The Secret Weapons
Clearly, it's a Stephen Colbert world - or nation, at least. As he told Stewart during their election coverage, "I am America Deep inside, I'm a melting pot of all the things that make America great."This quote from an LA Times piece, Biggest election season winner? Stephen Colbert -- Every incumbent candidate the faux-newsman interviewed in his notorious "Better Know a District" segment was reelected -- sums up the media's take on the influence of Colbert/Stewart. As the Scarborough video and Times article notes:
In the wake of the Democratic congressional juggernaut, the biggest winner this election season has risen from the parted waters - and it's not Nancy Pelosi. It's Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report."See also, No Fact Zone, Who’s Honoring Stephen Colbert Now (or at least trying)? Marketwatch!.* * * *Shrugging aside oft-repeated notions that the midterm elections were a referendum on the war in Iraq, Colbert said on "The Daily Show and the Colbert Report Present the Midterm Midtacular," his up-to-the-minute election coverage with Jon Stewart, that "these elections are a referendum on something more important - me." Who can argue?
But it's not just Colbert who comes out ahead in this post-election review of winners and losers (besides the candidates, that is). We can't forget about the impact of that other contingent that made a difference in this election -- bloggers.
A few of my favorite Philly bloggers are the subject of a post-election piece in the Philadelphia Weekly magazine, ’Net Gains. Featured were Duncan Black of Eschaton, Susan Madrak, who blogs at Suburban Guerrilla, and Will Bunch of Attytood.
Dan McQuaide (who also has a blog, Philadelphia Will Do), writes about the impact of liberal bloggers on the mid-term election, noting for example that Democrat Patrick Murphy's win over incumbent Mike Fitzpatrick in PA's (mostly Republican) 8th Congressional District seat was due, in part, to the efforts of the "netroots." In crediting the efforts of bloggers as contributing to the outcome of the race, the article states:
Will Bunch . . . says one of the major effects liberal bloggers had on the election was driving media coverage, or delving into aspects of campaigns normally not covered as much.
“The blogs played a role in amplifying a lot of developments that would’ve gotten news coverage, but took on a much bigger life of their own,” Bunch says. “Certainly the investigation of Curt Weldon’s daughter was dissected and picked through even more, due to blogs.”
While the debate continues over just how much of an influence blogs had on the midterm elections, liberal bloggers are already looking toward the future. As a long-term goal Madrak says she wants to get more diverse and working-class voices into the grassroots and netroots movements. In the short term it’s less than a year until the 2007 mayoral election, which is now wide open as a field of a half-dozen or so Democrats jockey for position.
Those candidates would be wise to pay attention to last Tuesday, lest they fail to fully capitalize on the burgeoning netroots movement. If they’re unsure, they can just ask Mike Fitzpatrick what it can do.
Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert & Liberal bloggers -- a winning combination!
(Video via Crooks & Liars)
No comments:
Post a Comment