Marcotte's A Piece Of Work Theater

I've seen some complaints or disagreement over the whole Amanda Marcotte affair. I don't get it. They don't call it BushCo. for nothing. Arguably the most important decisions every US President makes involve hiring and appointing everything from judges, cabinet secretaries, to assistants. The decisions Edwards makes now are the only examples we have of his judgment. And the judgment of his judgment can't be good.

If someone can't express themselves politically over a period of years without constantly using filth - a filth that betrays a pretty sad and twisted view of the political world, then they don't belong on a serious campaign.

Invoking memories of Leonard Pinth-Garnell, a theatrical look at some of Amanda Marcotte's less than masterful work via Hot Air.

Update: Sopho-moronic, yes - but it seems the name of Marcotte's blog was intended as an insult to the Pentagon. No doubt Edwards will be sure and mention that in any press release using the blog name. And you need the Wayback link above to see it, as the post has been deleted. Didn't Marcotte learn anything about the Internet, or real world politics in all this time? And, if she was such a panda-gone of wisdom on the Left, why so ashamed about her blog now?

The Definitive Answer
Why is this site named Pandagon?

It started back in my freshman year of college. I give great hugs (and this is not just my estimation, but the opinion of literally hundreds of hugged people over the years). This, and a bunch of college kids sitting around deciding what our spirit animals would be.

Anyway, I needed a name for a website. I was joking around with someone, and we came up with the idea of a military-industrial complex full of pandas, given that pandas are actually large, surly, angry animals who would be warlike if it involved food. And this complex would be called the Pandagon.

Originally, it was just supposed to be a satirical take involving a series of ever-escalating panda wars, but then I decided that the idea wasn't actually that compelling - but I loved the name.

So, ladies and gentlemen - the story of Pandagon.

Comments

[LOL]

dan im waiting for the update where you preface the last quote by saying "actually amanda didn't write any of the following"

until then, continue to be a coward hiding under ur computer desk

[Terry Gain]

Myers wasn't the best choice but anyone who is comparing this loon to Myers lacks intelligence and a sense of fairness. So has Edwards revoked her appointment now that he knows what she's all about?

[Jay J.]

I'm 32, and I've vote in every Gubenatorial, Congressional, and Presidential election since I was 18. I'v voted Republican once, and that was only because the Democratic County Clerk was incompetent and was screwing up our local voting system, I would have voted for anyone except for that particular Democrat.

With GOP race-baiting, Rush Limbaugh, FoxNews, Ann Coulter, and all that BS, I began to despise the Republican Party. I still am not particularly fond of it. Please notice that I'm not talking about Conservatism as a philosophy, (though I don't happen to be one), or individual republicans per se. Instead, I'm talking about the National Republican Party and the tactics they use, while saying from the other side of their mouths how morally upright they are. Swift Boat, the treament of Max Cleland, etc are more examples of the descpicable behavior I'm referring to.

But what I've found particularly disheartening is that the left is not any better, and this latest incident proves it. What we have is people on both sides who are prepared top defend their side for almost anything, like a lawyer on retainer.

There have been many references to the kinds of things Amanda Marcotte says. All in all, they seem pretty accurate, and they are consistent with my own personal experience trying to post on Pandagon and trying to communicate with Ms. Marcotte via email. In repsonse, some on the left want to bring up stuff like Harriet Myers. The problem is, that has nothing to do with Amanda Marcotte being hired by John Edwards. I may have something to do with pointing out how some don't have the credibility to attack Edwards, it still doesn't deal with the issue.

To have credibility yourself, you should judge these thing independently of whehter or not your opponents would extend the same courtesy. And simply pointing out that all Edwards did was hire someone with blogging experience is silly. There are many many many other people he could have hired. Instead he hires Amanda Marcotte.

No one hates FoxNews more than me, and I was saying that W. was the worst president in my lifetime back in 04, but Amanda Marcotte is still over the top. Please get past whether or not the right has similar elements. That shouldn't excuse it. By now, those who support Amanda are either in agreement with what she says, are in denial about what she says, or are putting personal loyalty above principle.

Putting personal affinity and loyalty above principle is a very Geore W. thing to do BTW. I think some people like Ms. Marcotte or have gotten to know her personally. That shouldn't make a difference, her comments should be judged on their own merit, or lack thereof.

Those who are defending Ms. Marcotte now remind me of right-wingers still defending the Bush administrations behavior in the Valerie Plame leak. If being a liberal democrat means placing a gag order on any critcism of any minority, while shugging off constant attacks (tongue in cheek or not) on being a white male, then count me out. I persoanlly think that we should extend everyone the same coutesy, white or black, male or female.

That's essentially the point Clinton was making in his "Sista Soljah moment." Yet the black community embraced him with open arms. If the black community can be happy with a white male who expects EVERYONE to be treated with respect, and doesn't buy into the post-modern fable that the white man is responsible for everything that's wrong with women and minorities today (or at least that "whiteness" is a contributing factor, or that today's white males are responsible, or that most white males are particularly powerful)...basically if Clinton could get 90% of the black vote, then the reactionism of Ms Marcotte and those like her seems like pure self-indulgent mental masturbation.

Edwards has cast his lot, and has decided to go in a decidedly different direction than Clinton's centrism. That's made my decision on whether or not to vote for him an easy one.

And to all left of center posters: pointing out that the right has their own problems may help to show who is worse or something, but it does nothing at all in establishing our own credibility. If I get all bent out of shape at FoxNews, then that means that I can't just sit back and say nothing when the left manifest the same thing. If I just sit back and point out the bad stuff on the right in order to justify something bad my side, it means I really didn't fully believe in the principle I thought I was standing on.

[scarshapedstar]

Uh... Jay. Dan has stated that Amanda wrote a (completely nonoffensive, but still) post that she did not, in fact, write. There is no plausible deniability here.

"Posted by Jesse Taylor at February 20, 2004 01:14 PM"

This has been pointed out repeatedly by numerous commenters, and Dan has pointedly ignored their criticism. He is endorsing the most childish of lies. He knows it. We know it. You know it.

Why do you excuse it? How on earth can you make appeals to "principle" on a blog run by an unapologetic propagandist?

[BumperStickerist]

Sorry, Dan -

Two time Dubya voter,
Support Operation Iraqi Freedom,
Think the surge is a good idea,
I think that Marcotte is a walking cliche,

Jesse Taylor started Pandagon, Ezra Klein came on after a year and a half or so. The two of them ran Pandagon for a while and then each got a different gig. Amanda was brought in as an affirmative action hire/coblogger.

The graphic for the 'Good, interesting Pandagon' had a well executed graphic of a Panda bear rolling while holding a large beach ball.

The dumbass Marcottian era Pandagon features a poorly executed drawing of a panda in a bath tub holding a beer.

-

[Jay J.]

She didn't say something to the effect of "can't a few white boys sexually assualt a black girl wihtout everybody getting bent out of shape about it?"

Cuz if she did, wow that seems alot more significant than atributing what spirit animal they would be or whether she intentionally erased the post. Seems like what she did say is more explosive than what this guy attributed to her.

I don't know this Dan fella, but for the sake of argument, let's just say he's the devil. Now what say you about what Ms. Marcotte did say?

[scarshapedstar]

I'd say she was being ironic. You're not seriously suggesting that she endorses rape, are you?

[Jay J.]

scarshapedstar,

R U 4 real?

WHat I mean is that she is saying that they raped the girl, and she's saying that white men have the privledge to rape black women. Of course I'm not sure how the opposite fits into that world view. Black men raping white women that is. Maybe that's because of white male oppresion too, I don't know.

Obviously, I realize that her statement was not literally serious, I would have to be an idiot not to.

What I'm saying is that even in its ironic form, it is very problematic. If this was the only such thing she said it would be no big deal.

But the things she has said about white men, North Carolina, etc, etc, etc to the point of being completley over the top (and in a very unapologetic way, like Bill O'Reiily) is worse that what this Dan guy attributed to her.

[RepusYort]

Pablo,

I (and several others) gave you the correction that is needed. Dan doesn't point out that his excerpt wasn't written by Amanda. In fact Dan took the affirmative step of quoting the entire post, with the sole exception of the by-line, producing the illusion that Amanda wrote it.

That Dan hasn't taken the step to correct the impression he has given leaves one to conclude that not only does Dan not see a problem with the confusion his actions created, but that he endorses such.

Man, rightwingnuts are dense. Do you require help with connect the dot puzzles too?

[Mondonico]

Heh. Looks like you touched a nerve, Dan.

And as for you Edwards apologists, the bottom line is one is judged by the company one keeps. Edwards deliberately chose this trainwreck to be a representative of his presidential campaign. Evidently, some of you think that's a good thing. It is also clear, however, that you understand, at some level, that most of the electorate feels otherwise--hence the sputtering rage when someone shines light on Edwards' latest staffing choice.

In any event, the guy is so insubstantial -- one term in the Senate and a video of him using a compact are his only remotely significant public acts outside the campaign trail -- this is obviously fair game. Suck it up.

[Dan Riehl]

"Sorry, Dan -"

I understand what you're saying but don't see the issue. Here's what I posted: "but it seems the name of Marcotte's blog was intended as an insult to the Pentagon."

Okay, that's born out by the post above. It's true. That's the brand of the blog for which she's known, whether she made it up, or not.

[RepusYort]

And thus Dan drives his fingers deeper into his ears and raises his voice in a chorus of "LALALALALALALAICAN"THEREYOU"

[Mark Poling]

Sorry to interrupt the food fight, but I'd like to point out that every moment that Marcotte is still with the Edwards campaign reinforces the impression that the campaign organization, and by extension the candidate, is dumb as rocks.

I'd say this is good for the Democrats (in a Darwinian sense) if they hadn't managed last cycle to put their two dimmest bulbs at the top of their tree.

Note to Democrats: Hair hasn't won the Whitehouse since, well....

....damn. Clinton.

I guess it could work.....

[The Proud Infidel]

Plain and simple folks - instead of arguing and hen-pecking, let's be realistic and forward thinking. I say we start a blogshere pool on how much longer Marcotte has at the Edwards Camp.

I'm staking claim to the close of business on Friday of this week.

Anyone else care to take make a prediction?

The Proud Infidel

[templar knight]

She's gone, Infidel. I didn't even get a chance to guess. Darn it.