Tim Russo responds

by Tim Russo, Sat Nov 13, 2004 at 04:06:27 AM EST

This is just too priceless.

I've got some anonymous conspiracy theorist accusing me of being a ghost writer in a conspiracy to take over this blog by posting critiques of conspiracy theorists.

This, frankly, should rest my case.

Let's be clear. I am who I say I am. I've been blogging since June. I blogged on this site at the INVITATION of Jermoe Armstrong (who, in fact, uses his real name as well), who has been reading MY blog, liked the writing, and INVITED me to contribute, which I happily volunteered to do. (emphasis on volunteer...)

I've also been published as an op-ed columnist in The Cleveland Plain Dealer, The Cleveland Free Times, The London Sunday Times, The St. Petersburg Times (that's Russia)...using my name, which is, in fact, Tim Russo.

I'd post the rest of my resume here, but not sure that would matter to these yahoos. Suffice to say I'm a Democrat, have worked as a paid staffer to elect more Democrats than my anonymous attackers have probably voted for in their entire lives, and have put my money where my mouth is my entire career.

I have strong opinions on the direction of this party. They are clear in my Ohio blog, http://www.ohiocountdown2004.blogspot.com, which was the basis for my INVITATION to this blog's front page. There is no secret here. Buyer did beware, and was fully informed.

I hate W as much as the next D. I was a Kerry challenger in Ohio on election day, spent 14 hours making sure not one single voter was disenfranchised. I was devastated by our loss, and have a lot to say about the direction of our party.

But guess what?

YOU WIN!

YAY!

I'm off the front page. You won't have to read anything you don't agree with anymore. Despite the fact that every one of my posts generated more vigorous and valuable discussion than every other post during the period, (even this bonehead's diary on me has more comments than any other) my voice is silenced by....

By who? A bunch of anonymous posters who hurl character assassination and haven't got the guts to put their name to their slurs. Fellas, you prove & personify my many points precisely.

(gee....I just used alliteration! my writing is getting so much better thanks to your criticism!)

Memo to Jerome & Chris...I'd love to be back. I have a lot more to say to this crowd...they obviously need to hear it. Get some backbone...or are you guys part of the conspiracy, too?

But hey...there's an Ohio State game today, a Browns game tomorrow, and LeBron James is making Cleveland sports worth watching for the next 15 years. My life goes on without YourDD.

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Pretty sad

I've had a theory all along that the so-called "liberal blogosphere" was merely a cheap version of talk radio. This goes some distance towards confirming it. You don't like what you hear? Just shout them down! I can't believe you'd be booted because others disagree with you. Well, I guess I can believe it. It seems when the going gets tough, the tough aren't at MyDD. Maybe they should call it: "MyDD, and not yours!" I for one appreciate your insights and respect your opinions. Criticism of any type is valuable, more valuable still when it comes from the lips of a friend.

I hope you'll keep your blog up and running. I'll continue to recommend. Please visit and recommend my buddy's blog as well. You may find it interesting, as well as critical! :)

A recent post of some relevance can be found here:

http://amendmentnine.blogspot.com/2004/11/moments.html

Best to you Tim! Sorry they've silenced you.

by flavorflav12 2004-11-13 04:38AM | 0 recs

4a2fab88-ed3b-47a4-8f14-3ec8a24504ac_normal

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front page

Tim's obviously not been silenced, or he would not have been able to make this post. I believe what Tim has to offer is worthy of discussion, so let's do that here. But I'm not willing to let venting on other parts of the Democratic Party happen on the front page.

The sentiment that Tim gave me in his email, if you had any guts, you'd stuff it down these guys throats and put me back on the front page is not representative of the big tent philosophy that the Democratic Party needs going forward. We're going to win by coming together in agreement over the larger matters, not through dominating one wing of the party's supporters.

I'm glad that we'll be discussing Lakoff's new book here, it shows the biggest problem with the different groups of progressives in coming together.

by Jerome Armstrong 2004-11-13 05:21AM | 0 recs

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Re: front page

Well that's really grown up now, isn't it? If you can't be on the front page you won't contribute to the community? What's that about?

by aruac 2004-11-13 05:32AM | 0 recs

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Good decision

Tim, if you hadn't chosen to use the front page to launch a succession of attacks on -- let me see-

-- people who are investigating the evidence on electoral fraud
-- on undefined leftists who are apparently to blame for Gore and Kerry losing
-- Kucinich
-- attack on Yasser Arafat (who,whether we like him or not, is the beloved father of the Palestinian nation, and someone who has played a heroic role against the odds)
-- via Cosby (and with some help again from the trolls) on African-Americans

where was this going to end? what next-- an attack on trade unions and the AFL/CIO? an attack on MoveOn? An attack on Hollywood lefties? An attack on the antiwar movement?

And very little of these front page articles were analysis based on providing information -- it was usually Tim Russo spouting his prejudices. That kind of stuff belongs in a DIARY, at best.

The front page of MyDD has a reputation for high-quality journalism and analysis. I am glad it is going to return to that, rather than becoming yet another blog-shopwindow for wannabee New Republic hacks.

by aruac 2004-11-13 05:13AM | 0 recs

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front page

Tim, when you post the quality of writing that you've shown you can do, I'll be happy to promote it to the front page. When you want to fight it out with others in the Democratic Party, use the diary's, as it looks like there are many here who want to also fight, which is fine.

by Jerome Armstrong 2004-11-13 05:27AM | 0 recs

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Re: Good decision

You have not been banished from MyDD. No one has silenced you. You can post a Diary like everyone else-- you can discuss the failings of various parts of the Democratic coalition as much as you wish. I am sure people will read you and respond to it as suits their conscience.

There are reasons why some people-- who are in sensitive locations -- need to post anonymously. There is no shame in that, in my view. You don't need a name or address to judge what effect a writer has on the world.

by aruac 2004-11-13 05:30AM | 0 recs

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more tim russo, please

If you're off the front page, will ohio countdown morph into a new blog, or will you simply continue to post diaries? I fear that the community blogosphere will degenerate over the next two years into Deaniacs talking to themselves. (I like Dean, too, but I don't think that would be healthy-- not at all.) I hate the idea that only the blogs without community features (like Josh Marshall's) pay attention to what the rest of the nation, the part that doesn't check email every two hours, thinks. We can't fight Chris' war on conservatism if we pretend most people are already liberals (or even that most people are northeasterners-- I'm from the northeast). Tim's posts provide a stimulus we in these parts badly need.

by accommodatingly 2004-11-13 05:24AM | 0 recs

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You know

Witnessing the exchange between Tim and Jerome has made me rethink a lot about this endeavor.

by flavorflav12 2004-11-13 05:56AM | 0 recs

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Oh please...

If you want to post opinions in line with Bill Clinton's or Zell Miller's vision of the Left, I would be glad to hear them and read them. But not on this site. They are too few good progressive sites around, but plenty of centrist places where you can post as many opinions as you want urging us to abandon the Left.

by FrenchSocialist 2004-11-13 07:19AM | 0 recs

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a newbie's comment

It seems to me that when a blog community gets together behind an issue, some pretty amazing things start to happen (for example, the Sinclair boycott and what is going on at Democratic Underground right now.)

The divide and conquer strategy has been around for a long time. I like to read what everyone has to say but that doesn't mean that divisive comments belong on the front page.

by misscee 2004-11-13 07:23AM | 0 recs

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BORING!!!! OH SO BORING!!!!

Man, Jerome... why even bother responding? It's your blog!(O.K.... Maybe a little bit Chris's blog too at this particular point in time... he has been posting quite a bit.) Kick off whoever you want to kick off. If you make me front-page worthy... I promise I won't use an insane amount of capital letters like Tim.

by NCDem 2004-11-13 05:06PM | 0 recs