lily
02-13-2007, 12:25 AM
This is going to come back and bite him in the ass. He shouldn't have hired them. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/08/AR2007020802263.html)
John Edwards Sticks With Controversial Bloggers
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 9, 2007; Page C07
Former senator John Edwards said yesterday that while he is offended by some
inflammatory remarks written by two bloggers before he hired them for his
presidential campaign, he is keeping them on anyway.
As The Washington Post reported Monday, Amanda Marcotte wrote of the Duke
rape case: "Can't a few white boys sexually assault a black woman anymore
without people getting all wound up about it? So unfair."
The New York Times reported Wednesday that a second newly hired blogger,
Melissa McEwan, had among other things written about President Bush's
"wingnut Christofascist base."
After days of criticism by conservative bloggers, Edwards said in a
statement: "The tone and the sentiment of some of Amanda Marcotte's and
Melissa McEwan's posts personally offended me. It's not how I talk to
people, and it's not how I expect the people who work for me to talk to
people. . . . That kind of intolerant language will not be permitted from
anyone on my campaign."
But Edwards said he wanted to give the bloggers a "fair shake" and that he
accepted their word that they never intended to malign anyone's faith. In an
obvious allusion to denunciations of the two women by conservative bloggers,
Edwards said he would not allow his effort to debate the issues to be
"hijacked."
Marcotte said in an online posting that her comments on religion were
"generally satirical in nature. . . . My intention is never to offend anyone
for his or her personal beliefs, and I am sorry if anyone was personally
offended by writings meant only as criticisms of public politics."
McEwan said: "It has never been my intention to disparage people's
individual faith, and I'm sorry if my words were taken in that way."
The controversy has sparked a backlash among liberal bloggers, who say that
conservatives orchestrated an attack on Marcotte and McEwan despite the
incendiary rhetoric sometimes used by right-wing commentators online.
John Edwards Sticks With Controversial Bloggers
By Howard Kurtz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 9, 2007; Page C07
Former senator John Edwards said yesterday that while he is offended by some
inflammatory remarks written by two bloggers before he hired them for his
presidential campaign, he is keeping them on anyway.
As The Washington Post reported Monday, Amanda Marcotte wrote of the Duke
rape case: "Can't a few white boys sexually assault a black woman anymore
without people getting all wound up about it? So unfair."
The New York Times reported Wednesday that a second newly hired blogger,
Melissa McEwan, had among other things written about President Bush's
"wingnut Christofascist base."
After days of criticism by conservative bloggers, Edwards said in a
statement: "The tone and the sentiment of some of Amanda Marcotte's and
Melissa McEwan's posts personally offended me. It's not how I talk to
people, and it's not how I expect the people who work for me to talk to
people. . . . That kind of intolerant language will not be permitted from
anyone on my campaign."
But Edwards said he wanted to give the bloggers a "fair shake" and that he
accepted their word that they never intended to malign anyone's faith. In an
obvious allusion to denunciations of the two women by conservative bloggers,
Edwards said he would not allow his effort to debate the issues to be
"hijacked."
Marcotte said in an online posting that her comments on religion were
"generally satirical in nature. . . . My intention is never to offend anyone
for his or her personal beliefs, and I am sorry if anyone was personally
offended by writings meant only as criticisms of public politics."
McEwan said: "It has never been my intention to disparage people's
individual faith, and I'm sorry if my words were taken in that way."
The controversy has sparked a backlash among liberal bloggers, who say that
conservatives orchestrated an attack on Marcotte and McEwan despite the
incendiary rhetoric sometimes used by right-wing commentators online.