Don’t Listen To The Moderates

“Don’t even think of listening to what those centrists have to say” is the message which keeps coming from parts of the blogosphere. I continue to be amazed by vitriol expressed regarding the upcoming meeting which includes Michael Bloomberg and a number of both Democrats and Republicans. Via The Carpetbagger Report I read of Greg Sargent’s opposition to the very idea of anyone paying attention to them.

Bloomberg and others get attention because there is a very real sense among many people that neither party represents them. This group very well might not be any better, but I’m willing to listen to what they have to say.I’m far more annoyed by the attitude of people like Greg Sargent who go out of their way to attack them before the meeting has even taken place. It is quite premature to claim they have nothing to say before they have even met.

The meeting is simply a group of Democrats, Republicans, and independents getting together to talk about reducing some of the excessive partisanship. I hardly find that something worthy of all the vitriol coming from parts of the blogosphere. That does not mean anyone expects an end to all partisan bickering or that anyone thinks that there is a set of non-partisan solutions which will magically solve all our problems. These criticisms are just a set of straw man attacks which have little bearing on what they are really saying.

Maybe this will lead to Bloomberg running, but some of the attendees say this is not their interest. Some are Republicans such as Christine Todd Whitman who says she is attending due to the Republican Party driving out the moderates. While it might be futile, I wish her luck in any efforts to counter the extremism of the current Republican Party.

At this time I think a Bloomberg candidacy is less likely considering Obama’s victory. I find it notable that when Bloomberg recently criticized the major party candidates he left out Obama. Obama’s support among independents would make a moderate third party run quite futile. The only way I could see such a party winning would be if it was an election between Huckabee and Edwards. Even then it would be a long shot. Mike Murphy is probably right that “There aren’t enough cheese-eating, Volvo-driving, wine-drinking guys for him to win.”

This group might not be the answer. The current Republican Party is certainly not the answer. However when elements of the left show such a knee jerk opposition to the idea of Democrats, Republicans, and independents meeting, it does show that hyper-partisanship has become a problem on both sides.

1 Comment

  1. 1
    Michael Bloomberg for President says:

    I appreciate the substance of your post. I went back and read Greg Sargent’s article, as a consequence of your post, and replied in greater length, there.

    I’d like to bring a website to your readers’ attention:

    http://www.RunMikeRun.com

    There are comments from politicians from both major parties, prominent business leaders and other notable figures chiming in on a possible third party run by Bloomberg. There are also some videos of Bloomberg interviews and speeches.

    The site aims to be informative, for those who would like to know more about Michael Bloomberg.

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