Moderator Melt Down at Daily Kos Panel

Posted by johnhouk on Aug 05, 2007
 John R. Houk
© August 4, 2007

Apparently Markos Moulitsas, the Mogul emperor of Leftist blogging, has an annual conference in which Big Dog Leftists and Democrats (the fringe and the center) participate. In case you do not know the name of Moulitsas’ blog it is the infamous Daily Kos.

I do not believe I have ever visited Kos, though I might have in my early days of discovering blogging. I see know reason to visit someone’s house that I know I will find inflammatory and crass. Thus most of what I know about Kos is from information from fellow Conservatives who feel they most respond to something they consider an abomination.

Now I say all this for it seems a soldier in the military visited a panel meeting that included former General Wesley Clark (not a fringe Lefty but a center Lefty). Toward the end of the panel discussion the soldier (apparently a Sergeant) stood up to talk favorably about the Troop Surge in Iraq.

When the good Sergeant began speaking (there is video, but the sound track of the Sergeant is barely if ever audible) the Panel Moderator wigged out. The Moderator in a challenging manner asked the Sergeant:

"… demanded the questioner give his name, the name of his commander and the name of his unit. And then he closed the panel, no answer offered or allowed, and stalked off the stage."


Whew! The Moderator even told a panelist to “stand down” that was going to respond to the Sergeant. Evidently contrary opinions are not allowed in a democracy envisioned by Kos-ites.

After the Moderator stormed of the stage tentatively closing the Panel discussion, General Clark made an effort to smooth out the awkwardness of the situation. I largely disagreed with Clark however at least he was dignified and nutso crazy as the Moderator.

If you watch the video (from this link), you need to fast forward to about the forty minute mark to view the intolerant Moderator. Or if you are interested in fringe Left thinking, watch the whole thing.

JRH
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'Progressive' conference shuts down military man
At event attended by leading Democrat candidates moderator cuts off questioner because of uniform

© 2007 WorldNetDaily.com
Posted: August 3, 2007 7:24 p.m. Eastern

A moderator at a conference of "progressive" bloggers attended by leading Democratic presidential candidates engaged in an unusual confrontation with a man in military uniform, refusing to let him speak and demanding he identify himself.

The panel, "The Military and Progressives," took place today at the YearlyKos in Chicago, an annual event run by influential blogger Markos Moulitsas of the DailyKos.

The confrontation was captured on video posted by blogger Ian Schwartz, beginning at about the 40-minute mark.

Ezra Klein of the American Prospect, who witnessed the incident called it an "odd close" to the panel, reporting that at the end "a young man in uniform stood up to argue that the surge was working, and cutting down on Iraqi casualties."

"The moderator largely freaked out," Klein wrote. "When other members of the panel tried to answer his question, he demanded they 'stand down.'"

The moderator, Klein said, "demanded the questioner give his name, the name of his commander and the name of his unit. And then he closed the panel, no answer offered or allowed, and stalked off the stage."

Panelist Wesley Clark, the former NATO commander and 2004 Democratic presidential candidate, "took the mic and tried to explain what had just occurred," Klein said.

Klein said "the argument appears to be that you're not allowed to participate in politics while wearing a uniform, or at least that you shouldn't, and that the questioner was engaging in a sort of moral blackmail, not to mention a violation of the rules, by doing so."

He concluded: "Knowing fairly little about the army, I can't speak to any of that. But it was an uncomfortable few moments, and seemed fairly contrary to the spirit of the panel to roar down the member of the military who tried to speak with a contrary voice."

Democratic presidential candidates expected to attend the conference are former Sens. John Edwards and Mike Gravel; Sens. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and Chris Dodd; and Rep. Dennis Kucinich. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid also are expected.
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 Moderator Melt Down at Daily Kos Panel
John R. Houk
© August 4, 2007
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'Progressive' conference shuts down military man
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