Advice to the challengers and what the blogosphere is worth

Dailykos linked to Jerome Armstrong piece in the New Politics Institute about political campaigns engaging blogs and it wraps up some loose ends for me somewhat cohesively;

Progressives need to recognize the importance of forming bonds with local blogs – those blogs that are within a state, region, congressional district or city. Reaching out to these local blogs can be akin to making connections with the special interest groups and constituency groups of the past that have traditionally dominated the progressive movement. The difference is that whereas interest groups traditionally care about only a small range of topics, such as the environment or women’s choice, local bloggers are much more likely to be movement-based and focused on changing the status quo.

I often criticize the lack of coverage this race gets only to then be critical of the coverage if any, and usually in my mind for good reason.

Seriously Recchia is meeting with Nancy Pelosi?
Lanza is leaking stories critical of Recchia and we don't ask questions?
Fossella supports SCHIP despite voting against it?

Here is where I think this medium is effective. My movement-based interest is replacing Rep. Fossella for so many reasons, many of which I truly think can appeal to conservative voters. Fossella is not currently running a re-election campaign he is running a campaign of turning voters off of his opponents. After a decade in Congress he can not stand on his accomplishments and has to hide from reporters, has to send his staffers to debate or answer media questions. This race needs to be about whether the person you have sent to DC to represent you for ten years has done enough or even anything worthy of your vote to send him back.

Fossella is scared, no doubt there. So when reporters come asking about whether one challenger did this or that ask them why they are concerned about residency when we are still engulfed in a civil war that Fossella absolutely supports. When there are questions about fund raising potential point out that 60%+ of this country wants us out of Iraq and with no money and 60% of the vote you can win any election. So don't let the limited media cover be sloppy coverage as they dust off how to ask real questions and take the fight to Fossella. Every day we should make him wake up to stories not of inter party squables but of his unwaivering support of President Bush and his commitment to a never ending war in Iraq.

via One Voice PAC;

A majority of voters reject giving President Bush additional funds for Iraq with no strings attached. When presented with several options for how to respond to President Bush's request for an additional $200 billion to support his Iraq war strategy, nearly half of all respondents (46 percent) say that Congress should approve the funding request, but specify that it can only be used to protect the troops and bring them home.

Take the fight to Fossella. Make him own his war in Iraq.