Projo Politics Blog

Media Matters for America, a liberal group that analyzes the media, has accused talk-show hosts on NBC and MSNBC of exaggerating the importance of Hillary Clinton supporters now making their anti-Obama feelings known in Denver. In doing so, they are ignoring the words of NBC's director of political news. The Media Matters Web site said:

"NBC News political director Chuck Todd said of the story, 'I kind of think we're hyping it up a little bit. It's getting a little overheated. ... And I wonder if in three days, we look back and say, "Why did we waste all of our time with that?'"

Left-leaning bloggers have been airing resentment over the media's interest in People United Mean Action (PUMA) and other disaffected Democratic groups for some time. But if the left-leaning bloggers can talk about others talking about something, why can't everyone else talk about it? Perhaps there's something to that something.

I visited PUMA headquarters this morning, about two miles from the Pepsi Center. Here, Election '08 is still about Hillary.

l spoke with Darragh Murphy, a 39-year-old pro-Clinton blogger from Boston who had been flamed once too often on the Daily KOS site, and left. She founded PUMA to protest what she saw as a sexist and biased campaign against Clinton during the Democratic primaries and caucuses. Her final straw, she told me, was the Democratic Rules Committee meeting in early June that essentially sunk Clinton's chances of taking the nomination at the convention.

"Suppose Hillary tells her supporters in tonight's convention address to vote for Obama, which she will surely do?" I asked Murphy?

"We're not going to do it," she responded.

"Who are PUMAs going to vote for in November?" I asked.

"They will not vote for Obama," she said. "I can tell you that." Nor is she sure at this point what she will do. The possibilities include voting for Republican John McCain, writing in someone's name or staying home on Election Day.

PUMA is one of the better known groups in the Just Say No Coalition, a collection of pro-Clinton Democrats opposing the Obama candidacy. They take varied stances on what happened and what should happen next, but they all feel that, in Murphy's words, "The Democratic Party has been hijacked."

These groups offer news organizations a welcome break from the tedium of a party love-fest, plus they claim 2 million members. Even a fraction of that is a lot of unhappy Democrats. That's something.

 Tags  Democratic Convention John McCain media PUMAS

Comments

trudy said:

You do know that PUMA founder Darragh Murphy donated to McCain in 2000, don't you? And we're supposed to believe she's a Democrat?

And strange that if Clinton has a huge amount of remaining support, she can't retire her debt.

Link | August 27, 2008 12:17 AM
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Kevin K. said:

These groups offer news organizations a welcome break from the tedium of a party love-fest, plus they claim 2 million members. Even a fraction of that is a lot of unhappy Democrats. That's something.

Froma, that is one lazy, poorly-researched post for a journalist. Do you consider at most 500 or so people (I'm being generous) to be "something"? Maybe you should ask them what calculation they used to come up with the 2 million members figure.

And the only thing that's been "hijacked" when it comes to the PUMAs is common sense.

Link | August 27, 2008 3:45 AM
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Mike I. said:

Ms. Harrop, I'm curious about what YOU think of PUMAs. I know you were an ardent Clinton supporter who was less than impressed with Obama's primary campaign. Should these folks hold their noses and vote for Obama? Can the progressive cause survive a McCain presidency?

Link | August 27, 2008 3:21 PM
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