Nevada State Democratic Party Debating Fox News Debate
While I was busy convincing myself that the Nevada Democratic Party would not have anyone brave enough to come forward about who or what negotiated the Fox news debate on behalf of the party, Michael Zahara member of the Nevada State Democratic Party’s Executive Board from Clark County came out and stated pretty damn definitively that the decision was made without the knowledge of said Board in his “” article in Nevada Today that I didn’t have time to digest yesterday. Darn that day job:
“In the case of the decision to include FOX News in our partisan pre-caucus debate this August, apparently those who made this decision forgot who and what FOX News is and who and what our opponents are. This was not a NV Dems decision, this was a unilateral move without the consultation of the Executive Board of the Democratic Party of the State of Nevada, nor the executive boards of the other sponsor states.”
Well, how-di-do. Zahara’s emergence as a voice of dissent within the party matches up with what I’ve been hearing, not only from Moveon.org, but from other state party insiders. Little birdies are telling me that many Democrats and Democratic Party workers were extremely upset upon hearing that Nevada’s presidential debate would be broadcast on Fox News–keep in mind that many of the party’s newest faithful (particularly the youngsters) came from the ranks of the 2004 election workforce, of which Moveon.org and American Coming Together had a lot to do with. Nevada’s Democratic infrastructure owes them a debt. You remember the army of walking clipboards in Reno during the fall of 2004 don’t you?
The speculation I’ve heard is that media consultants affiliated with the mysterious Western Majority Project were responsible for negotiating the deal and got Tom Collins, State Party Chair, to sign off on it. The thing is, no one knows upon whose direction or authority he signed off on it. I have a feeling it’ll be coming out soon. My sources tell me that many people working for the party found out about the debate from the media, bloggers, and Moveon.org–not the through the party communication channels. Imagine their embarrassment and frustration. But the deal was made (or not–people are trying to find out if it can be undone), and now we have to decide what to do about it.
So what does the evidence of inner party turmoil do to the sentiments of journalists like and ? It makes them irrelevant and condescending–surely they can get the same information I can? Democratic Party members and officials are upset about this–its not just the members of Moveon.org and the netroots. Yes Neff: “There’s a damn good reason Nevada Republicans are frantically trying to move up their own caucus and why the White House supports such a move.” Its because the state Democratic party has worked hard to change the political priorities and orientation of this state with the help of groups like Moveon.org (of which I am not a member). Why should we acquiesce to a debate broadcast on such a ridiculous excuse for a news channel at this point when we are finally seeing the actual fruit from our years of labor? Its not about party purity, its about common sense, and its about Nevada’s reputation as the future of the Democratic Party. We have got to start nipping this kind of back room, good ole old boy decision-making in the bud, or what on earth do we have a party structure for? The state party should not let others negotiate on its behalf without knowing exactly what’s going on–especially some group of media consultants from L.A. or Arizona or wherever they’re from. The Nevada State Democratic Party needs to govern itself and make its own decisions. We need to show the rest of country that we aren’t the bunch of rubes they clearly think we are. Its time to get it right if its still possible.
In her editorial today, Neff brings out two tired arguments against the debate. First is the claim that somehow not airing the debate on Fox will negatively impact Dean’s 50 state strategy. Um, I hate to have to point this out but it is possible to have a 50 state strategy without Fox News involved–there’s no winning argument there–its not like they’re the only game in town. Second, by implying that Moveon only appeals to the anti-war left, Neff reveals that like many journalists, she is still working under the myth that most Americans are not anti-war. Hello? Is anyone in there? Have any of you been paying attention to what’s happened over the last few years? The majority of the country is anti-war. If anything, Moveon isn’t hugging the coasts, its acting as the voice in the state party’s head that Tom Collins and whoever else was involved in negotiating this deal should have been listening to before signing off on it. Its time to get over the idea that the most important thing about Nevadans is that we don’t like anyone telling us what to do. Neither do Bush and Cheney and look how well that’s turned out for them not to mention the rest of us. Oh, and if South Carolina wants Fox News to broadcast their debate–good. We’ll swap Fox New for MSNBC and its affiliates any day. Good lord.
If the party can’t find a way out of the agreement with Fox, I suppose its not the end of the world. The Fox affiliates will broadcast the debate and Nevada will continue to be the butt of jokes on the national scene. But here’s to hoping there’s still a way out, and wouldn’t it be nice to say that the state Democrats took down Fox News? Do you know how empowering that would be for the party?
So what can you do? You can call the and let them know what you think. You can go to your Democratic meetings and tell them you are not happy about this. The Carson City Democratic Central Committee is meeting on Wednesday, March 7th at 7:00pm in the Plaza Hotel Conference Center (located on South Carson between East 8th and East 9th streets, across from the Carson Station Casino, 211 East 9th Street). Nevada Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley is scheduled to be the guest speaker so it will be well worth your time. And the next meeting of the State Central Committee will be on . .
Are these the by the way? Somehow I don’t think so.
FYI: Maybe Ms. Neff should get a new doctor? And just for the record, I think JLA and texex are kind of kooky too so clearly there is room for agreement.
Similar Posts:
- MoveOn.org Organizing Campaign Against Airing Nevada Democratic Fox News Debate
- Carson City Democrats Say No To Fox News Debate
- Fox Attacks Obama
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Trackbacks & Pingbacks
[...] Matt Stoller is calling for the head of Harry Reid on multiple sites. I’d hate to be working in Reid’s office over the next few days now that the Kossacks are loose. As I have discussed previously, it appears that someone made a unilateral decision (Tom Collins/Harry Reid/Western Majority Project?) without consulting the rest of the state party leadership. Doesn’t that seem anti-democratic to you? [...]
Comments
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Mark one in the Myrna column! Excellent stuff, Minx!
I still think you guys are fretting over nothing here and there isn’t anything to lose. Also, the compilation of all this information, Myrna, is journalism. I hate to be the one to break that to you, but it is what it is.
I can commit acts of journalism and not be a journalist.
“Kooky?” Geee Myrna, I was kinda thinking something similar about you “Cookie!”
Thankyou for this informative report.
I hadn’t heard of this Western
Majority Project. Am looking forward to learning more about that.
Since there may be nothing anyone
can do to reverse the decision, presumably because of binding contractual obligations, learning about this decision making process is the next best thing we can do.
Finally – someone is hearing me!~! Good shot over the bow Myrna!~!
I put up a more complete post on KOS the other day about the “Western Majority Project” aka the “New West Project” which I humbly say is worth reading and digesting (search texex).
I’m beginning to feel VERY much vindicated knwoing now that this wasn’t even run under the noses of the Executive Committee so it could have been discussed in some sort of a public forum.
I’ll stand by my statements that something really smells here. Go to texex on KOS and get better educated.
Thanks Myrna and upnorth!~!
“Myrna” you have EVERY right to “commit acts of journalism” – YOU GO GURL!
This FOX “partnership” is just the tip of the iceberg I’m sure!
We all have the right to ask questions and get straight answers know what is really happening!
And no body is talking, in the hopes that the public isn’t paying attention, and we’ll get frustrated and just shut up and drop it – that’s the game they play because it usually works unless an outrage is exposed – and THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!
“Who contacted who first?”
“Who was invloved in making the deal?”
“What are the specific terms and conditions of the contract?”
“Who was the ultimate ‘decider’ in the contract?”
“Why wasn’t the 19 Member NSDP Executive Board involved?”
“Were ANY Executive Board Members involved?”
“Were ANY of the 150 or so NSDP State Central Committee Members involved?”
“Was Howard Dean involved?” If so, to what degree?”
“How about Harry Reid?”
“What was Tom Collins role?”
“Why have all these questions been ingnored and why are the people get “the stone-wall” treatment?”
“Why hasn’t the Nevada MSM and investigative journalist, at least, looked into these questions and gotten some answers on the record for the people of Nevada?”
The FOX Partnership IS legitimate and worthy news – especially with all the public uproar – when are we going to get specific answers?
Yes, something real fishy…in light of the daily FOX slander campaign against Obama and his reported decision to completely freeze out FOX news during his campaign. Plus, there’s the matter of Clinton becoming chummy with Murdoch and Ailes in recent months (some of that related to her husbands good world wide efforts).
Mike -
A quick thought about contractual obligations – there are many reasons that a contract may become invalid. One of them is that the person agreeing to the contract has no legal right to do so. I’m not sure what the Party’s policy is on who can agree to contracts and who needs to be part of the decision but if it didn’t go through the correct channels, we just might be able to get out of the contract afterall.
Excellent point “Up North” and even more to the point, is the question “Why are the leaders that Nevada Democrats have on the NSDP Executive Board and NSDP State Central Committee did not even get the common courtesy of being informed and allowed to participate in the decision making process?”
This is NOT a monarchy or a dictatorship or some kind of “banana republic!”
Why aren’t our questions being answered directly and specifically?
Makes sense that if the decision
was made outside the process defined in the bylaws, the contract could then be seen as invalid.
It looks like, according to the Washington Post “The Sleuth” that the Obama campaign frooze out Fox journalists and producers from their campaign after Fox reported a false story about Obama supposedly receiving terrorist training as a child. This appears to have happened in late January.
I wanna know what Rory and Harry and Hillary had to do with this since they have full awareness that Faux Noise has done nothing but smear Barack Obama and he won’t be interviewed by them to date. And now they smear him with this latest pile of racist religious dog crap:
Barack the Casbah!
NVMojo, you raise exactly the question that I have. That is what I want “looked into”. I’m still thinking about asking George Knapp to look into it. He’s good
at looking into the shadows.
Mike, I really don’t want to believe the Reid’s would play politics like KKKarl Rove’s playbook. But this stuff worries me. I’m not the only one wondering about the connection.