Posted on 06/02/2007 12:09:08 AM PDT by JohnHuang2
A little more than three months after profane, anti-Catholic writings led to the resignation of Sen. John Edwards' campaign blogger, a man hired to head another Democratic presidential candidate's Web enterprise is under scrutiny for his past Internet postings.
Matt Browner-Hamlin, the new official campaign blogger for Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, frequently used explicit language in scathing diatribes that vilified his political opponents, according to documentation by blogger Ian Schwartz.
[Editor's note: Schwartz's documentation can be seen here. Warning: obscene language]
Among Browner-Hamlin's milder postings was his assessment of supporters of Sen. Joe Liberman, D-Conn., last November as "Lieberf---ers."
Though a Democrat, Lieberman has drawn the ire of many on the left for his support of the Iraq war.
In a profanity-laced post one year ago, Browner-Hamlin advocated using impeachment as a campaign tool in the 2006 elections.
In November 2005, he called women who voted for Bush "dumb a-- b-----s" who deserve what they get because the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court by the "neochristian" right would lead to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.
(Story continues below)
Browner-Hamlin announced May 14 his departure from his website Emboldened to accept a job with the Dodd campaign.
In February, Amanda Marcotte, official blogger for the Edwards campaign, resigned after exposure by right-leaning bloggers. Another Edwards blogger, Melissa McEwan, also drew fire for past postings, including a reference to Bush's conservative Christian supporters as his "wingnut Christofascist base."
Marcotte pondered, for example, in explicit language, what would have happened if the Virgin Mary had taken the emergency contraceptive Plan B.
Marcotte blamed her departure on Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, reported Washington Post media critic Howard Kurtz. She charged Donohue "and his cavalcade of right wing shills don't respect that a mere woman like me could be hired for my skills, and pretended that John Edwards had to be held accountable for some of my personal, non-mainstream views on religious influence on politics," which she described as being "anti-theocracy."
Prior to Marcotte's resignation, Edwards issued a statement saying he had decided to keep Marcotte and McEwan. Edwards said he was "personally offended" by Marcotte's writing but wanted to give everyone "a fair shake."
Former Republican presidential candidate Gary Bauer, in a column for WND, wrote "Edwards' decision not to dismiss the bloggers is curious since it not only risks antagonizing practicing Christians – who constitute 44 percent of the electorate – but also because it may alienate Edwards from the very voters – blue collar workers, Hispanics, the poor – with whom his populist message could resonate most deeply."
"Moreover, the conspicuous silence of the other Democratic presidential candidates speaks volumes about where exactly the party believes its allegiance lies," Bauer said."Letters from national Catholic advocacy groups urging Sens. Clinton and Obama to publicly condemn the anti-Catholic rants remain unanswered."
The Post's Kurtz spelled out the potential pitfall for candidates who take advantage of the Internet.
"Every major presidential candidate has hired one or more bloggers as a way to tap into the network of online activists who can generate considerable buzz, and donations, in a campaign," he said. "But many of these bloggers have a long cybertrail that leaves them vulnerable to criticism in the more buttoned-down environment of national politics."
I read the entire article and nowhere does it refer to these kooks as being left or left-leaning. The only time the word left is used is in reference to Lieberman. Yet they managed to get in "right-leaning". Biased? Nawwwww! (Sarc off)
He probably took his husband's last name.
“A man with a hyphenated name”
I try to stay away from all people with 3 names, and also guys who use their formal first name exclusively (e.g. William, Robert, Edward, Dennis, etc) (Hi I’m Dennis....adios amigo).
Matt Browner-Hamlin....sad to see a man have a hyphenated name.
Maybe he is a confused transvestite.
ACLU chief admits guilt. Sentenced to 8 years for having 'graphic and violent' child porn
That’s Phil’s hair? I thought it was a dead cat....
There’s a difference?
As opposed to the unconfused kind?
I always introduce myself as Nicholas, that way I’m safe from being called “Dick”.
I’m an avid skier too, so I’ll cut you some slack...this time. Have a nice weekend.
Thanks for the ping!
WOW!
This is news to me!
I didn’t know one thing about this!
Dodd has lost MY vote...but good. ;o)
I missed this last night.
Thank you for posting it.
It’s very illuminating, though not surprising.
Good to see you, my FRiend. ;o)
Well, hiring a racy blogger got Mr. Dodd 15 seconds of fame for his doomed Democratic nomination bid!
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