not have come "out for government regulation of the internet" but he sure seemed to agree with Elizabeth Edwards that we neede Net Neutrality. I, of course, spot a little of the all-too-common rightwing cognitive dissonance here because can't have net neutrality without government regulation.

The lunch table with Anglico, Southern Dem, WillR and others was definitely terrific, with ideas and zingers flying back and forth.

And since we're all in confessional mode, I once voted for a Republican.

-- ge

Besta é tu se você não viver nesse mundo
http://george.entenman.name

Besta é tu se você não viver nesse mundo
https://george.entenman.name

Not so, and don't misunderstand

Submitted by mkrempasky on

Again, I said nice things about Brad Miller, and the quote is accurate - I said he ought to be re-elected. But people are conflating two different issues that were talked about. While Mrs. Edwards did mention net neutrality in response to a question from the crowd - I specifically thanked Congressman Miller for his participation in the effort to protect blogs and political speech from regulation at the FEC. Totally different issue.

Just being clear, not dismissing anything.

Aw, come on Mike.

Submitted by James on

It's okay to say you endorsed Brad. We won't hold it against you.

In fact, it could even give progressives the idea that some conservatives actually think before they check all the "R's" on their ballots. That by itself would be a major breakthrough.

Conservative Coverage

Submitted by Lance on

The Conservative Voice covered SD covering ConvergeSouth here. Now I'm going to read the thirty or so comments above. Howdy, all!

Hi back atcha!

Submitted by James on

Sorry you couldn't have been there. SD and I had a good planning session and we have LOTS of work for you on deck.

The Conservative Voice ... what a bunch of dorks. To his credit, Krempasky actually stopped in there to report that he did in fact say what he said.

Naturally, there are no direct links to BlueNC by the reactionaries. Just links to a bunch of advertising. I heard the Puppetmaster has decreed this to be official policy of the Puppetshow.

Heh.