Crap Blogger Of The Month

Locating a blogger who's worse than Kaus or Sully is hard to do, but I think I've found a good candidate: Dave Winer.

Here's Winer on Howard Dean and his presidential campaign:

Several times, in different contexts at BC, I said that I don't care for the Dean weblog. I explained, when I go there I don't find anything that interests me. I see stuff that probably makes sense to people who support Dean but I'm not one of those people. I think the guy's an actor, and he tweaks a certain kind of person's optimism, but not mine. And get this, even if he did, after what I've seen in politics in my 48 years, and especially this year, I'm not believing anyone without a lot of questions answered in a way that add up for me. I think Dean's supporters, many of whom I admire, are selling out too soon and for too little. Dean is taking their money and giving it to Viacom, Disney, General Electric, Clear Channel, Fox and Time-Warner, just like all the rest. That's who owns him, not you. Now tell me something new on that blog, something honest, or even interesting, and I'll say so. But so far, zzzzz.

And get this, if Winer finds the Dean campaign blog boring, who I am to argue? But to criticize Dean for using campaign contributions on broadcast and cable ads is just moronic. Like every other candidate, Dean needs to buy television time to run a viable presidential campaign. He can't get his message heard on a whistle-stop train tour or by painting his name on the sides of barns. And he can't compete with Bush through buying blogads and with webchats.

Find me one internet contributor to Dean who thought Dean was going to plow his or her entire donation back into the web. That person doesn't exist. Suprisingly enough, Whiner, the people who contributed to Dean did so because they want him to become President. They know what Dean needs to do to get his message to the most voters -- national advertising. And they know that Dean (if he gets the nomination) needs to fight Repubican smears in the same forum they are made.

Of course, whining about media conglomerates while handing the election to Bush will just get you four more years of Michael Powell or his equally vile replacement, and more outlets in the hands of Murdoch, G.E. and Clear Channel. But you wouldn't want to use the power of the media to solve that problem, now wouldja Saint Dave?

p.s. to the Dean campaign: Of course, the internet is a valuable tool for getting information to supporters, bypassing Republican hacks like Tim Russert and, yes, raising contributions. And Roger Ailes, the weblog, is part of any savvy -- and thrifty -- pol's new media buy. E-mail me, Howard, and I'm sure we can do some business Davey will look upon with great favor.

p.s. to Dave: What the hell does a photo of a nurse have to do with the New York Times? And if campaign blogs are so fucking boring, why would the Times want or need a blog to cover them?