Dec 21st, 2008 at 10:30 pm
A Special Note Re: Third Way
This is Jennifer Palmieri, acting CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
Most readers know that the views expressed on Matt’s blog are his own and don’t always reflect the views of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Such is the case with regard to Matt’s comments about Third Way. Our institution has partnered with Third Way on a number of important projects - including a homeland security transition project - and have a great deal of respect for their critical thinking and excellent work product. They are key leaders in the progressive movement and we look forward to working with them in the future.
714 Responses to “A Special Note Re: Third Way”
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December 21st, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Maybe it’s just me, but this post is kind of creepy.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:35 pm
You should really consider replacing Lord Yglesias with a blogger who actually knows what they are talking about. In addition to getting someone with common sense, it would do you good to get an actual Liberal, and not a pro-Iraq war, pro-Free Market, Harvard elite loving fascist.
Maybe Cenk of TYT fame would be willing to give it a go.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:39 pm
Was this really necessary? if I remember, all yglesias said was that Third Way was more a messaging outfit than a policy research institution. that isn’t controversial or false - it is true.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:41 pm
I don’t have a problem with clarifications like this per se, as long as they’re unaccompanied by pressure that Matt self-censor or moderate his statements. I read the blog because I trust him as an independent journalist, and any doubts I might have about his independence undermines the value of the Web site (not to mention my goodwill toward CAP.)
It’s hard for me to believe, after a late-night intrusion like this, that he’ll feel no pressure to self-censor.
Also, I wish Palmieri’s statement had been set off in some clearer way from Matt’s content. As (I assume) the head of CAP’s business operations, her content is essentially advertising, not editorial. Responsible journalism keeps that line strong and clear.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:41 pm
It’s not just you, CAP Cleaning Staff.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Okay, upon further Googling it look as if Palmieri’s role might be better described as editorial. That softens the blow.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:45 pm
this post was a bad idea
December 21st, 2008 at 10:48 pm
Why did Matt leave the Atlantic? This ‘bullshit’ post reveals the limits how independent-minded one can be when associated with this website. (Not to say CAP doesn’t do a lot of good - it does)
I think this really is a big deal - Matt needs to decide if he is a independent thinker or an activist. This post shows how hard it is to be both. Did he even approve this post - on his blog?
December 21st, 2008 at 10:50 pm
wow–so people can just come in and highhandedly post on Matt’s blog if he says something they don’t like! those are some shitty and illiberal conditions of employment!!
December 21st, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Well, we have learned that Third Way is apparently thin-skinned enough to demand that CAPAF commandeer the blog and post a ham-handed disclaimer late on a Sunday night.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:52 pm
this is incredibly lame.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:53 pm
this is bullshit.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:54 pm
I’m not sure I’ll be reading this blog anymore. I prefer Matt’s independent take on things than censored bullshit coming from Jennifer Palmieri.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:54 pm
1) This post is EXTREMELY creepy. Nobody thought that Matthew was representing CAP, but this post sure seems to be blurring the line between “opinionated analyst” and “party-line hack.” I now think less of CAP than I did before I read this.
2) That said, you have to respect the way she paid homage to the style of this blog by misspelling her own organization’s name in the initial line:
December 21st, 2008 at 10:55 pm
This post is really appalling.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:55 pm
they should change the banner to say Yglesias-Palmieri, since its a group blog, apparently. this comment has not been approved by the Center for American Progess Action Fund.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:57 pm
Well, I’d like this more if Matt introduced it, and said “look no one is censoring me, sometimes CAP will say that they disagree with me, but I’m entitled to say what I feel without coercion.”
December 21st, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Thanks for the clarification. Does this mean we can assume you’ve been in complete agreement with everything Matt has said up until this point?
Exactly what’s this post supposed to accomplish except convince people someone fairly high up at the Third Way is incredibly thin skinned?
December 21st, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Think of all the posts that didn’t merit a ghostly materialization of the CEO! Perhaps CAP really does support all those other views of Matt’s.
The CAP Action Fund hates turkey.
December 21st, 2008 at 10:59 pm
If it’s Matt’s blog, it’s his blog. He should correct factual errors but no one should ever step in and offer a groveling CYA post. That’s just disgusting.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:01 pm
As everyone said above, this post is more than a little creepy. I mean, it’s like some kid wrote it and didn’t bother to edit or think about whether it made sense. Kind of like the post I’m writing right now.
But it truly is Poor Form for this to be posted in this way.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:02 pm
By the way, it’s true– Third Way’s policy positions are indeed incrementalist bullshit.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:04 pm
This permanently damages Matt’s credibility as a blogger at ThinkProgress.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:04 pm
While I’ve lost some respect for CAP from this post, I’ve lost a lot of respect for Third Way. If they were actually doing something worthwhile, they wouldn’t put so much effort into policing the blog world for moderately critical content about their work. Show us your “third way” through germane policy proposals and not through controlling debate.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:04 pm
I believe the post was a typo. It should have read “Third Way are important power brokers and fund raisers, so we’re really sorry Matt called them out for having no policy proposals of weight or merit.” They don’t even have a softball team. WTF.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:05 pm
Well said, previous commenters!
Get your own blog, Jennifer.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:06 pm
There may not be anything wrong with this kind of thing, but it smells bad. If you had asked the author to make this clarification, which I can see no reason for him not to do, I don’t think anyone would think anything of it other than that the people at Third Way are probably somewhat thin-skinned.
Instead we have a creepy Big Brother vibe going on. It isn’t as if this is really important and needed to be done on an emergency basis.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:07 pm
It’s interesting that Matt didn’t issue this disclaimer himself. I’m hoping that means he was asked to do so and refused.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:07 pm
My readership of this blog is done without a point-by-point account as to how this post ended up on Matt’s blog.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Next post from Jennifer Palmieri:
Oceania has always been at war with Eastasia
December 21st, 2008 at 11:08 pm
Personally, I think this post is hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit.
“Matt lives!” “Free Matt!”
Who wants to print up the t-shirts?
December 21st, 2008 at 11:09 pm
We better hope they never partner with Brookings on anything or we won’t be able to find the Yglesias posts amidst the apology spam.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:11 pm
If Palmieri can refute Matt’s observations then she should do it. Which of Third Way’s domestic policy proposals is other than “hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit [that] are laughable in comparison to the scale of the problems they allegedly address”? Without any specifics (beyond vague allusions to a “homeland security transition project” and “critical thinking”) I don’t understand what Palmieri hopes to accomplish here, other than insulting the intelligence of Matt’s readers, who were unlikely to be under the impression that Matt is the official spokesman for CAP.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:11 pm
count me as another that is done with this blog
December 21st, 2008 at 11:11 pm
We should google-bomb Third Way, so that when you enter
“hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit” in Google,
Third Way’s website is the first one that comes up.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:12 pm
I read this blog because Matt is one of the most intelligent, consistently interesting political commentatators around. If his comments are to be subjected to this sort of big-footing, perhaps he should move on to some other site. In that case, however, no one will pay much attention to CAP’s website.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:12 pm
I agree with all those above who think:
1) That this post was a bad idea and damages the credibility of CAP.
2) That the Third Way folks must be a bunch of fucking babies.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:13 pm
It strikes me that Jennifer Palmieri has destroyed a lot of value with this action.
In any case: Matt, if you stand by this post you should let your audience know. Otherwise we’re going to assume that you’re at odds with CAP which certainly isn’t going to improve its reputation any.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:13 pm
This is incredibly lame and disgusting. CAP and Third Way should both feel embarrassed.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:15 pm
thinking more about it, they obviously have the power and the password to change content on the blog whenever they like. how will we know when its really matt speaking from now on? its like jay carney or avedon using their password access to edit atrios…
December 21st, 2008 at 11:16 pm
“It’s interesting that Matt didn’t issue this disclaimer himself. I’m hoping that means he was asked to do so and refused.”
Me too. But if he refused and this was posted anyway, how is that not even worse?
December 21st, 2008 at 11:16 pm
WTF?!? Go away! Give me my Matt back!
December 21st, 2008 at 11:17 pm
This isn’t going to end well.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:17 pm
VERY CREEPY. that being said, matt said he left the atlantic because he wanted some skin in the game. well, i think perhaps his indy days gave him some impolitic ticks that now coming back to bite him now that he’s part of The Movement.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:19 pm
I find this post as creepy as everyone else, but, uh, people who are suddenly going to stop reading this blog because of one dumb intra-progressive-politics post are really a little over the top. Get a grip.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:20 pm
Indeed, it is creepy, and Yglesias has effectively been slapped in the face by management here. One previous commenter wrote: “I don’t have a problem with clarifications like this per se, as long as they’re unaccompanied by pressure that Matt self-censor or moderate his statements.”, but that’s showing some foggy thinking; Yglesias’ boss is publicly apologizing, on his blog, for what he wrote. It is impossible for that not to include pressure to self-censor for any thinking human being - by definition, making your boss apologize for you is the path toward losing your job.
Now, I neither know nor care about the The Third Way and its policies. I don’t care who is “right”. But let’s at least be clear about what has happened: Iglesias wrote something and has been publicly slapped by management for writing it.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Dear Jennifer,
Blow it out your ass.
Very truly yours…
December 21st, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Okay, who had four and a half months in the “How long will it take for our fears about Yglesias leaving the Atlantic for CAP to be confirmed” pool?
December 21st, 2008 at 11:22 pm
it wasn’t even that bad on the yglesias-snarkometer. weak.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Fuck off Palmieri. If we were interested in what you thought, we’d read it on your own blog. Jeez.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:23 pm
Looks like a Bill Simmons situation is a boilin.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:24 pm
DTM, I agree. That wouldn’t have caused that much reaction. But apparently Third Way was so concerned that we might think badly of them that they couldn’t wait until tomorrow morning when Matt could post something on his own. That’s working out well for them.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:24 pm
What the hell is going on with Homeland Security?
1. ABC has some new Cops-like show coming out to hype the heroic exploits of the Homeland Security Department.
2. Third Way and CAP have apparently partnered on the homeland security project that appears designed to give the HSD a public facelift, give it more clout, and better prepare the public for a terrorist attack during Obama’s first year in office.
3. After initial moves to dump Homeland Security Committee chair Joe Lieberman from his chairmanship and the Democratic office, insiders go to bat for him and keep him where he is.
4. Matt disses Third Way and it results in his blog being bigfooted and temporarily commandeered in an unprecedented way.
Something stinks here. These Third Way asses - among my very least favorite Democrats - had been flying below my own personal radar lately, but I’m going to start paying more attention to them. I don’t like them and I don’t trust them.
Personally, I never liked the idea of a “homeland security” department, and still don’t understand why its functions can’t be performed by existing federal law enforcement agencies. Obama needs to cut some fat from the budget to pay for his progressive agenda, and maybe this is a department to look at.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:25 pm
I’m not into debating the ethics of the thing too much, and I really don’t think this teapot-tempest is going to harm anyone.
But I will say one thing — it really directed my attention to Matt’s original post (which I would otherwise have overlooked). Now when anyone says “Third Way,” I’m going to think “hyper-timid.”
And when anyone says “incrementalist bullshit,” I’m going to think “oh, you mean like Third Way?”
December 21st, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Sadly, after his workplace retreat in the Pine Barrens, Matt was never heard from again…
December 21st, 2008 at 11:28 pm
This message would be less distasteful if it were lifted from the editorial space and plunked down into the advertising space.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:28 pm
Agree with the consensus above.
Recommendations for moving forward:
1. Post about this. It’s too creepy, too weird to ignore.
2. Let us know exactly what sort of editorial coercion you are dealing with. Must things be approved beforehand, may they be edited afterwards, were you asked to post this and refused, etc.
3. Tell Jennifer Palmieri that Yglesias’ audience is not, in fact, a bunch of drooling reactionary idiots. We understand basic things like “When Matt gives his opinion, it is not X/Y/Z’s opinion necessarily.” We also understand it’s a big internet, and we can go wherever people do not insult our intelligence.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:28 pm
This kind of intrusion on honest journalism will not help a movement that has to fight back allegations of Big Brother in the first place.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:30 pm
To all the previously offended commenters: Read the bottom of this page, even this comment is owned by CAPAF. If Matt wants an unpaid blog, let him find his own space.
What a bunch of WATB (copyright Atrios).
December 21st, 2008 at 11:31 pm
It’s one thing to make a statement that “the views on this blog don’t necessarily reflect the views of CAP” but to jump in and say that “Our institution… have [sic] a great deal of respect for their critical thinking and excellent work product. They are key leaders in the progressive movement and we look forward to working with them in the future.” … is creepy. You’re not just reminding us of Matt’s “independence” from CAP; you are telling us what we should think instead.
Jumping in to remind us that Matt doesn’t represent your views is creepy enough, and definitely a form of pressure even if you claim he can write whatever he wants… but it’s wrong to use this blog to tell us what we should think about Third Way.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Well, I trust that Matt enjoyed his spanking at the hands of Mistress Jennifer.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Hey, folks, surely this is just an innocent attempt to create the longest comment thread in CAP history. What’s all the fuss about?
Sigh. It will be interesting to see what Matt says about it.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:33 pm
Jennifer Palmieri is JimboSlice! I would point out that this post is a big hit–more comments more quickly than almost any other post, and all negative! Heckuva job Jennifer! Way to drum up support and sympathy for your organization!
December 21st, 2008 at 11:34 pm
wow, creepy…
December 21st, 2008 at 11:35 pm
I’m very interested in the tick-tock here that prompted this post. I’d like to know who (if anyone) from the Third Way contacted CAP. I’d also like to know about the conversation that went on before this post was made.
Here’s an outline:
1. Matt posts post about Third Way.
2.
.
.
.
N. Palmieri posts her caveat.
If only there were a liberal media organization dedicated to the protecting the First Amendment that could follow up on this.
David
December 21st, 2008 at 11:35 pm
I’m really glad they posted this. I was totally confused before and thought that that guy Yglesias whose name appears in huge letters at the top of this page actually spoke for everyone at this think tank. Likewise, I had no idea that these sensible-lefty orgs would ever interact and want to keep the peace with each other. So, I’m glad they posted this to clear things up.
so lame.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:35 pm
WHO THE FUCK IS JENNIFER PALMIERI AND WHY AM I READING HER BULLSHIT BLOG.
WHATTHEFUCK, MAN.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Yeah, but what does Jennifer Palmieri think about the Celtics?
December 21st, 2008 at 11:36 pm
WTF!?!
I am happy to know that Jennifer Palmieri agrees with each and every other thing that Matt has said up until this point. That really simplifies things for me…
December 21st, 2008 at 11:37 pm
yeah, i already blogged it. perhaps i should save a screenshot in case they think this was a bad move?
To all the previously offended commenters: Read the bottom of this page, even this comment is owned by CAPAF. If Matt wants an unpaid blog, let him find his own space.
i blog for scienceblogs. you have to sign contracts about this sort of thing of course, but they’d never do something this weird. one time one our bloggers started to make fun of the advert of one our sponsors by reediting it to make it look stupid inserting it into his header (right the banner ad itself). he was asked politely to not do that. this is overkill. they are surely within their rights, but it isn’t always advised to act on them….
December 21st, 2008 at 11:38 pm
Jennifer, since you’re already posting apologies on Matt’s behalf, would you mind providing some background material (links would be nice) that back up your assertions? To be entirely honest, I’d never heard of Third Way til I read Matt’s original post. Then I did a little Googling, and found this gem:
Ah yes, so they’re milquetoast jerks that helped save the telecoms from civil and criminal proceedings, saving the Bushies from having to explain their actions in court. Thanks, guys.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:38 pm
This is Dan Kervick’s wife, acting Tsarina of the Kervick-Jimenez houshold.
Most readers know that the views expressed by Dan’s comments on Matt’s blog are his own and don’t always reflect the views of the entire Kervick-Jimenez family. Such is the case with regard to Dan’t previous comments on the Homeland Security Department. I have partnered with the Homeland Security Department to install anti-terrorist fencing and detectors in our yard and in all the rooms of our house, and have a great deal of respect for their excellent work product, as was displayed in New Orleans following the Katrina disaster. They are key leaders in the terrorist eradication business, and I look forward to working with them in the future.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:39 pm
If Matt is going to be subject to stuff like that, he should just move back to the Atlantic. Way off key.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:39 pm
p.s., but CAP is part of the progressive movement and of really big influence. perhaps yglesis should watch what he does & says from now on.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:40 pm
this post is special
December 21st, 2008 at 11:41 pm
For reference, here’s the post by Matt that Third Way cried about and CAP felt the need to crap on Matt’s blog over:
http://yglesias.thinkprogress.org/archives/2008/12/the_new_moderate.php
It’s just embarassing the CAP did this. Progressive voices need the ability to point out the flaws of entities like Third Way every bit as much as pointing out the flaws od Rush & Newt. What next - post special messages when Matt points out that Harold Ford is full of bullshit?
John
December 21st, 2008 at 11:41 pm
I think I know what the next progressive cause should be:
FIRE JENNIFER PALMIERI.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:41 pm
comment # 73 nails it.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:43 pm
i’m not sure that some of the aspersions cast toward ms. palmieri is going to help m. yglesias’ cause, if it needs helping
anyway, my first thought before i read the comments was “creepy.” someone should have checked on the likely reaction to this sort of thing.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:44 pm
I seldom post comments here, I mostly just read. I totally missed Matt’s earlier post. But, thanks to Jennifer, I’ve now read it and it is not one I’m likely to forget.
And I agree with everyone who says this post is creepy.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:47 pm
And so it begins…
Just kidding. I can understand why people might feel uncomfortable about this, or have criticisms about it as concerns blog conventions, but a lot of the comments in here are really over the top, much more so than Palmieri’s, which could have and should have been handled differently.
One could even surmise that dropping this late Sunday night would have been the equivalent of the Bush Administration dropping a news item on late Friday afternoon, so this makes me feel less disturbed with Palmieri as it does with Third Way, who would seem to be the drivers here, and that single post about Third Way surely would have been forgotten had it been ignored, but now it will be remembered and talked about and pontificated over and over at let there be no doubt the expense of Third Way.
I do think the typo is hilarious though, c’mon Jennifer, whether CEO or editor, when awkwardly jumping into an unfamiliar arena, as you are doing, at least make sure your stuff comes out right.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:48 pm
This strikes me as a hyper-timid overreaction aiming to maintain the peace with what sounds like a hyper-timid organization, imposed upon the blog written by a guy with hyper-timid tendencies.
I mean, really, “hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit” is the most radical phrase I’ve ever read on this blog.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:48 pm
I’m not quite sure how to interpret this.
On the one hand, I suppose we can safely assume that Matt’s posts are Matt’s posts. He probably isn’t being screened or facing silly editorial constraints, since he was able to post something that apparently got someone’s panties in a wad. I don’t know how long that will last after this incident, though.
I will add one more comment: if this post was meant to make me think more highly of the Third Way or CAP, it failed miserably. Without some details from Yglesias about this incident, my readership of this blog will at least be on hiatus.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Oh my. I love you Matt, but I obviously can’t visit this site anymore. Please think long and hard about working for an organization that would pull this kind of thing.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Who knew that “Third Way is a neat organization” would be so controversial?
December 21st, 2008 at 11:50 pm
This is really just breathtaking.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:50 pm
I, for one, am just glad Matt’s ok. I read the first line and presumed that the only reason a blog post would begin in such a manner was that he had been involved in a horrific car accident. Thankfully, it was just some a55-covering b.s.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:50 pm
Both Ms. Palmieri and Third Way probably felt they were both acting in both TW & CAPAF’s best interests.
They were incorrect.
But we should remember that these are people who do respond to pressure from the public. Feel free to email Jen or Third Way to express your displeasure:
jpalmieri@americanprogress.org
http://www.thirdway.org/contact
December 21st, 2008 at 11:51 pm
Weak sauce!
December 21st, 2008 at 11:51 pm
So what will it be:
http://www.toohotforthinkprogress.com or http://www.firedogmatt.com?
Please, let it be anything but this big sister censored status quo.
Sic ‘em Matt!
December 21st, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I do think that Matt should consult ESPN’s Bill Simmons as to how to respond to heavy-handed editorial interference.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I’m guess the Palmieri crew will be looking at the comments so they will get some of the feedback. But, if you really are annoyed by this, take the time to contact them directly:
http://thinkprogress.org/contact/
However, it seems the best way to get their attention is to share your thoughts with Third Way directly:
http://www.thirdway.org/contact
December 21st, 2008 at 11:52 pm
Please, send me nasty e-mails.
Email: jpalmieri@americanprogress.org
December 21st, 2008 at 11:52 pm
I always did think it was weird that Matt, ambitious young journalist, left the Atlantic, one of the top names in journalism, for something called the Center for American Progress. I still don’t know or care what CAP is; I just have to type “thinkprogress” to get to Matt’s blog. Now I know one thing about them: they’re a bunch of micro-managing ass-clowns.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:53 pm
How could a person who thinks this post is appropriate also be the CEO of CAPAF? Completely bizarre.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:53 pm
For crying out loud, people. Having your editor say “Just a reminder, the opinions of our editorialists are not necessarily the opinions of this magazine.” is about the furthest thing from censorship or intimidation that I can possibly imagine. If you’re going to have a magazine with an editorial line, sometimes that magazine is going to have to remind people what that line is, and what it is not.
I can’t even think up a less intrusive way for his editors to say this. Chill the f%*% out, people.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:53 pm
Much more interesting to comment here Jennifer.
Sorry.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:54 pm
I read the first line and presumed that the only reason a blog post would begin in such a manner was that he had been involved in a horrific car accident.
exactly. this is the kind of weird post you get from wives, children, etc., from bloggers who’ve run into some unexpected trouble.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Jennifer is actually quite famous …
http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0808/Edwards_statement.html
December 21st, 2008 at 11:55 pm
This obviously shouldn’t have happened — Palmiere forgot the “think” part of “thinkprogress” — but the suggestion that Matt should leave this blog over this incident is probably over the top. Unless there is no future post by Matt on this, in which case, yeah, he should probably get the hell away from CAP.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:55 pm
The only thing creepier than this apalling post will be if (or when) it and/or its comments are disappeared. Apparently JP is unaware of all internet traditions.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Jennifer Palmieri is the new Rick Warren.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:58 pm
Let us know exactly what sort of editorial coercion you are dealing with.
Of course, if he is under editorial coercion, he might be coerced to downplay how much editorial coercion there actually is. So you couldn’t even trust what he says about it.
I do agree with you that Matt now needs to post about this.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:58 pm
This post was a terrible idea. You really should never EVER post to this blog, even when you make clear (as you did) that the source was not Matt. This post undermines Matt’s credibility with his readership in a serious way. This site has always been Matt’s unfiltered opinion and research (or at least that is what I feel it has been presented as). By posting this with no warning, no background on you personally, and no comment by Matt (at least an introduction would have been appropriate) it makes your readers question who has access to this site, who can edit or add to material here, and under what circumstances. You “acquired” Matt and his blog because you WANTED Matt and his audience. For better or worse, this is Matt’s site and Matt’s audience. If you go tinkering with that you harm both Matt’s integrity and that of CAP.
Also, it’s obvious that 1) someone at third way got pissed off and complained, 2) that person was powerful enough to get you to listen, and 3) you bowed to pressure from third way. Not only is that embarrassingly small minded and pathetic (both for CAP and Third Way), it seriously makes me question the editorial independence of CAP and this site in particular. Who or what else has the power to compel you to place similar statements on employee blogs? Does any person or group wield sufficient influence such that they are “off limits” to criticism from Matt or other CAP staffers? If so how would we know.
Finally, what you did was stupid because you created negative effects without positive ones. It is and always has been obvious to EVERYONE that reads this blog that Matt’s opinions are his own. THAT’S WHY WE READ IT. You pissed a bunch of readers off and you didn’t tell them anything they didn’t know. Of course, if the real purpose was to soothe some butt hurt Third Way staffer’s widdow feewings or stroke his/her ego by showing that they could force CAP to print such a statement, well, mission accomplished. I’d just like to point out that if that was the case (and it WAS the case) that it shows you care more about that person’s feelings than you care about Matt’s audience.
So in sum: pathetic mistake. If Ms. Palmieri did not clear this with PR she should be fired or at least told that this was a mistake. If she did clear it with PR, your PR person should be fired and you should get someone who knows about web outreach and web-community behavior.
Thanks
December 21st, 2008 at 11:58 pm
The normal CEO of CAP is John Podesta. Yes, THAT John Podesta who is the head mucky-muck of the Obama transition team.
Jennifer is the Acting CEO.
So Matt stepped in something that must be important to someone.
Amends must be made.
That’s my take.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Ok, I hate to admit this — but I don’t get it.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Utterly creepy.
December 21st, 2008 at 11:59 pm
Sad. Major blow to CAP’s credibility. And pretty clear evidence that Third Way isn’t part of the progressive movement.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:00 am
Was Yglesias fooling around with Rielle Hunter, too?
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 am
Hey, Jennifer, here’s a notion. Start your own freakin’ blog, where you can prattle on to your heart’s content about the subjects dearest to your heart and most conducive to furthering the goals of organizations you work for.
You can start your own blog basically for free, rather than obstruct and sully the work of somebody else who has devoted a lot of man hours and energy into building a readership. Many of whom, I am imagining, may right now be thinking of dispersing themselves to the winds if there are too many more of these posts-by-fiat, btw.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:02 am
Personally, I think MY should take Monday off and let this post fester at the top of the page.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:03 am
I do agree that this post is creepy, but let’s reserve judgement until we hear from Matt. I’d point out that this post went up at 4:30am, Norway time, 5:30am Finland time. I believe Matt is still in Scandinavia, right? If so, he may not have even seen this post yet.
(Of course, if CAP is posting on his blog without even consulting with Matt, that’s pretty outrageous.)
Bottom line is: I’m waiting to find out just what happened here. In the meantime, I have the post saved just in case it gets deleted.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:04 am
Matt Bennett, Third Way: Jennifer, what the hell are you doing?
Jennifer Palmieri, CEO of CAP: What?
MB: What’s with this post from Matt Yglesias trashing us?
JP: Oh, I haven’t seen it. I don’t really have time to read everything that goes up on this site.
MB: Well you should. This is bullshit. We go and [[whatever Third Way does for CAP]] and this is how you repay us?
JP: Matt, you know these guys aren’t writing on behalf of CAP. Everyone knows that.
MB: Well, you have to make that a lot clearer. It doesn’t even say that anywhere on the site.
JP: Really? I thought it was up there.
MB: If you don’t take that post down, I’m going to stop [[whatever Third Way does for CAP]].
JP: OK, listen, if I put up a post on Matt’s site saying his views do not represent the views of CAP, will that help?
MB: Ugh, fine, but don’t pull this shit again.
Just fyi.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:04 am
Wow, I guess Third Way is *really* good at message discipline. Jen, before your post I might have ignored Matt’s little rant about Third Way. (I tend to agree with him both that they do decent work as far as it goes, but that they are far too timid, policy-wise.)
But just so you know, Jen, this was a bad call. As other commenters have noted, it’s creepy - no one was under the impression that Matt was CAP’s press person, so there was no need to note that he didn’t speak for CAP. Your post only draws attention to Matt’s criticism and serves to amplify what was actually a mixed and somewhat gentle post, which is probably not the result you were looking for.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:06 am
This post is going to go 500+ comments easily.
Also what IMNuware said at #105
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:06 am
i like the fact that we are starting to get short essay length posts and dramatic renditions of behind the scenes progressive think tankery. i can’t wait for a novel or short film about this event.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:06 am
I think Joe the Plumber’s offer of a “Monthly Email Blog” demonstrates a more savvy understanding of new media than does Ms. Palmieri with this post.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 am
What did Jennifer Palmieri think was going to happen after she posted this? Nothing? What?
Anyway, let’s go back to the source:
Look, it’s just one quote, appearing on Politico, which is awful. You could read it to mean just about anything. But this is the best time in at least 40 years for progressives. We worked our asses off to elect a guy who stood surrounded himself with signs that said CHANGE. So please, let’s push against bullshit incrementalists.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:07 am
This is what you call bad public relations.
The tenor of this post is very disturbing.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:11 am
From the bio:
“Ms. Palmieri was the National Press Secretary for the 2004 Edwards for President campaign. She held the position of National Press Secretary for the Democratic National Committee during the 2002 election cycle”
How all that work out, esp that 2nd one?
Also, coming next fall: Kristen Johnson in “A Special Note: The Jenny Palmieri Story”
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:11 am
a vulgar intrusion. podesta should reprimand palmieri. quickly, clearly, and publicly.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:11 am
At least I have a deeper appreciation for Robert Gibbs, his southern twang, and, most importantly, his functioning synapses.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:13 am
I believe someday, if I work hard enough, I will be enough of a thin-skinned propagandist to be a key leader in the progressive movement.
Cheers to Matt.
–WKW
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:14 am
AMEN, Patrick. You people really do need to chill out… and maybe get a life. I’ve never heard so much shrieking over a perfectly reasonable and politely worded disclaimer. If you demonstrated this much energy over something that actually mattered - Gitmo, maybe some of those poor souls would be back with their families by now.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:14 am
Ignore the degenerate mob too Jennifer, who have apparently galloped in from afar, as if only in the nick of time to defend Matt’s honor, and ironically so considering that expletive-filled insults are hardly going to bring any reasonableness or sanity to the situation, let alone discussion about proper journalistic, editorial and blog standards.
That said, this could have been handled better, since the idea was to talk up Third Way, not ensure they would be mauled in the (il?)liberal blogosphere, but this thing has a momentum of its own now, and a post that would have been ignored and forgotten, and probably not ever even read by most of the horde commenting here now (scrambling in response to the bull horn call), will now be championed and sung to the far flung corners of the blogosphere.
Expect a massive burst of activity on this, and then a long period where Third Way will arise whenever convenient as the perfect butt of a joke.
Oh well, I don’t care about this “third way” talk anyway, it’s all a bunch of BS, because the only way to get anything other than the two parties fighting with each other and occasionally having a minority of both talking about a “third way” is to actually support and promote electoral reform, so that people can vote for whoever they want to without wasting their vote, which would open up the political arena and probably encourage more political participation and entitlement (IRV would be one such option).
By the Third Way, leave our porn alone too.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:14 am
Unfortunately, I suspect that Jennifer Palmieri’s takeaway from this flub is going to be: “Must remember for next time to disable comments.”
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:15 am
Odd and heavy-handed, I don’t think I have ever seen this happen in my four years of blog reading.
However, the reaction here is certainly premature and a truly exemplary illustration of a blog readership to go off the deep end on the outrage front with very little provocation.
However, if we find out they did this without Matt’s consent or foreknowledge, then that would indeed be bizarre.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:15 am
Wow.
Just … wow.
It’s menacing and paternalistic all at once.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:16 am
By the way, my last post referring to the degenerate mob was inspired by people telling Jennifer to go **** herself among other things. Raise a complaint, but you’re just blowing your own in front of all of us when you take it to that level, it’s not meaningful, it’s not tough, it’s not even personal between you and her, I don’t get it.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:17 am
this is interesting, showing a comment by Yglesias about the big bad Jennifer:
so maybe we should reserve judgement?
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:18 am
True, and I question whether most of these commenters are regular readers, because this is more indicative of the comment sections of some other blogs that come to mind.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:20 am
Working for thinkprogress must be pretty fun.
As a tip for next time: I do think, if you’re going to do this, you might as well turn off the comments. I mean, we don’t speak for thinkprogress either, but I guess Third Way has a tough time sorting that issue out. And anyway, the open forum is incongruous.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:21 am
Well, let’s see Jimm:
130+ comments in less than two hours after the initial post. And people just found their way here randomly since they aren’t regular readers.
Sounds sort of unlikely.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:22 am
Why didn’t you ask Matt to post something to this effect?
What’s inappropriate about this post is that you’ve commandeered his blog. If this was done without his knowledge, then he really does have to leave.
Finally, this is simply stupid, because now that you’ve disavowed one sentiment expressed here, you’ve implicitly endorsed everything you haven’t disavowed; at least that’ll be the credible claim from CAP’s political opponents.
Horrible.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:24 am
I question whether most of these commenters are regular readers
I read this blog every day, and rarely comment. I’m only moved to do so by distaste at Ms. Palmieri’s posting. It’s rather eerie and counterproductive.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:25 am
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 am
True, and I question whether most of these commenters are regular readers,
Dude, I’ve been reading (and irregularly commenting on) MY’s blogs since his Harvard days.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 am
I suspect most of the “new” people commenting here are regular readers/lurkers disconcerted by the hyper-timid accomodationist bullshit coming from Ms. Palmieri.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:27 am
Well, I’m a regular reader of this blog, Jimm. And I found this post disturbing. It is also damaging to Matt’s credibility and reputation. Which other CAP partners or favorites is Matt not permitted to disparage?
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:27 am
Always nice when the “boss” steps in and interrupts you like this.
Seriously, Jennifer doesn’t have a clue who comprises this blog’s immediate and even far-linked audience. Respect (if not agreement, of course) for CAP, and even Third Way, might be earned by being adults and responding to criticism in a way other than clumsy, heavy-handed management who will not tolerate dissent. Who wants to bet Jennifer’s underlings have nick-named her Dolores Umbridge? And who hasn’t had a boss like Jennifer that does their best to make an ignorant ass out of you publicly?
Sorry, Jen. Like all bosses who pull that shit, this backfired on you too. Just like this happening in a conference room at one of our offices, everyone is sitting around and judging you the total ass in this affair — and we’ll all talk shit about you at drinks after work (the ones you’re never invited to).
And last, does this mean that the main Think Progress blog is also managed in such a heavy-handed way? It sucks to now doubt the independence of the voices I read on that page.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:28 am
What Mock Hare said.
Many of us are long-time listeners/first-time caller types, I suspect.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:28 am
from Walcott @131.
Petey is Jennifer Palmieri
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:28 am
There’s nothing random about it, it’s called “hyperlinks”, a key innovation of the internets.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:29 am
And just to be clear, I occasionally comment here as well under this name.
I confess, this released my dark side for a while, hence Moanique.
Look, Matt has written several times about the constraints of blogging here and has very likely skirted the edge of what he can and can’t do more than once. I’m not saying that the intervention on his blog was warranted but obviously someone way up the food chain has gotten exercised about the topic.
I think many of the comments are ridiculous myself but this is the most fun I’ve had on one of his posts since he came here from The Atlantic.
Monica/Moanique
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:29 am
dude was being sarcastic, i believe
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:30 am
I really hope Matt gives us an explanation for this.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 am
Those of you who think the reaction is over the top, I ask you have you ever seen an note from the editor in a washington post or other major newspaper column? That is the thing, it is not so much the content of the post, but the fact it was made on his blog at 10:30 night by someone other than him. It strikes me as extremely heavy handed and indicates to me so much editorial pressure that I will have a hard time believing anything yglesias writes is not being influenced by others. I care what he thinks, not what CAP thinks. If I want to read that I would look at the rest of their website. If Yglesias leaves and goes somewhere else, I will read him again.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 am
I guess creepy really is the operative word here. Very surprising to see a post like this. I don’t know crap about CAP, but this is some weak sauce!
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 am
There aren’t enough Southerners in these comments.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:32 am
Jennifer, please go fuck yourself with something sharp.
okthnxby
Andrew
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:33 am
I know you are, try not to have a thin skin, I tried to clarify my post was mainly targeted at those tossing expletive-filled personal insults at Jennifer, or threatening to never the read the blog again (i.e. they’ll punish Matt for the sins of Jennifer).
Honestly, I haven’t read something as stupid as some of the comments I’ve seen in here in a long time, and I tend to articulate my thoughts so the rest followed. Either way, I’m not referring to you, I was actually annoyed by the intrusion too, though not disturbed.
The reason I’m not disturbed is that there’s no indication at all that Matt can’t disparage whoever he wants, since Jennifer certainly hinted at no such thing, his original post is still there, she didn’t condemn it, she merely put in a good word for Third Way and reminded readers that Matt does not speak for CAP.
Of course, that was a mistake, but that’s a separate critique.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:34 am
Yes, I know about hyperlinks Jimm.
I still think it stretches credibility by a long ways to imagine that this spontaneous uprising (with torches no doubt) to defend Matt’s honor came from anywhere other than regular readers here who read this blog for Matt’s commentary on things and were considerably nonplussed to see the original post.
Nonetheless, your point is well taken but I can’t imagine that this post has been linked to by the vast hordes of political bloggers in the middle of a Sunday night during the holidays.
It’s just over-reaction.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:35 am
Here are some more people that Matt want to draft up some pre-emptive apologies for.
Steve Bing: greatest movie producer ever.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:36 am
I’m just echoing a lot of what people upthread have been saying, but this post does a lot to damage the credibility of this blog and–even more so, since MY can likely take his routine elsewhere, should he so choose–the other CAP blogs.
I’m sure I’m not the only reader who’d like to see a full, candid, and very thorough account of how this post ended up on this blog. Who was responding to what pressure from who? Who decided to put the post up? What were their reasons for doing so? And why should I or anyone else continue reading CAP blogs for independent-minded commentary and analysis?
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:36 am
That cozy high-traffic spot between Douthat and Sullivan isn’t looking so bad now, is it?
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:37 am
Is part of CAP’s partnering with Third Way getting the Department of Homeland Security to hire Sean Smith as Janet Napolitano’s spokesbot? You know, the Sean Smith who lied to national media about Ned Lamont “hacking” Joe Lieberman’s website when he was running Joe’s primary campaign?
http://firedoglake.com/2008/12/21/lieberman-campaign-manager-to-be-dhs-spokesbot/#Respond
Oh, and this sucks from Ms Palmieri. How does her acting CEOness conflict with her transition role, anyway?
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:38 am
I read the blog because I trust him as an independent journalist
Well that’s silly, as CAP is an advocacy group not a journalistic outfit, and the IRS has some say over what can be said on this site. That said, I won’t be reading any more after this bizarre post.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:38 am
/agree with the consensus. Ms. Palmieri, this was not well thought out at all.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:39 am
I’m not sure why being a regular reader makes a whit of difference. I’m an occasional reader who has maybe commented twice to Matt, but at the Atlantic.
I am, however, a blogger and writer and this post offends me, and shows me again while I’ll likely never make any money in this game. Personally, if I were MY, I would have quit on the spot.
–WKW
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:41 am
I appreciate the cool heads, including #152 (Jimm), #148 (nathaniel) and #145 (Monica Wolf).
I hope the sarcastic and extreme comments in the thread don’t give Palmieri or Matt an excuse to dismiss the serious journalistic problem they’ve got.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 am
Well put, and I actually agree, it is hilarious, but at the same time I didn’t want Matt’s boss to start thinking that this is the normal level and tone of commenting in this threads, if she ever bothers to read such things which I doubt.
Mission accomplished for me, this will be an entertaining read tomorrow, even if I am on the wrong side of it now with some people and probably going to take abuse of my own, but I don’t mind, and just a reminder, when I say “most of the commenters”, that doesn’t mean everyone, noone should assume it’s targeted at them, especially regulars, unless they said something the content of which I criticized generally (cussing out Jennifer as if she insulted you personally and/or threatening to never read the blog again).
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 am
Jimm-
I don’t think anyone (of consequence) has linked to this post yet (esp not at midnight or so eastern time). The real deluge will be the using morning spike when people get to work (or with the holidays simply wake up)
otoh, there’s no doubt a bunch of people who have posted multiple comments.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 am
Yikes. For a second I was afraid the CAP Overlords were informing us that Matt had been killed in some freak Finnish high-speed rail accident.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:45 am
Holy cow, somebody sure underestimated the loyalty of Matt’s readers.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:45 am
So Jennifer, did you “partner” with Third Way when they supported retroactive immunity for the telecoms:
http://www.truthout.org/article/matt-renner-telecom-group-key-player-immunity-battle
Perhaps you need to re-think who you “partner” with.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:46 am
Last comment from me for now:
It’ll be interesting to see what Matt has to say about this.
It’ll be even more interesting if he says nothing at all.
Those that love conspiracy will have a field day.
A word to the wise at CAP.
Good night all
Monica/Moanique (since I’ve been commenting under both names)
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:46 am
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:47 am
This is too good. Just up on TNR:
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:47 am
yeah, its a good thing no one of consequence has linked to this yet :).
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:47 am
Basically, we’ll never be able to believe that MY has editorial independence unless his next post is entitled “Why Third Way sucks monkey balls.”
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:50 am
Oh goodie! It’s been almost seven hours since Matt blogged.
Is he enjoying the re-education camp?
What bullshit. I was always suspicious of this site whenever Matt mentioned the organization that runs it and the constraints that the status of the organization puts on it.
Obviously my suspicions were right.
This is bullshit of the highest order.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:51 am
@171 (Barry Freed) Ha! Yes! It must be so!
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:52 am
I will say considering Ms Palmieri’s background is specifically in public relations (as opposed to say policy analysis), this post is particularly ill conceived. As mentioned above, even the regular reader did not remember by the end of the day later what Yglesias said about the Third Way org. (that post just over a dozen comments, below the median of what at a glance looks to be about 30). Now of course, this is going to make its rounds around the liberal, progressive, and/or democratic blogospheres.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:52 am
It seems like there should be one notice somewhere indicating that ALL Matt’s views are his own. That way, there don’t have to be repeated intrusions just to say, yes, this post is a personal opinion. So is that post. And that other post? A personal opinion.
Because intrusion like this is indeed creepy. Just stick a banner up top, “All opinions on this blog are Yglesias’s and not CAPAF’s,” and then never do this again.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:52 am
I’ll bet bloggers will be chomping at the bit to set up shop here after this stunt. I’m all ears for any scenario that justifies posting on another’s forum to post a disclaimer regarding that forum. What more do we need to hear? This is no different than the editorial staff of the New York Times using an entire Krugman column - under his name and smiling face - to post a disclaimer on something he wrote. Bad move.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:52 am
I’m outta here, but do want to respond to this:
I wouldn’t describe Atrios as “no consequence”, and I read both he and Matt regularly, though I only comment here (occasionally), but as coincidence has it, I checked Atrios first tonight for my daily updates, and he led me here (as I imagine thousands of others).
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:53 am
Moanique, this was linked by Atrios. That presumably brought over at least several hundred people who are not regular readers of Matt’s blog, and I suspect some of the less civil comments may have resulted from that.
But I’m a regular reader and commenter, as are a lot of the others in this thread, and I disagree with the attempt to dismiss the entire thread simply because it contains a few over-the-top or inane comments. That’s the sort of thing I expect from a media ombudsman responding to liberal complaints about a story pushing a right-wing narrative.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:54 am
Did I say thousands? Meant hundreds. But I’m sure he can’t be the only one now after having linked to it nearly two hours ago.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:56 am
@ 170. Lee.
You’re correct, a deluge right after that post. I retract about what I said, Jimm was correct. (I should have figured anyway, the only reason the post caught my attention was 60 someodd posts late at night. In the time zone I reside, I usually see later evening posts without comments because the regular readers probably mostly look at this site at work)
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 am
From Mike Allen’s EXCLUSIVE at the Politico today:
—Jennifer Palmieri - a Clinton White House veteran who is now acting chief executive officer of the Center for American Progress Action Fund and senior vice president for communications at American Progress - is being considered for assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. This is different than the job how held by Geoff Morrell, who briefs journalists as Pentagon press secretary. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who is remaining from the Bush administration, has said Morrell will stay in that role.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 am
jp, if she had reflected for a minute on this, should have realised that the only sensible way to respond to matt’s original post - if indeed any response was needed - was to publish a clarification elsewhere on the CAP website, and ask matt to link to it.
apart from its gaucherie, jp’s post does nothing to convince anyone of TW’s “critical thinking” and “excellent work”. no attempt to take up matt’s point on its merits, just a pulling of rank without, apparently, knowing enough of the substance to say anything to suggest that CAP’s institutional allegiance to TW is deserved. weak and lazy.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 am
creepy
Pronunciation: \ˈkrē-pē\
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): creep·i·er; creep·i·est
1. Having or causing a creeping sensation of the skin, as from horror or fear: a creepy ghost story. “It’s creepy to think what else gets expurgated behind the scenes.”
2. That which creeps.
3. Slang. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a person who is a creep; obnoxious; weird; annoyingly unpleasant. “Remember when Jen was pulling the Soviet commissar routine when Skippy was gone? Total creep.”
— creep·i·ly \-pə-lē\ adverb
— creep·i·ness \-pē-nəs\ noun
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 am
Another link.
Regardless of whether one thinks that some people have overreacted, what is undeniable is this: we now know that a mildly unflattering post about an organization that CAP “partners” with (incidentally, 99% of the time when someone uses “partner” as a verb you know they are full of shit) is enough to motivate the CAP CEO to publish a post on Yglesias’s blog. Just think what might happen if Yglesias were to say something really bad about some organization that CAP “partners” with. Just for reasons of job security or whatever it would not surprise me if Matt is holding back, which is maybe why this blog has been kind of shitty lately.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:58 am
A tempest in a teapot, much ado about less than nothing.
Really. This is a blog not a religious organization.
Enough of this sanctimonious prattle.
You’re taking up bandwidth.
mickster
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:58 am
Point made and accepted.
Good night.
M
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:59 am
Who’s doing that? I clearly didn’t, didn’t really notice anyone else doing it either, and pretty much noticed a consensus that Jennifer didn’t handle this in the right manner, even though she did try to drop it in the middle of a Sunday night, basically the dead zone, and in the manner she handled it likely didn’t anticipate the negative consequences as far as the reaction (towards her, CAP or Third Way).
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:00 am
Jennifer — your post will have a chilling effect, making Matt think twice before criticizing groups that CAP is aligned with. Of course, that was the point, wasn’t it?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:01 am
Hey Jimm: I read this blog every single day. So you’re wrong about that, to start with.
But what you really don’t appear to get is the method being used here. There are a lot of ways CAP could have pushed back against the original post. This way was among the worst possible from a credibility standpoint.
CAP has a big website. They could easily have counteracted Matt’s opinion by posting glowing praise of Third Way elsewhere. But Ms. Palmieri parachutes into Matt’s own blog to post her disagreement without any introduction by Matt? Heavyhanded, tone deaf, and without any respect for how the blogosphere traditionally operates.
No doubt about it, this is a slap in the face to Matt. The Atlantic never would have done such a thing, no matter how deeply in bed they were with the target of his criticism. They might not have renewed his contract (for example), but they never would have counter-editorialized within his own blog content.
I say this is total, unprecedented bullshit, and I will have less respect for Matt if he doesn’t push back hard against this.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:05 am
I say we make t-shirts with “This is Jennifer Palmieri, acting CEO of the Center for American Progess Action Fund” in big block letters.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:05 am
In response to:
That would work if the reason for this post was that someone was unclear about whether or not Matt’s view’s were official CAP positions. There is no such confusion. This is about soothing someone’s feelings at Third Way who was unhappy. By publishing this it tells the complainer that they are important enough that the acting CEO of CAP would put up this notice on Matt’s blog. No one got confused. Someone got mad. If such a notice had already been on the blog, they would have demanded some other act of fealty. It’s not a misunderstanding, it’s about power and ego.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:06 am
If only Doug Feith were still at the Pentagon when Palmieri arrived. Tommy Franks wouldn’t know whom to refer to as the the “dumbest mother****** on earth.”
Note: This is a joke, not a play at a red herring to provide CAP cover to dismiss ‘em craaaaaaaazy commentators on the blogs.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:07 am
That’s a real effective way for CAPAF to reduce the credibility (and audience) of their single most prominent voice in the blogosphere.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:07 am
OK (scratching my head).
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:11 am
I hope this will give the Obama administration pause about appointing Ms. Palmieri to a public affairs post at the Department of Defense. They need solid professionals there, not small minded hacks.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:13 am
Yes, surely no one here has ever demonstrated the amazing amount of energy required to make a blog comment about Gitmo, and surely if they had the place would have been closed down immediately.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:14 am
[long-time Yglesias lurker chimin' in here]
I concur with the “creepy” quasi-consensus here.
Also: it cannot be mentioned too often that Palmieri misspelled her own organization’s name in this rather controversial post. A real howler. Classic.
I look forward to future press releases from her new job at the Pentragon.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:15 am
Jennifer — you say that Third Way “are key leaders in the progressive movement” and that you have “a great deal of respect for their critical thinking and excellent work product.”
Maybe you could start something called a “blog” to explain why you see them as leaders of the progressive movement and elucidate the reasons for your great respect for their critical thinking and “work product.” I’d also be interested in knowing how much you paid the management consultant that taught you to use terms like “work product”.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:15 am
S.G.E.W., the typo was obviously an attempt to make the post fit in with the usual blog content.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:15 am
If only we’d known!
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:16 am
Fuck Palmieri and double fuck Third Way.
What does it say about management at CAP that a dumbass like Palmieri could become CEO of CAPAF?
Seriously, wtf?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:16 am
“Pentragon” - lol.
Now that’s incrementalist bullshit I can believe in.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 am
Given Matt’s fondness for nineties nostalgia, I think there’s really only one appropriate tune for Jen P. Smackdown.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 am
Agree with the general thrust of the comments here (and I’m a regular reader, too). I’ve been subject to this kind of thin-skinned reaction among bosses myself, and it’s just appalling. Having written for a newspaper, for non-profits, and for educational institutions, I have to say that I always had the greatest freedom at the for-profit newspapers. My boss there occasionally didn’t like what I wrote, but he wouldn’t dream of pulling a stunt like this. But my bosses at the non-profits and at the schools/universities always felt that a) they had to tightly control every single thing I wrote, and b) if anyone, anywhere disagreed, we had to kowtow to that person immediately.
Insanity.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:22 am
Oh that figures! Palmieri is the PR genius/flack that brought us John “99% honest” Edwards!
You’re building quite a resume Jennifer!
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:24 am
I’m assuming that “but it was in remission at the time” was a JRE ad-lib.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:25 am
Someone should have read up on the Streisand Effect:
Yeesh!
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:29 am
This is about the worst damage control job I’ve ever seen on the part of Third Way.
I don’t know what sort of pressures Jennifer Palmieri is operating under from them, so I’ll reserve judgment on what she’s doing.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:32 am
I hope the Obama administration doesn’t give Palmieri the public affairs job at the DoD. So far, they’ve been able to consistently brand themselves as selecting talent. Even absent this incident, Palmieri reeks of anything but talent.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:35 am
“important projects”, “key leaders”, “work product”? CAP, the new home of pompous jargon
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:35 am
I’m a long time Yglesias reader, but I somehow managed to miss Matt’s post on the topic of Third Way. Now that Jennifer Palmieri has seen fit to enlighten me, I’ve discovered who they are and what they stand for. And you know what? I don’t like ‘em much.
As this little controversy in “how not to do PR” metastasizes into a semi-major blog swarm, I’m sure lots of liberals will discover what Third Way is.
I wonder, though, if Jennifer Palmieri is not getting the credit she deserves. Perhaps she’s really on our side; she’s found a super-sneaky way to undermine the hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit that Third Way represents. If so, kudos Jennifer!
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:37 am
Wow this is creepy. I did not even read Matt’s post about the Third Way but now I will remember the Third Way in a negative context for a while. Great job guys!
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:38 am
Wow.
Such poor form. I don’t know if Matt addressing the matter in this space will even be sufficient.
I can imagine another carefully-worded statement, wondering what the big deal is all about, leavened with some typical snark.
But I’m not sure I’d buy it.
Maybe he should be asked about this incident in another forum, like bloggingheads.tv, perhaps.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:39 am
Comments on the post that inspired this one: 14.
Comments on this post: 208 and counting.
I think we can assume that CAP wouldn’t post this out of the blue — Yglesias has a lot of opinions that can cause debate around the blogosphere. This wasn’t even one of them. Thus, we can assume that it was likely Third Way that said something, threatened to pull out of some project, or otherwise expressed its disapproval.
Two points:
1. The ethical: way to completely miss the point of having a blogger like Yglesias. It’s an opinion column, not an organizational position statement.
2. The pragmatic: if Third way is so uber-sensitive to criticism that they issue a hamfisted reaction, causing far more negative attention to be cast their way — how can they be trusted to read the cards on other important issues?
They got called out for being weak incrementalists, afraid of facing backlash for pushing bold policy proposals. They respond by showing that they’re… weak, afraid of facing backlash for pushing any policy proposal.
QED.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:41 am
Oh, I forgot to say “creepy” in my post. My bad.
Creepy.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:41 am
What this comment thread needs is one of Whiskey Fire’s dancing leprechaun animated gif’s. Yup, that’s what it needs all right.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:44 am
@ the good reverend
Indeed.
Creepy hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:46 am
Let’s play Pin the Tail on the Moron.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:46 am
Add me to the list of regular MY readers deeply concerned — and offended — by this post.
It’s bad enough that CAP (at Third Way’s behest?) wanted to refute Matt’s post. It’s even worse that CAP would inject its own post into Matt’s blog to do this and promote the think tank that he criticized. You don’t like how MY dissed Third Way, Ms. Palmieri and friends? Tough.
I have never seen this sort of interference happen at a liberal blog.
Like someone above said, we’ve already seen some signs of MY holding back on his CAP blog (stuff like “We here at CAP do not criticize people’s character, but…”). This post deepens my suspicion about the limits of what MY can say. It does indeed throw the purpose of the blog into question. Is MY expected to toe some company line? Avoid commenting on valid political issues, such as ineffectual or harmful think tanks affiliated with the left? Soft-pedal his criticism?
As great a pundit as MY is, I have better things to do than read a blogger pressured into writing stuff to promote, and placate, certain Beltway institutions. Maybe it’s CAP’s prerogative to butt its head into its employees’ blogs, but in that case its blogs are worthless.
Because I’m hesitant to give up MY, I’d like to hear what MY has to say about this. It had better be good, Matt!
As for those wringing their hands about people cussing Palmieri — this is a comments thread, folks. People vent like that on comments threads. BTW, the overwhelming consensus that has arisen on this thread should be taken very seriously, and is a clear sign that the issue behind this concerning post needs to be cleared up.
I guess Third Way really is bullshit…?
P.S. I’m also mailing this comment to jpalmieri@americanprogress.org and myglesias@americanprogressaction.org
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:48 am
Jennifer:
“Please, send me nasty e-mails.”
First you piss in the pool, and then you taunt the kiddies? Very professional.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:49 am
Now, when I think of Third Way, not only will I think “hyper timid incrementalist bullshit” but I’ll also think “hyper sensitive insecure assholes”. The first sentence of the post stating that Matt’s views are not the views of CAP is one thing. Completely ridiculous and unnecessary, but whatever. The second bit extolling the virtues of Third Way is creepy. If CAP values Matt’s opinions enough to let him blog under their name, they should have the courage to let Matt’s words stand on their own and not step in and correct course whenever something he says gets somebody’s panties in a twist.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:49 am
A better approach would have been to run the apology to Third Way (which is basically what this is) on the main page of CAP’s website and not clutter Matt’s blog with it. Guest bloggers are fine. Demonic possession bloggers aren’t a good for the blogoshpere.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:51 am
Uh oh.
This thing just hit Daily Kos frontpage, with a post by kos. We’ll be up to 1000 comments by morn.
Way to go Jennifer.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:51 am
How disappointing.
First, Yglesias clearly has no independence. I too had missed the original post - (It is the holidays after all!) - but once it was referenced I searched for it and found it. The initial comment was rather vanilla. It is difficult to believe anything that Yglesias will say in the future when this sort of heavy handedness has been shown about such a mild post.
Second, it is sad that CAP, an organization that has a tremendous amount of influence in the Obama administration, is shilling for the Third Way, an organization that I’d hoped had lost its influence with the loss of HRC. Apparently not.
I don’t see how I can take this blog seriously anymore…
Matt, I know health insurance is important, but I bet you can find someone else to provide it without selling out like this!
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:53 am
Apalling.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:55 am
Yeah, this is like Animal Farm on speed.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:55 am
Look:
Everyone knows TW is just a media mouthpiece for the DLC, and that PPI is the DLC’s real think tank.
But I hadn’t appreciated until now how closely CAPAF & DLC march to a similar tune.
Gov’t-In-Waiting, indeed.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:55 am
First you piss in the pool, and then you taunt the kiddies? Very professional.
Something tells me that may have been an imposter.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:59 am
One more regular reader who has a lower opinion of both CAP and the Third Way than I did yesterday.
If this had read…
“Matt is away, but due to some feedback from CAP’s partners, I just wanted to reinforce that the opinions expressed on this blog are Matt’s alone. While our staff may hold different views on some subjects than myself or other members of CAP management, we’re comitted to fostering a lively debate about progressive policy and politics.”
…I imagine hardly anyone would be exercised over this unprecedented posting. The reason it’s chilling is because the post consists of an assertion of authority, a forcible nullification of editorial content (not reporting or research) and a strangely nuance- and evidence-free assertion of an partner’s inherent righteousness (strange because this site’s value in the blogosphere comes mainly from the unique factual context or logical analysis MY brings to widely-discussed current events, not the ham-handed institutional loyalty on display here.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:03 am
Hey, Matt: Back at the Atlantic they don’t have lame CEOs thought-checking you. I’m thinking you should walk. Now we’re all going to be wondering if you’re knuckling under - what’s Matt holding back?
Seriously, this is bullshit. Don’t take this lying down. Leave.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:05 am
Most readers know that the views expressed on Matt’s blog are his own and don’t always reflect the views of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.”
Oh, do we now?
Glad you cleared that up, Jen.
Confidence in the journalistic independence of Matt Yglesias? Totally restored now.
Eldritch. Freaking eldritch.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:07 am
Just in case they freeze the comment thread here at some point, we’ve got a post on this going at Donkeylicious.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:08 am
“There is no Matt, only ZUULLLLLL”. What next, green vomit spewing from this blog?
Maybe another thinkprogress blogger can volunteer to accept the demonic presence into their own blog and out of Matt’s.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:10 am
WHATS IS THE FIRST RULE ABOUT THIRD WAY? WE DON’T TALK ABOUT THIRD WAY. WHAT IS THE SECOND RULE ABOUT THIRD WAY?
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:11 am
… and that the assumption most of us [seem to] have is that very rarely are things like this truly *unprecedented* — more likely is that the curtains have simply been pulled back on an ongoing dynamic.
How can CAP demonstrate that this isn’t the case? I don’t think there’s an obvious way.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:12 am
Well, this is up at KOS and openleft and probably others now, and folks like me (who never comment) are posting. The floodgates are open. If I weren’t going to sleep, I’d make some popcorn.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:13 am
I stopped reading Think Progress a few years ago because I was always finding myself annoyed by the headlines of their posts. The content would usually be fine, but the way it was presented would be tacky at best and alarmist at worst. That’s what this post is: Information I might possibly be interested in knowing presented in the tackiest way possible. Get some class CAP.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:15 am
Boo-urns to CAPAF
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:16 am
Just in case they freeze the comment thread here
Because I’m sure CAPAF is searching for a way to screw this up even further.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:19 am
Is this Center for American Pravda?
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:19 am
Now that the proverbial shit has hit the fan, what does “Public Relations 101″ dictate that Jennifer Palmieri should do now?
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:20 am
OMG! So is Matt like totally grounded or something?
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:21 am
in retrospect, this post created a larger problem than the one it seemed intended to solve.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:22 am
where is matt??
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:22 am
What a horrible way to be introduced to this blog.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:22 am
@Cello:
Explain why she made the post she did (if Third Way complained, let them own this — or get THEM to post a response on THEIR website, not Yglesias’ blog) and explain why she posted this, not Yglesias.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:26 am
“Most readers know that the views expressed on Matt’s blog are his own and don’t always reflect the views of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.”
Do you write this disclaimer after every post that doesn’t reflect the CEO’s views or only after the ones that endanger your Beltway insider status? My guess is the latter. Sickening!
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:28 am
I hope to hear from Matt what led to this. And I hope it involved Matt offering to skull fuck a Third Way policy position.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:31 am
I hope to hear from Matt what led to this.
And I hope it involved Matt offering to skull fuck a Third Way policy position.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:31 am
Third Way must be remarkably thin skinned — or a funder of CAP. Never heard of them before - won’t attend to them ever. What bullshit.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:32 am
If Matt’s next post doesn’t say:
“I must publicly apologize for the actions of ‘Jennifer Palmieri, acting CEO of the Center for American Progess Action Fund,’ who is so mind-bogglingly stupid that it’s a constant amazement that she can dress herself. Third Way’s domestic agenda is still hyper-timid, incrementalist bullshit. If my masters on high pull this shit again, I’m out of here.”
then I’ll have lost all respect for him. It’s impossible for me to lose more respect for CAP, Jennifer Palmieri, and Third Way. It’s downright scary that someone of such a high position in the progressive establishment would pull a stunt like this. It’s no wonder Democrats have been so feckless for the past two decades if people like Jennifer Palmieri are running things.
The reason we read Matt’s blog is because his opinions are valuable. If we knew, or even suspected, that Matt’s opinions were subject to censorship from on high, this blog loses all its value. For someone like Jennifer Palmieri to not understand that is astonishing, yet very enlightening. Oh how I wish Orwell still lived.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:32 am
So the Third Way demonstrates its policy chops by pulling a jargon-filled backfiring propaganda stunt? Way to go, guys. You have renewed my faith in the power of hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit to annoy me.
(via Eschaton)
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:33 am
For chrissakes, Palmieri ….
Really? Matt Yglesias, of all people? The guy that one of the grizzled old grandfathers of the internet coined “the Yglesias Award” after?
Here’s a refresher:
The Yglesias Award is for writers, politicians, columnists or pundits who actually criticize their own side, make enemies among political allies, and generally risk something for the sake of saying what they believe.
What to sully the brand, Jen.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:33 am
For no other reason than to throw my voice into the clamor of outrage, I simply offer my voice to the clamor of outrage.
Clamor clamor clamor
CAP went down quite a few notches in a lot of people’s books.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:34 am
*way* to sully the brand, I mean
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:35 am
And here here to Patrick A
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:36 am
If Matt’s next post doesn’t say … then I’ll have lost all respect for him.
I think you can go ahead and put your respect for Matt Yglesias up for sale on Ebay, because I guarantee his response will be nothing like that. Look for a pussified, quasi-apology (to Third Way and CAP, not his readers) post in the very near future.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:36 am
Rather: hear hear
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:36 am
Hi, I read Matt’s blog every day and post comments several times a week.
So now I think less of CAPAF, Jennifer Palmieri, Third Way, and, unless Matt comes in and takes a stand, Matt’s credibility as an independent blogger.
And Jennifer, you’re in Public Relations? Wow, that was a bad, bad move. With this and John Edwards under your belt, you’ve amassed quite a record.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:38 am
“they do a lot of clever messaging stuff that a lot of candidates find very useful…”
“it’s a messaging and political tactics outfit”
I already thought this and now more so.
I disagree with some other commenters. This post doesn’t expose thin skin but arrogance.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:38 am
@Patrick A.: Amen.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:39 am
Does that mean Matt is in the running for the Yglesias Award this year?
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:39 am
Max said,
“in retrospect, this post created a larger problem than the one it seemed intended to solve.”
The thing is, anyone with half a functioning brain would have known this instantly beforehand. And yet the person who wrote it is the CEO of the organization. That’s beyond scary. Also note that Palmieri’s job is public relations! It’s the equivalent of your Fourier Analysis professor thinking that 2+2=5.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:40 am
Patrick A. : Was that an intentional pun?
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:40 am
I’m in the creeped out group on this one.
On a less relevant note, Sullivan might have to rename the Yglesias Award if this editorial influence becomes par for the course.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:40 am
This must be at least the fourth site I’ve migrated to in keeping up with MY’s thoughts, as I read him at his own blog prior to his guesting for Josh, and then blogging at TPM. And this is the first time I’ve ever commented, so you’ve definitely raised a bit of ire, Ms. Acting CEO. I agree whole heartedly with those who’ve pointed out not just your ham-handedness in handling whatever whining Third Way directed at you, but particularly the authoritarian and paternalistic way in which you executed your response. Rest assured, Third Way is now on the blogosphere’s radar, and it is not going to be a pretty sight once the deconstructing of their operation has been completed and collective judgement rendered.
You now owe Matt Yglasius a self-flagellating apology for daring to insert yourself into what has been considered his private space. Your violation of his intellectual property is an obscenity that is diametrically opposed to what you, as a Democrat, claim to represent. Heaven forbid that you be offered the DOD position, as your single action here renders you lacking in the judgment required to hold such a position of trust.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:41 am
Pussified? Sorry, but on occasion apologizing when you don’t really mean it is an unfortunate adult necessity. Sometimes there are bigger things than simply being right.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:42 am
I never really had a high opinion of CAP in the first place, so I can’t say that this harmed it, but it is still really creepy. Apparently no one at the “think tank” is allowed to think thoughts that contradict the established line. I expect a note that the CAPAF is officially a Clippers fan, MY’s beliefs notwithstanding.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:42 am
Congratulations, Jennifer. You just took a tiny tiff with your next door neighbor and transformed it, for no good reason, into what is rue to be a weeks-long anti-CAP jihad. This is going to suck.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:42 am
Barry Freed:
It was.
It took until comment #253 for me to figure a way to work it in.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:45 am
Hi Jennifer,
As a regular reader and occasional poster here, let me just welcome you and remind you not to forget to go fuck yourself. That you felt the need to post here directly, rather than have a message conveyed with an introduction from Matt, lets us all know what a worthless tool you are. That your message is idiotic, ass-covering twaddle is just the icing on the cake.
Happy holidays!
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:46 am
Pussified? Sorry, but on occasion apologizing when you don’t really mean it is an unfortunate adult necessity.
Does this strike you as one of those occasions?
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:49 am
This has nothing to do with being an “adult”; it has everything to do with having integrity and independence.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:50 am
way to go Jen,
now people are going to look REALLY hard at Third Way and what they are trying to hide that made the acting CEO of CAP post on a Sunday night no less about it.
and you may become the communication director of the Pentagon…oh boy!
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:53 am
What’s going to happen here is that CAPAF and Third Way will just ignore the minor response this provokes from a tiny segment of the general population, and then continue on with their business as usual. Only person who is in an awkward situation here is Yglesias. Does he stay on at a CAPAF or move on?
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:55 am
From Brad Delong:
I shudder to think of Palmieri having a PR role in the DOD, or any other organization.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:55 am
Does this mean that Ms. Palmieri is the eighth most powerful person in the administration?
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:55 am
Does this strike you as one of those occasions?
Considering I don’t know the behind the scene details, I couldn’t say.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:58 am
A Special Note Re: Blogs for Institutional PR Types Clueless About the Internet
When attempting to remedy a low stakes instance of inter-institutional annoyance, it behooves a public representative not to engage in a robotic editorial intrusion into a medium whose natural and habitual use is as a vehicle of personal expression. Such an intrusion violates its readers’ feelings of familiarity and comfort with what they are accustomed to regarding as a singular authorial voice. The sensations of “creepiness,” paranoia, and resentment engendered in the reader by the violation of such expectations will often lead to the infamous practice called “hyper-linking” by other blog purveyors, which will in turn lead to more attention than the public representative was interested in getting–and that from an audience that neither it nor the aggrieved institution was ever concerned to engage.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:58 am
Could someone please send the CAP a copy of the First Amendment?
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:01 am
this is garbage.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:02 am
Dear Jennifer,
Nice boneheaded move.
Dear Matthew,
You left The Atlantic for this? Take your fucking balls—er, blog—back man, and perhaps you won’t suffer a loss of readers.
This is just embarrassing.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:02 am
I guess CAP does some great stuff, and they are supplying ideas to Obama and the rest of progressive arena.
But how is CAP different from the Center for American Progress Action Fund, and how is that different than the website called Think Progress?
And just why is CAP or any other CAP entity kissing the butt of The Third Way, especially in a highly embarassing way to progressives in general, CAP, CAP Action Fund, and Yglesias. Ms. Palmieri needs to learn some manners and some public relations.
Unless there is some unexplained reason for this late night intrusion, Ms. Palmieri has gone way over the line. If this was done without Matt’s agreement in advance, Matt should find a new home free from BushCO-like Rovian Asskissing by “CAP Action Fund” (vomit) of some obscure outfit like Third Way that speaks for exactly who? Who funds Third Way? The DLC? The GOP? Joe Liebermann? Mitch McConnell?
Which is another way of saying that this post by “Jennifer Palmieri, acting CEO of the Center for American Progess Action Fund.” is just bullshit (or chickenshit, I’m not sure which is appropriate). Posted on Sunday night in response to Matt’s post from 3 days before, and apparently posted without Matt’s knowledge.
This is just shamefull behavior. Did Ms. Palmieri’s butt get reamed by the powers behind Third Way, and set off this late night diarhea?
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:03 am
And, Ms. Palmieri, remember for your interview that the “Mission Accomplished” banner was actually not a good idea.
Somewhere Bob Gates is dry-heaving right now.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:03 am
Frank - What does the first amendment have to do with this?
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:06 am
Matt’s original post produced exactly 0% of the response you are now seeing in this comment thread. How did CAPAF and Third Way handle that?
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:10 am
This post assumes that people read this blog because of its association with the Center for American Progress. Which is absurd. We read this blog because of its author - one journalist, not a think tank.
I understand CAP’s need to associate with Third Way, and I get that this is more of an editorial clarification than an act of censorship. But I didn’t exactly need such clarification, nor did most of the readers. It’s insulting to our intelligence.
Of course CAP is going to work with Third Way, and of course Third Way is an important part of the progressive movement. Every movement needs its serial dissenters going, “Now wait a minute, you don’t exactly intend on using your newfound power for the causes you believe in, right?” We get that CAP has to deal with that, but should Mr. Yglesias’ readers? Please.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:11 am
I am just posting to register my agreement about what a bush league and embarrassing blunder this post was, and also to drive up the comment count.
This is just a fiasco.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:11 am
I never read (or write) comments. But after I read this post, I had to check to see if everyone thought that this post was as outrageous as I did. You didn’t merely restate that Matt’s views are not representative, you actually said that his views are wrong. The blog definitely has a different feel now.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:12 am
i think we should take the time to absorb how wonderful this phrase is: “hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit.” if anything good comes from this debacle, it will be the ascendance of those words into the blogosphere lexicon.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:12 am
This is reminding me of the circumstances under which Al Giordano pulled the plug on his association with Deb K at Rural Votes.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:13 am
I’m left wanting more …
What are Jennifer Palmieri’s thoughts?
What are her hopes, dreams for the future?
What’s her take on the Wizards this year?
What’s her take on transit policy?
Will she eat non-boiled bagels?
Is she mildly anti-gun control?
Is she dating an edu-wonk?
Does she harbor anti-Boston sentiment?
Does she have a trust fund?
Does she like pandas?
So many questions, now that she’s a co-blogger here.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:15 am
And like other people said, I’m now looking up Third Way for the first time — I looked at a couple “Messaging” pdfs and Matt was absolutely right.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:15 am
The Third Way sucks and everyone knows it. Including you, Jennifer. Quit interrupting Matt’s blog and stop promoting Republican-enabling capitulating corporatist groups.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:15 am
CAPAF and Third Way handled it with complete incompetence.
Doesn’t change the fact that this story is going to stick to a few online blogs and be debated intensely by about 1,000 anonymous internet commentators, but never see the light of day in traditional mass media.
It’s an interesting topic to discuss, but 99.9% of the people out there don’t give a shit who Matt Yglesias is and why the acting CEO of CAPAF publicly reprimanded him on his own blog. Like I said earlier, I’d be real surprised if this affects anyone beyond Yglesias.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:17 am
Clack Clack Clack, Matty!
I for one, love this post, ’cause…well, mainly, ’cause fuck the bossman.
And it’s been educational. I didn’t know much about Third Way before, but I sure as hell do now. CAP likewise.
I’m not histrionic, nor do I value dramatics in others, so I won’t pretend like I give a fuck who apologizes to whom on Monday morning.
But way to earn that punk rock cred, Iggy. I hope to see CAP-correction posts like this every third day from here on out.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:18 am
No Way. No How. No Palmieri.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:19 am
i just wanted to add to the chorus of voices who are upset about this. been following matt since the typepad days, and this is certainly a heavyhanded intrusion that will likely cost CAP a lot of the instant goodwill MY’s readers have been inclined to grant it.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:20 am
What a stupid move.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:24 am
Thanks for the perspective. What % of the people out there care about the comment you just wrote? Other than me and you, probably no one. I hope this comment really blows your mind.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:25 am
Matthew Yglesias :: Liz Lemon
Jennifer Palmieri :: Jack Donaghy
Jennifer, Jack Walsh at GE is calling you. He’d like to commend you for some “excellent work product.”
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:26 am
i think we should take the time to absorb how wonderful this phrase is: “hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit.” if anything good comes from this debacle, it will be the ascendance of those words into the blogosphere lexicon.
I think that’s naive and unrealistic. The blogosphere is not ready for such a radical, ideologically-driven change by the leftist side of the linguistico-cultural divide. We need a lexicon that can win the acceptance of the whole blogosphere that resides under our big tent, moderates and fire-eaters alike. How about instead of “hyper-timid, incrementalist bullshit” we use the phrase, “cooly coalescing, soberly safe excretions”?
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:26 am
I’m just padding the comment total now, but the idea that no one other than Yglesias cares about this blog is silly; obviously Third Way cares, or else this comment thread wouldn’t exist.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:27 am
I don’t understand why an organization would hire Matt Yglesias, and then backpedal when he acts like Matt Yglesias.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:27 am
Yea, well that’s generally the point of responding to someone. All I was doing was speculating what’s going to happen next. My prediction: not much.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:28 am
This is largely true, but, beyond Yglesias, I do think that at least a few more people will actually take the time to check out the Third Way and discover that they really are advocating hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit. It would also be nice, though unexpected, if the DoD noticed that they might not be looking at the brightest bulb as a candidate (i.e., assuming the rumors are true).
With rockstars like these in our party’s smoke-filled rooms, it’s a wonder that we were ever outmessaged prior to the 2006 campaign.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:29 am
I’m just commenting because everyone else is.
Get a grip, everybody. This is quite possibly the least important thing that has ever happened.
I know it wouldn’t be a blog comments section if everybody wasn’t extremely mad about something, but in this modern world, disclaimers are a fact of life. This isn’t even a harsh rebuke. Words like “boilerplate” and “anodyne” come uncontrollably to mind. Big Brother is yawning.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:31 am
Who could have predicted that this post would engender this kind of reaction?
Oh wait, anyone with a passing familiarity with blogs.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:31 am
Wow, this is shitty. I didn’t think Yggles would stand for something like this, and I didn’t think CAP was the kind of organization that was stupid enough to publicly purge inconvenient sentiment among its prominent bloggers.
We just watched Rebublicans implode because of hyper-defensive policy echo-chambers. Don’t lets imitate them.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:33 am
@ 302
that sounds like ad copy for a laxative, which just might be what the folks at Third Way and CAP need right now, ironically enough.
by the way, does the comment counter break at 1000? this is kind of exciting.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:35 am
Well, that clarified some things rather quickly. Just a a bit of googling and, doh, now I know that that Stoller, Kos, and Yglesias are more or less straightforward about office politics and Palmieri, CAP, DSCC, and Third Way are less so. I’m kinda familiar with the office ecology of not-for-profits/publishers/etc. and I generally figured that most, perhaps all, of the beltway policy shops that got involved with the transition would get weird in this way. I’m happy enough, oddly, that Obama is staffing out of various Dem institutions, as opposed to, say, lobbyists and straight up operatives. I liked Obama marginally more than Clinton, mostly because Obama had a few interesting academic advisers in his camp. I hoped he’d shed the party staff and refresh the academics after winning but, alas, it looks like WYSIWYG.
So, yeah, cynicism chasing cynicism on my part. What do you expect from political junkies? It’s probably best for the players to avoid sampling the product.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:37 am
The problem is that the author of this post is supposedly in contention for a public relations job at the Pentagon. If Palmieri botches Matt Yglesias, how will she deal with making the Obama DoD look good?
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:37 am
I’m going to bed soon and I’m already looking forward to waking up in the morning to check:
1. if this post is still here
2. how many comments have accrued
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:43 am
So where will Matt be blogging next? Cuz as stated above, this is bullshit.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:45 am
This is easy to fix. All it takes is another post that begins with “This is John Podesta” and proceeds to explain that the views expressed by Jenifer Palmieri are her own and don’t always reflect the views of the Center for American Progress. Are we having fun yet?
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:45 am
We’ll never be young again…
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:47 am
You guys are completely misreading this whole thing.
Matt’s original post said, “Third Way isn’t really a “public policy think tank” at all, it’s a messaging and political tactics outfit.”
Basically, Matt inadvertently blew the whistle on the fact that Third Way is operating in violation of the terms of a 501c(3). They’re a non-profit, and they’re only supposed to be providing “issue education”.
THAT’S why the alarm bells went off, and THAT’S the reason for the “clarification” from on high.
Tax fraud is a very serious charge. Looks like Matt touched a nerve …
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:48 am
I cannot believe that the person who did this is being considered for a public relations job at the top of our country’s government. This is someone with no instincts whatsoever. That would certainly lead to all kinds of unnecessary revolts by the public.
Hopefully someone will clue in Obama, or at least Google her before offering her the job. This will definitely come up in a search, right? I mean, an editor of a supposedly progressive website just commandeering someone’s blog to spread propaganda, that’s a newsworthy media event. Geez.
Anyone who’s saying this is no big deal just does not get it at all. This is a big deal. A very big deal.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:50 am
Okay, but the only people who have responded negatively so far have been a bunch of night-owl blog commenters. That’s, like, the opposite of “public”.
I ruefully admit, though, that she has botched her crank-, ideologue- and insomniac-relations. A traditional base of support for the Pentagon, no doubt, but let’s see if CNN picks this up before rushing to any conclusions.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:50 am
Hey, before I go to sleep, two things:
First, IRSman totally nails it, I think.
Second, I just wanna be the first to say it:
toohotforcap.blogspot.com
G’night!
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:50 am
OK the thing that cracks me up is looking through this blog I could not find one other post that came even close to passing the 3 digit mark - many many only got comments numbering in the single digits. The original post only got 14 comments for Christ’s sake.
I’m thinking that when Jennifer wakes up and sees the uproar this has caused she will correctly think: “damn. I done fu#$ed up.
I hope some Public Relations Profs are reading - this could be lesson #1 in How Not to Use the Internet to Your Advantage.
People who post things on other people’s blogs really should read blogs - this move was so freaking clueless on so many levels. Is there a more cynical audience out there than readers of liberal blogs? We eat authority for breakfast. We hate people in power.
As my 10 year old daughter would say: No Duh!
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:53 am
IRSman @317: Assuming you’re 100% correct, would you personally hire Jennifer Palmieri for a high-profile public relations position as of today?
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:55 am
Probably not.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:57 am
Tax fraud! Now I get it. It all makes sense now.
Make that illegal hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit.
Can they fit that under the masthead?
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:59 am
@ 317
While that’s a intriguing hypothesis, if it’s true Jennifer has done Third Way no favors. It’s not misreading a post when we don’t comply with the coverup.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:01 am
Jennifer Palmieri is the new Aaron Rose.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:03 am
This looks like Big Brother looking over Matt’s shoulder. Maybe it isn’t, but it looks that way. I want to hear Matt speak frankly and candidly about this, or the credibility of this blog will be tarnished. We’ll always have to think about this being blog by Jennifer instead of Matt who I’ve been reading for years. Jennifer, not so much. She hasn’t earned my trust yet, and this post sure didn’t lend itself toward earning it.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:04 am
Certainly, if CNN were to actually nationally televise the fallout from a boring 14-comment Matt Yglesias blog post, it would no longer be a question that Palmieri is unqualified for any position in the new administration: she would be a laughingstock. But I think you underestimate the magnitude of Palmieri’s tone-deafness on this post to write us all off as cranks, ideologues, and insomniacs.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:07 am
Just cause we’re night owls doesn’t mean we’re not right.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:07 am
If this post was intended to reflect positively on the Third Way, it most certainly should qualify for the fail blog.
Epic fail, Jennifer Palmieri.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:11 am
Presumably Matt was asked to amend his remarks before Palmieri stepped in.
If he wasn’t, then this is a major editorial disaster and some sort of apology (to Matt) will be needed. Which will make the whole thing even more ridiculous.
If he was and he refused, then it’s unlikely he will show up again here.
No easy way out.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:12 am
This is seriously fucked. You’ve lost a reader CAPAF.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:13 am
I wonder if Ms. Palmieri had thought posting this at 10:30 would avoid a big fuss in the comments section. Cleary she has underestimated the free time of commentfolk.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:17 am
Mr Yglesias, if I were you I’d be asking yourself - ‘Do I own my own content - or do they?’
I hope you had this issue dealt with a long time ago.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:19 am
Considering the implications, I can see where Palmieri was coming from.
It’s one thing for CAP’s most prominent blogger to say that 3rd Way is milquetoast moderate organization. I can’t see how one measly blog post on that subject would provoke the acting CEO to post a comment.
But to blow the gaff that 3rd Way is (*wink-wink*) not a real think tank? To allow it to become common knowledge that it fails to comply with its tax status, as many non-profits do when they engage in policy/politics?
That’s another thing entirely.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:20 am
I think now that progressives are in power, we are going to have to grow slightly thicker skins. Over on change.gov there are tons of people “abandoning Obama foverever” over Rick Warren.
Now, Rick warren is some serious weak sauce, but we need to be able to deal with symbolic bones thrown to the opposition.
Likewise this post: total bullshit. If this post had just said
No one would have cared. The problem is all the statements simply stating that Third Way was awesome, and the whole argument-by-authority implicit rebuke to Matt. This was a total boneheaded move on Palmieri’s part. but I don’t think we need to give up on Matt, start hating CAP, or demand he quit.
I do think we need an explanation about why this happened. This is mistake #1 in internet public relations. It’s like the boingboing violetblue fiasco, for example, and a PR person who would make this kind of mistake in this day and age clearly doesn’t know what they’re doing.
But there is no need to freak out.
(that said, I certainly did freak out when I saw this in my RSS reader, but I think the 300+ comments already posted covers most of the issues)
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:28 am
Fine. So now the real question becomes: is Palmieri the ideal spokesperson for the Pentagon, given her “handling” of Yglesias at CAP? Maybe Matthew Yglesias was WAY out of line here (I express no opinion): the question then is was Palmieri’s handling of this situation good or bad? How will she perform at the Pentagon, given what we now know?
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:33 am
Actually, Third Way is organized as a 501(c)(4) like the DLC, the NRA or Moveon.org … you get the idea.
They can lobby for legislation, but not for candidates — that may be the sore spot. There’s a broader umbrella to work under, but many more chances to screw up.
That said? Creepy. Very creepy.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:34 am
Doesn’t a post like this only highlight the whole 3rd way tax status issue? I swear to God I never would have thought about it if I hadn’t seen it mentioned in the comments here.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:39 am
Indeed. We have one person to think for bringing this issue to light: Jennifer Palmieri.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:44 am
Here’s a link to the job description at the Pentagon.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:47 am
From the tax code:
501(c)4s can engage in political campaign activity, so long as this is consistent with the organization’s purpose and is not the organization’s primary activity.
Sounds like Matt was letting slip that “political campaign activity” was, indeed, “the organization’s primary activity”.
Innocuous enough remark. Probably wouldn’t have raised an eyebrow before.
Now I understand why she stressed the “homeland security transition project”. It’s less explicitly political. (Not that it helps. It’s a bit like closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.)
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:01 am
@Matt: You’ve got a bit of a problem, rather too big to ignore. There are a couple of things you’re probably going to have to do.
You need to get very clear with Jennifer Palmieri about the extent to which you can write independently here, and the extent to which you can expect “corrections” like this in the future. And then you and she both need to write something about that right here on the site.
Otherwise, your readers can never again be sure about what’s going on. With everything else you write from now on at Think Progress, I’ll have to ask myself: is it really what you wanted to say, the way you wanted to say it? Or is it constrained so as to meet the approval of Jennifer Palmieri? Or just so as to avoid getting another one of these disclaimers shoved into the middle of your blog?
If you find that the arrangement is restricting your ability to honestly speak your mind, maybe you should find someplace else to take your blog.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:16 am
Oh snap!
I didn’t have such a furiously negative reaction to the original post, but in the age of the internets, anything that generates 300+ negative responses overnight is ipso facto a screwup.
Do we now get to see Yglesias write a short essay in TAP: “This is Matthew Yglesias. Most readers of this magazine recognize that it does not always reflect my views. I would like especially to note that I think Jennifer Palmieri is wrong and still insist that Third Way is a purveyor of hyper-incrementalist bullshit.”
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:17 am
see, the thing is, these people don’t care what you all think. they are very serious people.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:19 am
Creepy, creepy post.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:20 am
Matt, looks like it’s time to blow this joint.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:24 am
Hyper timid incrementalist bullshit!
Hyper timid incrementalist bullshit!
Hyper timid incrementalist bullshit!
Just wanted to chime in to agree with previous commenters on how much fun that phrase is to say.
It’s good to see how efficient the internets are in pouncing on hyper timid incrementalist bullshit and its associated phoniness. Go keyboard outrage go!
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:26 am
And the DLC/Third Way wondered why nobody trusts their creepy, authoritarian asses…
Thanks for GWB by the way. Maybe if you hadn’t spent years doing shit like this and spitting on your bases face, Ralph Nader wouldn’t have won 2million votes…
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:27 am
yup, time to go. this post was a really bad idea, whoever thought of it.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:35 am
I’ve always ridiculed the way Yglesias always seems to change his url every six months or so, but this time I’m going to have to give him a pass.
A blogger of his stature (and frankly, traffic) shouldn’t have to endure this lack of editorial freedom.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:36 am
Is this for real? Wow, I had such high hopes for CAP, I had no idea they’d go to the mat (no pun intended) with one of their own for daring to speak the truth. This puts CAP in a whole new light for me, and I agree 100% with Markos, that “Third Way is a bunch of assholes who make the DLC look downright palatable.”
And CAP feels like they have the obligation to apologize for this? Preferring to live in the reality-based community, now I can’t take anything you guys write seriously anymore! You’ve lost your credibility with me over this, how disappointing.
CAP just jumped the shark, big time.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:43 am
Oh my gosh this post is so weak, lame & pathetic. A real cred killer.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:55 am
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.
I predict we’ll collectively eventually give Jennifer Palmieri a break as someone who was put into a position she wasn’t fully comfortable with yet as very-temporary acting head of CAP, and did something tone-deaf that she didn’t want to do but felt like she had to, forgiving but not forgetting the incident for all parties involved. This will look not-so-good for her, bad for Third Way, and Yglesias will be amused, annoyed, and life will go on.
Less likely is that she’ll go all Blago on us and defend her actions and will lose all credibility.
Even less likely, but still within the realm of possibility, is that she got some flack from Third Way, and decided “you know what, I’m just going to destroy those hyper-timid incrementalist assholes” and therefore did exactly what Third Way had asked her to do (possibly with MY’s permission), knowing what would happen, and then relied on the blogosphere to wage the most effective PR campaign against Third Way in its history, in which chase we should forget that PR position at the Pentagon and make her secretary of defense because she’s a freakin’ genius.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:58 am
Darn. “in which case” not “in which chase.”
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:58 am
Or, you know, not.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:59 am
Jennifer “Creepy” Palmieri
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:07 am
Circular fuckin firing squad, damn.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:08 am
As I recall, Matt has made comments here in the past to the effect that he is not totally free to express himself at CAP.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:10 am
Let’s just all agree that CAP is the appropriate forum for this debate… 358 comments would have crashed the Atlantic’s blog servers.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:11 am
I guess CAP knows that Matthew Yglesias is just some punk right out of college and he can’t possibly hope to get anybody else to host his blog and also give him the slightest bit of respect and intellectual autonomy.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:11 am
Time to go meta. Several serious contenders for winners of the thread:
Dan Kervick at #54 and #73.
Zeeb at #292.
Brad DeLong for concisely having the blogosphere’s back and using Serious Person cred to link, and to Russ at #276 for posting the link.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:14 am
What an incredibly lame post.
Lay off Matt, Third Way Nazis.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:14 am
Jennifer, fabulous job. In one short post, you managed to focus attention on Matt’s original post, convince folks Third Way is nothing but a bunch of lame frauds, alienate loyal readers, cast a pall on CAP’s credibility, and possibly shoot your job prospects in both feet. Heckuva job.
I hope, for CAP’s sake, you’ll be exploring other career options. For our country’s sake, I hope you’ll be exploring them in the private sector.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:18 am
So uhhh..Podesta is out of town running Obama’s transition team, and his fill in apparently is rousted out of wherever to intrude into MY’s blog at 10:30 Sunday night of Christmas week to grovel and carry water for Third Way over a percieved slight.
What does that say about what strings they can pull on the transition team?
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:20 am
Waaay past my bedtime, but had to endorse this from Bill at #306:
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:23 am
As I recall, Matt has made comments here in the past to the effect that he is not totally free to express himself at CAP.
That’s absolutely true. However, that’s a good thing. The restrictions he’s often cited (i.e. prohibitions against expressing a candidate preference) were because of CAP’s tax-exempt status.
In a roundabout way, that’s the same critique he’s leveled against Third Way, that it isn’t an authentic policy shop, that it’s just a message machine.
Matt’s explicitly proscribed from engaging in certain activities … activities which Third Way is similarly proscribed from, but does anyway. There’s a connection there.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:24 am
Well now you’ve done it. Both Atrios and the GOS have posted links about this hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit post.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:25 am
As everyone has said this ’special note’ should have gone somewhere else on the CAP website. The CEO could have asked Matt to draw his reader’s attention to it, and/or they could have emphasised the fact that MY’s opinions are his own in the margins. This is just cackhanded, spreads confusion and undermines MY, JP, CAP and TW.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:29 am
I agree with everyone else who thinks this post is creepy.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:38 am
I see 371 comments in the widget and only 370 comments. Some elf is busy right now….
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:40 am
Matthew’s right, and the fact that forces sat so heavily upon Think Progress on the basis of this blog posting proves that the Third Way is filled with ethically challenged politicians driven by messages and polls, not ideas or morals.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:41 am
Very droll, Matt!
Two questions:
1/ Do your bosses really not mind you using their actual names for the purposes of parody?
2/ Of all the things you’ve written about, why pick something as minor as a difference of approach with Third Wa to spoof?
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:42 am
I’ve read Matt since he joined the Atlantic. I don’t give a shit about CAP, and really don’t know much about it. Too bad my first introduction to its leadership is via an heavy-handed intervention from an obvious moron.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:45 am
Wow. Fuck the Third Way (fuck their useless, centrist asses anyway, but double after this) and Jennifer Palmieri is obviously a tool of epic proportions. CAP ought to be better than this.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:46 am
My letter to that moron Jennifer Palmieri. You can email her here.
jpalmieri@americanprogress.org
I have been a faithful reader of Matt’s for years. Your Orwellian comments are neither appreciative nor constructive after the past 8 years. It is unfortunate that you and your organization are so insecure that dissension and origination of thought cannot go without some type of fascist, editorial rant. THE REASON THAT I READ MATT IS HIS OPINION NOT THAT OF THE CENTER OF AMERICAN PROGRESS. Really, Matt’s opinions are those of his own and are not trite, talking points distributed by the minions at the DSCC, THe Center and John Podesta. Wow, I must have been born yesterday.
By attempting to censor Matt (and that is really what you did, don’t kid yourself into telling yourself otherwise) you are no better and no different that the folks that devised and run Gitmo, tap into my phones, and read my emails. you have lost a reader to your center for progress blog, but i will continue to read Matt wherever he ends up at. If he decides to stay….
Kindest Regards,
George Gonzalez
Orlando FL
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:53 am
Thank God for The Atlantic. Not only is one spared the slobbering and incoherent rants of Yglesias-Palmieri (think Brundlefly), but Sullivan’s vigilance makes it unlikely that the birth of any mutant baby escapes public notice (be it the spawn of Geena Davis or Sarah Palin). James Fallows, moreover, has never suggested to me that I climb into a telepod with him and meld with a Cirrus SR20. I can’t say the same for Yglesias-Palmieri; it’s always trying to get me to meld with shitty yuppie bands and D-list documentary filmmakers (but only when my wife’s in remission).
And so, without further ado, the top 10 reasons to love The Atlantic:
1. Fallows
1. Sullivan
3. Ambinder
4. Douthat
4. Coates
4. Wallraff
7. McArdle
7. Crook
(Goldberg has the only truly sectarian blog I’ve ever seen carried by a non-sectarian magazine. Analogously, it’d be as if EVERY ONE of Sullivan’s posts related to the pope, transubstantiation, the Vatican, Northern Ireland, Thomas Aquinas, etc. So ignore him. We got it — you’re Jewish — now give it a fucking rest.)
9. It’s not as loony as The Nation or Harper’s
10. Unlike some magazines, pretentious and masturbatory French adages are kept to a minimum (*cough* New Republic *cough*).
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:53 am
It boggles my mind that anyone thought this would improve the reputation of CAP or the Third Way, by even a tiny bit.
“You know what our netroots audience loves? Official statements from on high chastising progressive bloggers for taking progressive positions and saying obviously true things. If there’s one thing liberals love on the internet, it’s respect for the hierarchy. Oh, and triangulation.”
Way to capture the zeitgeist, guys!
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:55 am
I’m struggling to understand the kind of mind that thinks a post like this isn’t entirely self defeating. It’s inept and ill-judged.
If you wanted to shoot through the credibility of CAP and this blog in a single paragraph Ms Palmieri’s contribution is an object lesson in how to go about it.
What utter bullshit.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:00 am
And on the solstice is born yet another of those internet traditions, all of which we are aware of:
“Hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit!”
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:00 am
The best way to handle this would have been to simply put a disclaimer at the bottom of the blog, e.g., “The views expressed on this blog do not necessarily represent blah, blah, blah …” As it is, most regular readers were already aware that Matt’s views were his own, and not necessarily representative of CAP’s.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:18 am
The third way always reminds me of the third eye. And this post is very creepy. Jennifer must have been is some kind of panic, for some reason. Jennifer, sweetie, those Third Way guys won’t respect you unless you give them the finger every once in a while.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:19 am
Fail.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:21 am
This, from kegler (#378), is spot on:
Lest anyone forget that the netroots was born from the void created by the very tepid incramentalist bullshit that Third Way, and now apparently CAP, champion.
This post is really amazing to me in it’s tone-deafness. Palmieri truly does not understand the progressive netroots and in a few short sentences, just destroyed the credibility that CAP had built over the past few years with the progressive blogosphere.
That reminds me, I need to go and remove myself from CAP’s email list.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:25 am
#377
I think you meant to say:
7. Crook
1,000,000,000. McArdle
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:29 am
This woman needs to be fired and the thinkprogress action fund’s board of directors needs to apologize to Matt and his readers.
A post like this is extremely inappropriate. As other readers have noted, the more appropriate way to handle this would be a disclaimer at the bottom of the page and a general statement from Matt pointing out the disclaimer withou being specific. This is how Media Matters deals with Duncan Black’s blog.
I plan to call the board members today to wish them a merry Christmas and share my thoughts on this matter. I encourage other likeminded readers to do this a well.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:34 am
This woman needs to be fired
Good luck with that.
The only thing I can think of that makes any sense is she posted this to make sure the Serious People know what side she is on and your outrage is her currency and credibility.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:38 am
http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/
This is Jennifer Palmieri, head of Public Affairs at the Pentagon.
Most Americans know that the views of President Obama and the Secretary of Defence are their own and don’t always reflect the views of the United States Government. Such is the case with regard to the President’s comments about Halliburton. Our Government has partnered with Halliburton on a number of important projects - including a homeland security project in Iraq - and has a great deal of respect for their ethical and financial innovation and excellent work product. They are outstanding corporate citizens and we look forward to working with them in the future.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:46 am
fixed
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:48 am
Wow, this post causes me to lose respect for two organization at the same time! Nicely done, o censorious one!
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:51 am
Jennifer Palmieri, you deserve all the scorn and derision you’re getting.
With one stupid pronouncement,you’ve convinced me to remove this website from my bookmark list.
You’ve decided that you’d rather produce the “Penny Saver” than a publication of real worth.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:52 am
Really?
This is what CAPAF is all about?
Millions of jobs out the window…
Be careful, Matt. Big Brother and Sister are reading.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:55 am
Jennifer
If you’re going to have editorial intrusions into Matt’s blog, at least do something useful and fix the typos.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:57 am
392 reasons this post was stupid and a really bad idea. Now, it’s 393.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:06 am
This post suggests that Third Way is not really all that good at messaging either.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:08 am
Well, this post has made it to Memeorandum now, bright and early on Monday morning. Probably the widest exposure Third Way has gotten in quite a while.
Operation: Great Job!
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:09 am
Ms. Palmieri should be fired at once.
And you know what? I don’t even really know what Third Way is, aside from some mentions in a few blog posts here and there.
But I tell you what… this one posts makes it certain that whatever Third Way is, they are something VERY BAD and should never be trusted in ANY WAY.
So, well done, Ms. Palmieri.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:11 am
We have indeed witnessed the birth of “hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit” as a trope of the Internet, at least of the left blogosphere. This one’s got legs, it’s going places; HTIB will be right up there with IOKIYAR.
One thing I have to credit Jennifer Palmieri for, she was smart enough not to write a single pithy word or phrase that would have made for good blogger snark. The post is actually a little masterpiece of PR glop that is conscientiously harmless and hence vanilla-bland and long-winded, nearly substance-free. “[We] have a great deal of respect for their critical thinking and excellent work product” is just too wordy to go down in history along with “measure it” and “in what respect, Charlie?”.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:14 am
Whadya know! Someone has been paying attention to the amount of notice this post has gotten . . . the typo has been fixed!
I hope someone got a screenshot of Jennifer Palmieri misspelling her own organization’s name.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:15 am
A more tactful way to handle this would be to have Matt write that he is reminded that Three Way has worked with CAP in the past on important issues such as A, B, and C…
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:16 am
There is some speculation in this thread about what it is in Matt’s original comment that touched such a deep nerve, and could have prompted this ham-handed intervention. The one thing Palmieri actually mentions is the homeland security report CAP worked on with Third Way. I think people should go to Third Way’s site and read that report on the Homeland Security Presidential Transition Initiative. CAP’s head John Podesta, also chief of the Obama transition, is personally involved with that initiative. Maybe some very important people are very deeply invested in making sure people take that homeland security initiative and report seriously.
This could also be about money. In the wake of the financial meltdown, followed by the Madoff unraveling, funding sources for some Democratic organizations may be jeopardized. Could it be that one of the usual check-writers for Third Way, now shorter on cash, got cold feet when he read that what Third Way produces is regarded by someone representing a mainstream liberal organization like CAP, which is tightly tied into the Obama administration through people like Podesta and Melody Barnes, as “hyper timid incrementalist bullshit”? Why bankroll Third Way if they have no cred within the Obama orbit? Thus Palmieri’s Third Way-friendly rush to assure the world that Matt Yglesias is just CAP’s pet blogger, and doesn’t speak for them.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:18 am
She fixed the typo in progress! Damn, that’s petty!
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:19 am
I was thinking this comment thread included every possible reaction … but had the nagging theory something was missing.
So I went to the Third Way website, and searched for high speed rail … nothing. Trains … nothing. Transport policy … nothing. Transport … nothing.
Either the Third Way search engine is broken (a real possibility), or The Third Way is Against SUPERTRAIN.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:20 am
She doesn’t need to be fired. I mean, c’mon. She screwed up, made a colossal PR blunder, but she doesn’t deserve a firing.
I’m on the intarweb’s side concerning this, it was a bad idea, and seems creepier the more I read it, but what’s needed most is a statement from MY clarifying things. It’d be great if we could get the dirt on what happened, but my guess is that if it’s what we all think it is, JP trying to make nice with some cranky muckety-muck at Third Way (who can frankly take a long walk off a short pier as far as I’m concerned), we’ll get something from MY stating it wasn’t an authorized posting and some sort of disclaimer at the bottom, and JP will NEVER do something this amateur again.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:22 am
Wow - everybody here is waaaaay too polite about this bullshit.
FUCK YOU Third Way.
There. That’s better.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:22 am
I’m not certain but it seems as if some comments are being disappeared.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:23 am
This could also be about money.
Shet yer mouth!
Third Way is about critical thinking and excellent work products and is in no possible way a lobbying vehicle for certain donors!
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:23 am
What I find weird is that there are hundreds of grenades lobbed at ThinkProgress.org — big and small, hostile and friendly fire, lethal and warning shot. This seems like the least likely one to get the pin put back in by daddy. Makes me think it’s purely about personal friendship, and the uncertainty that comes with “Acting” leaders.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:24 am
but she hasn’t changed “have a great deal of respect” to “has…”. i guess she doesn’t understand why that is a mistake.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:24 am
What’s that Ed? She fixed a typo at Matt Yglesias’ blog?
Heavy handed bureauc-rat-speak groveling apology for Yglesias telling the truth … well, that’ll happen sometimes.
But fixing a typo? Even if it was her own …
Nobody fixes typos on an Yglesias blog!
Ms. Palmieri, of course you understand, This Means War
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:26 am
If “Jennifer Palmieri, acting CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund” had any sense of professionalism, she’d at least link to the specific post or posts she has a problem with.
As it stands, her post reads like something one might find in a band’s fan site maintained by a snotty teenager.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:27 am
Dear CAP,
FIRE HER.
Grover Norquist’s Progressive Twin Brother.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:28 am
What the hell are all of you people complaining about? Personally, I can’t get enough of this stuff. Here’s hoping that Ms. Palmieri gets her own blog soon where she can continue to undermine the good works of the staff here
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:28 am
I don’t have anything substantive to add to the above, except to add a 404th comment saying this post was ill-advised and unnecessary.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:29 am
It would have gone virtually unnoticed were it not for the bold intervention on the part of Ms. Palmieri. Now the acronym HTIB will live forever in netroots fame. Heckuva job, Jennie.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:29 am
she’d at least link to the specific post or posts she has a problem with.
After reading that you think she can make an href tag? I guess they have those newfangled buttons now but she doesn’t know what those do either.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:29 am
Well, what is there left to say? This was some pretty weird stuff to wake up to, man. Just curious, can Matt sue for damage to his career for this crap? Seriously, by this post, I have put my trust on hold with him, I hate to say it….and by what I have read above, a few feel the same. Someone owes Matt more than a, “Shucks, Matt, you know what we meant, right?”, and a gift card to Red Lobster.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:29 am
Who is Jennifer Palmieri and what has she done to Matt Yglesias?
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:32 am
Well. That’s a bit bullshit now, isn’t it?
It seems that this post was the best way to prove that Third Way is a hyper-timid, hyper-sensitive member of the inside the beltway pseudo-progressive crap community.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:32 am
There is far more one can and should say about CAP and Third Way.
Let’s start with the slimy-slick “Podesta Group” lobbying outfit, founded in 1988 by John Podesta (you know, the head of the Center for American Progress) and his brother, Anthony “Tony” Podesta.
When John became Chief-of-Staff to Pres. Bill Clinton, Tony did the right thing and closed down the company so there would be not even be the slightest appearance of unseemly abuse of personal ties to the most powerful public office in the world. Oh, wait a minute, no he didn’t!!! In fact Tony continued to run that lobbying company, making as much money as he could from corporate clients by exploiting (indeed, trumpeting) his access to the White House.
But it gets much, much worse than that, this isn’t simply your run-of-the-mill K St. abuse.
Not until Act Up starting holding public protests did Podesta Associates back off in its push to have then-VP Gore deny South Africa the right to issue generic anti- HIV/AIDS drugs. Why would Podesta do that? Oh, because PhRMA was his client, you see, and PhRMA was paying Podesta to try and stop the use of generic drugs around the world. The fact that millions and millions of impoverished South Africans couldn’t come close to paying for U.S.-produced HIV medicines and so they were dying slow, painful deaths didn’t seem to matter to the Podestas. (Was it that fucking hard to figure out, Tony and John? You disgusting pieces of shit! I hope you enjoy the feeling of flesh burning off you, because you will rot in hell for the rest of eternity.)
You all know PhRMA, the lobby for scummy big drug companies who pretend they need high prices to fund R&D which they actually spend half of on marketing. The ones who look for tiny incremental “improvements” (”time-released!”) instead of breakthrough cures — read Harvard Med School professor and NEJM editor Marcia Angell’s book, if you haven’t already. But maybe loyal sheepdog Jennifer Palmieri hasn’t lifted a finger to learn this truth or isn’t concerned about it.
I personally watched Tony Podesta enter a reception for a departing NEC staffer inside the Indian Treaty Room of the Old Executive Office Building, attended by Gore. Tony bounced in with a rep from PhRMA on his arm, gregariously worked the room, and left with his arm around Gene Sperling. Sperling, you may recall, was the National Economic Adviser to Clinton (despite having no degree in economics), a title he inherited when Robert Rubin left to become Treasury Secretary.
After getting bad publicity from the Act Up protests, Tony of course threw a few bones to PR of doing the right thing, adding some minor pro bono clients. But how stupid do you think we are not to see them for what they are? Any number of petty “rights” do not make up for hundreds of major wrongs. And this does not deny the good things Tony did earlier, including PFAW. But he sold out. It is what power and money always do to people, right?
Which is why we need to change the incentive structures and institutions in DC — not bring them into the Obama presidency!! The war for our country’s soul did not end with the election, it never does. It is going on right now, in front of our noses and in full view of the public — and corporate shills like Jennifer are the problem, not the solution. But this election was different, because Obama came into office not on the coattails of corporate America, but on the biggest grass-roots campaign in US history. He does not owe PhRMA or other corporate clients a fucking second of his time, not a single favor, nor a penny of US taxpayers’ money. But that will change, unless every good Democrat speaks up and follows events closely, over the next 60 days. After that, the die will be cast.
The DLC, the Third Way, and the Podesta brothers are not “change we can believe in.” Speaking truth to and about these powerful, corrupt elements in the Democratic Party is the best thing all good Democrats can do to help President-elect Obama achieve the goals his campaign is based on. Publicly protesting any bad choices Obama’s transition team makes (led by John Podesta, like appointing Vilsack as USDA Secretary, for example) will strengthen Obama’s hand by giving him a broader political room in which to operate.
—
P.S. Here is a partial list of Podesta’s clients, your usual tobacco, oil, drug, finance, weapons makers. Recognize anyone you like? (There are many more — though he tends to remove the worst offenders from his public list.)
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:33 am
Jennifer — all that armor makes your butt look really big.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:34 am
EDITORIAL INDEPENDENCE.
What happened to editorial independence? I think we should assume that, but I don’t know that we can anymore. We value Yglesias’s independence as a blogger/online magazine journalist. Thank you CAP Action Fund for your unneccessary, ill-advised intervention here in that independence.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:35 am
Who is Jennifer Palmieri and what has she done to Matt Yglesias?
She ate my brain. Now my thoughts feel vague and soggy, like hyper-timid incrementalized bullshit.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:35 am
Reader since THE BEGINNING, only occasional commenter. I do respect the difficulty Matt finds himself in here. I’m hoping he just leaves this post out to dry all day long. If he does that, don’t care if he ever explicitly discusses it.
Every time I load this post it’s like Ms. Palmieri takes aim and has another shot at her foot.
F5 F5 F5 F5 F5 F5
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:38 am
I can’t imagine that this reaction would have occurred if Yglesias had simply posted something like, “I was reminded of all of the work that Third Way does with CAP, and I’d like to remind folks of the good things about that organization, while still holding to my critique of their policy agenda.”
His criticism was valid! If “progressive” organizations can’t be held accountable, then I sense a whole bucket of hypocrisy.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:40 am
Make it 405 comments. It would have never once crossed my mind that Matt’s comments ‘reflected’ the officially approved views of CAP, until Ms. Palmieri made it obvious to all that apparently they do.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:42 am
@ #406: “I’m not certain but it seems as if some comments are being disappeared.”
No, I’m pretty sure they’re not. I’ve been following this off and on since comments were around 250ish, and they aren’t. We don’t need rumors being tossed on top of what’s already bad enough.
Also, it seems morning has come and traffic’s picked up here.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:44 am
Sorry..just woke up and whilst catching up on Matt’s latest thoughts was horrified to hear that he has contracted HTIB from having a three way with Jennifer and Who else? Please clarify…so groggy
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:48 am
I hope Ms. Palmieri provides some value for CAP other than in PR.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:49 am
For the benefit of those who didn’t see the original MY post, and also to reinforce the pointlessness of Ms. Palmieri’s statement, here’s the original item:
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:50 am
Well, suddenly “Matt” made three posts in like 5 minutes. Pretty sure Jennifer took over the blog and is trying to bury this post while looking like nothing is out of the ordinary.
Sad. Not sure I should ever trust CAP again.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:54 am
It would’ve been helpful if Palmieri had posted a list of people/organizations/topics Matt isn’t freely permitted to criticize, so that he (and his readers) are aware of the length of his leash and the precise level of orthodoxy CAP requires of it’s writers.
Seriously, this is pathetic. If you so desperately need to appease Third Way post a note on the front page or, if they really had you cowering, have Yglesias post it himself and give him a chance to reply in the same space. It’s hard to imagine how Palmieri could’ve handled this worse.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:54 am
Well, Matt, I look forward to reading you at your new home. Wherever that is. It seems clear that CAP has blown it’s ability to host credible opinion blogs. Sad.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:01 am
MS. Palmieri..YOUR post was out of line. Tis is Matt’s blog (yes, it’s on your site), but it is HIS BLOG. Your comments should have been included in the comments on the post OR as an editorial note. Not as a separate post. Like many readers is have strongly disagreed with some of the things written by Matt but again, YOU were out of line.
The Center for American Progress is NOT the National Review (I hope?). Will you be supplying your contributors and readers with a list of “approved” organizations?
Matt’s comments were not libelous or malicious so why was your post necessary?
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:01 am
Note to self: Jennifer Palmieri, Center for American Progress Action Fund, and Third Way are dangerous and should be avoided.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:07 am
Hahahaha, JP - you’re a joke.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:09 am
WTF? Your clients & donors are afraid that this blog is somehow an indirect conduit for your opinions?
You think this is like Washington, where everyone is acting as a plausibly deniable voice for someone behind the scenes?
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:18 am
Wow. I hope Matt feels the need to blog elsewhere. This is a creepy display of patronizing editorial BS, and I can’t imagine that Palmieri thinks that anybody, including Third Way, would respond positively to this crap.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:18 am
Jennifer -
Corporate America has recognized customs that are used when one fires an employee that is known in the public sphere. A nice severance package and a statement that the employee wants to spend more time with his family, for starters. You don’t want public disgruntlement from the departed employee and you especially don’t want to cause embarrassment to the company. If the company is doing things you don’t want the public to know about, it is even more to the company’s advantage to keep things quiet and civil. The last thing you want to do is publicly rebuke the employee as pressure for him to quit.
You have failed in all these matters, and now you have a firestorm drawing much outside attention to the company. I expect your bosses will notice.
Good luck spending time with _your_ family.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:19 am
Bad idea. The comments section of the original post would have been appropriate and respectful.
Also, good grief, what a dumb move! The idea that someone with Palmieri’s skills would handle anything above the local soccer team’s PR boggles the mind.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:22 am
Third way are not “key leaders in the progressive movement”. They are in fact a dangerous in so far as they attempt to grant credibility to a discredited Washington establishment.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:23 am
You know who decides what leaders in the progressive movement are key? The movement. You know who doesn’t? Acting CEO’s.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:24 am
Jennifer Palmieri: You decided to have the wrong “tough” conversation. The tough conversation you should have had is with the people or person at Third Way who asked that you do something to separate yourself from this Matt Yglesias and his damn opinions. You should have told that person who Matt is, why he was hired and what he does at your site, rather than telling us about Third Way is and how supportive your Center is of their work. Your protected the wrong guy, put the wrong people on notice, undercut your own blogger, and–alas–now you are getting what you deserve.
One more thing: in the real world of the Web, as against the back-scratching fantasyland that you feel you can extend to the Web, the right way to handle this is for someone with a voice at ThirdWay to write a letter to Matt, objecting to his post. He’d run it, and there would be a debate. Instead you chose the cozy Washington way, and projected it onto the Web. Please learn from that.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:28 am
What is also very interesting is Matt’s silence regarding that post. I think he’s pissed off about it, as he should be. This post was strange and awful. Matt, I hope they’re paying you a lot. I hope you’re raising hell about this.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:28 am
I think this is officially now a “shitstorm.” Now, I don’t know much of anything about the P.R. business, but I figure it probably involves trying to avoid shitstorms rather than causing them.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:31 am
Jay Rosen @ 443:
That’s actually a helpful post. Of course, only freaks–or epic procrastinators–will get that far. But still! I hope Ms. P learns ..
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:32 am
A pretty bizarre post, and a bad PR move. Matt’s post on Third Way was mild and forgettable. This has given it increased prominence. And not in a good way.
This is not a way to win hearts and minds.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:35 am
317. Read that and you’re all set.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:35 am
Congratulations, Jennifer. It would normally take an organization months or even years to earn as much ill will as you have managed to engender for CAP in just a few minutes’ work! Impressive efficiency.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:36 am
Thanks, Jennifer, for the healthy dose of corporate creepiness that only a Washington Villager could love. Makes me appreciate not being part of it.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:40 am
I have been reading MY since the old days, rarely comment, but this is just hilarious. This was by all means a relatively innocous post, but as it clearly touched the nerve of an oversentsitive ally, MY went “over the line”. I don’t usually care about this kind of stuff, but this was a misjudgement on CAP’s part. They can restore a lot of credibility by addressing, admitting fault and moving on. I think that everyone understands that we are all still figuring out “the NEW MEDIA” environment. good luck!
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:44 am
Latecomer to the pile-on. I also vote “bullshit” to this post.
And I’m now even more suspicious of Third Way than I was just from Matt’s post. And CAP isn’t looking too good now, either. Congratulations, Palmieri!
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:45 am
Way to spoil the Festival of Lights, Palmieri.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:46 am
Who whined from Third Way? Name, please. Matt Bennett?
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:46 am
After reading more about JP and seeing that despite her obvious lack of tech and social skills, she has clout in the establishment and is angling for more, let me give voice to something I’ve been thinking of as a dandy public works project:
Move the capital of the United States to Kansas City!
(Both Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri)
Give what is now DC to Maryland. (Virginia already got their part.)
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:51 am
Allow me to add my voice to the clamor of disapproval. If you had an editorial concern, you should have addressed it with Matt. Will we now have to read posts like this any time Matt says something with which CAP disagrees?
High-handed, unnecessary and, yes –creepy. Matt’s readers deserve an explanation. I assume Matt will take care of getting his own.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:53 am
yeah, this is pretty creepy alright. classic example of an off-hand comment that would have gotten no attention had it been left alone, but will now be seen by hundreds or thousands more simply because of this creepy response. will people never learn? and Matt is totally right about Third Way, they are a silly, timid organization which was already out of touch with the times upon formation. but now, they are, as Michael Palin would say, “Right out.”
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:55 am
Ha!
This is hilarious. Matt insults Third Way in some off the cuff throw away line that no one would ever remember until you turn it into a full fledged blogstorm by posting this. Now it’s made it’s way to Daily Kos and Open Left, and resulted in 400+ comments here.
You took a nothing event and decided to do actual damage to Third Way and CAP by showing that the former is incredibly thin skinned and that the latter is completely incompetent at public relations and willing to high jack a blog to make a horribly thought-out “correction”.
I sincerely hope that you learned something from this.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:57 am
That’s status quo you can believe in!
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:58 am
Wouldn’t flying the blimp over the inaugural ceremonies with a sign flashing “I suck at public relations - Jennifer Palmieri” have been better? If so, that’s the only thing.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:58 am
Congratulations Third Way! Until this post I had never heard of you. Now I know you suck! “Key leaders in the progressive movement?” For the sake of the movement and the country, I hope that isn’t even remotely true!
And shame on you CAP! I read Yglesias’ blog because I trust and value his opinion. Your bringing him onto your staff made me think more highly of you than I had before. Your hijacking his blog to post a ridiculous “apology” doesn’t.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:02 am
This is what happens when you give a press secretary real responsibility–I guess all the grown-ups are busy running the transition.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:05 am
I think we need to know whether Matt knew this post was going to go up, and whether he approved. Matt?
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:13 am
Well, Jennifer, are you partnering on “incrementalist bullshit” or not? Inquiring minds want to know.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:18 am
P.S. A link for you, Jennifer: Hyper-Timid Incrementalist Bullshit
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:20 am
I’m a longtime MY reader. I tend to stay away from making comments or whatever, but this post is far too crippy for me to stay quiet. This is BullShit! “Progressive” censorship at its finest.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:23 am
Longtime TP/MY reader, occasional poster.
Pretty funny stuff. I have to nominate this for the Plaxico Burress Award for Worst, Self-inflicted Wounding in a blog post in 2008.
We may need a Fouth Way - the Third Way is probably broken beyond repair.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:25 am
Here are the members of the Third Way Board of Trustees. Huh.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:30 am
HTIB for the win. I’ll be back if/when MY has a new blogging home without this hyper-timid invasive bullshit.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:31 am
Congratulations Third Way! Until this post I had never heard of you. Now I know you suck! “Key leaders in the progressive movement?” For the sake of the movement and the country, I hope that isn’t even remotely true!
While I had heard of Third Way, I had not really formed an opinion. Now I tend toward Alex’s views.
Brav. O.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:31 am
Check out the honorary Senate/House members….not exactly Murderer’s Row of Progressive heavy hitters…
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:39 am
Hey, Jennifer, did you clear this with Herb Sandler first??
PS Should we hold our breath waiting for articles re how the Democratic Party’s top billionaires are benefitting from the $2 Trillion financial bailout?
PS Were you the one who “convinced” NBC News to delete the Herb and Marion Sandler episode from the online archive of the Saturday Night Live Bailout skit?
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:42 am
If Ms. Palmieri’s goal was to convince the reader that Matt was 100% correct about Third Way, then she succeeded admirably.
Otherwise, a bit ham-handed.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:43 am
Who the fuck are you, lady?
No one cares what you think.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:44 am
Frankly I’d like CAP better IF they supported Matthew Yglesias views on the subject. You pathetic pulling, mewling cowards. Forget about getting money from me.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:44 am
Nice job Ms. Palmieri!
Now we all know that the “3rd Way” is indeed a hyper timid Villager organization. Have a nice FUKC YOU day!
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:46 am
Just here to add to the comment count… of course this makes CAP look bad, Third Way look worse, and Matt obligated to let us know just what kind of editorial restrictions he is operating under and how they affect what are presented on this blog as his opinions.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:46 am
Re Captain America’s comment “Who the fuck are you, lady?
No one cares what you think.”
——————–
Is that you , Matthew?
heh heh
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:47 am
PS to Matthew: Sock puppets are best done from a public Internet terminal at the library.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:47 am
Dear Ms. Palmieri,
Thank you for stepping up and correcting the record re: what we all ought to think about Third Way.
In these disorienting times, it’s nice to know that there are institutional leaders like you, busy as you are with your own organizational agenda and the general scramble for career advancement, who can bring that hard-earned perspective to cut through the messy tangle of argument and evidence. It is bracing to hear you simply assert, after citing your own job titles, which opinions would be most convenient for us all to believe and repeat.
Truly, you have mastered the sources of credibility and the arts of persuasion in the internet era. Best wishes filling some big shoes at the Pentagon!
Best regards,
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:51 am
Like others, I read TP more than I comment. I don’t like the juvenile name-calling I find every time I look at the comments. This is the only thread I’ve seen here that contains actual, thoughtful, germane comments.
I only know Yglesias from this blog. I almost never read his posts. He just doesn’t move me. What’s his claim to fame, why does he have this blog to begin with? Does he have a signature critique? What’s unique about him? Why should I even care what he writes?
Yglesias’s writing doesn’t impress me. Hell, it barely even interests me. I read TP for events, not analysis. JP’s unforgivable intrusion has destroyed what little interest I had.
I might continue to check TP for events, but I won’t be reading Yglesias: he’s damaged goods now.
Did he really support invading Iraq and all that I’ve read here?
I came here from Glenn Greenwald’s blog. I agree: creepy is the word for Palmieri’s intrusion. But this is how our top-down society works: TW complains that someone called them a name; JP bows and scrapes and agrees publicly to whip MY for speaking his mind.
Looks more like feudalism than democracy. MY can say what he wants, as long as he wants to say what JP wants him to say.
And in general, we all have the freedom to do exactly what we’re expected to do. We’re at liberty to do exactly what we’re told to do. We can think what we want, say what we want, as long as we’re mindful of the invisible fences, right?
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:52 am
De-lurking for a minute to say:
1) Yes, “creepy” is the right word.
2) This post is high on my list of examples of “poorest judgment exercised by a PR person ever.”
3) Ewwwwwwww.
4) My opinion of the Third Way, which had been pretty neutral, is now (and probably permanently) very very very negative.
5) Ms. Palmieri needs to apologize, unreservedly, to Matt Yglesias, to the readers of the blog, and to the progressive community in general, and moreover needs to promise never to do anything this stupid again.
That is all. Please carry on, Matt Yglesias. It would be good if you could stop the CAP people from butting into your blog in future.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:53 am
Kinda reminds a person of what happened to Al Giordano and The Field. I always wondered what control corporate has over blogs like Matt’s, and Kdrum, and Steve Benen. At least we now know how it works around this shop (Big Sister really is watching you), but you have to wonder about the others, too…
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:54 am
Jennifer - the correct way to respond is to post something to your own blog and ask Matt to kindly link to it as a response. Posting a response on Matt’s blog is very incorrect.
Also, were you somehow under the impression that any of Matt’s readers felt he was dictating official CAP policy? If so, you’re not very bright.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:54 am
PPS COrrection. I was wrong. Sock puppets are best done from the terminal of a co-worker you dislike.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:56 am
Jennifer Palmieri proper internet protocol would have you link to the post in question so I do not have to look it up.
I have been reading Mr. Yglesias work since his Mattyglasias.com days. I know and trust Mr.Yglesias even if we disagree on occasion. However, I have no idea who you are. Most of Mr.Yglesias’s readers have probably never heard of you either. This means you have no credibility with his readers. So in the future, if you feel the need to publicly rebuke Mr. Yglesias, please link to the post in question.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 am
keep doing what you do, matt.
this is a good laugh today, and possibly your first 500-comment thread, but tomorrow it will all be water under the bridge.
i’d say the third way people look even stupider than before, but other than that, nothing has changed.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 am
Oh, by the way. From now on, anytime I read any post on any CAP blog, I’ll be wondering, “Hmm, I wonder whether this person is saying what he actually thinks or is toeing a line?” Because what you’re clearly after here is line-toeing. Announcing it like this serves only to humiliate and discredit your bloggers, and I promise you the good folks at Third Way couldn’t care less about your post.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:59 am
I have no idea who or what third way is but some of the comments indicate they helped with Hillary Clintons well run campaign. One can see why Hillary was such a success if that is true.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:00 am
Is Third Way always this bush league?
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:01 am
It’s amazing the damage one stupid, ham-handed post can do.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:03 am
I am a longtime reader of Matt, following him on at least three different iterations of his blog at this point. This post was incredibly stupid and counterproductive. Why would you deign to swoop in and make an editorial disclaimer concerning this ONE particular post of Matt’s? And on his own blog rather than elsewhere at TP? By doing so, you have undermined his credibility and simultaneously implicitly suggested that every other post he has written on your website is one with which you agree. This action by you also (obviously) generated its own internets backlash on the Third Way organization you were apparently trying to protect, so this hamfisted ***-covering was doubly stupid.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:06 am
Agree with Jay Rosen (#443). This attempt at strong-arming reflects weak leadership. Too Bad- hopefully this is just an aberration.
Admitting weakness: that is, admitting that this was handled poorly will show strong leadership.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:10 am
Matt would be well advised to consider finding a new home for his blogging, a home that doesn’t come with possible third-party conflicts. I hear there are tools like Blogger and Word Press that allow one to create his/her own blog. That’s pretty cutting-edge stuff, though.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:11 am
Wow . . . gutless wonder, much? Did Third Way threaten to send a Sternly Worded Letter™?
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:14 am
My opinion of Third Way is now much, much lower than it was before I read this post.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:15 am
LOL! I think this is gonna break 500 comments!
Too bad Yglesias isn’t writing at this blog any more.
Well done blowing chunks, Jennifer Palmieri, CEO of Center for American Progress!!
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:16 am
Creeeeeeeeeeeepy!
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:19 am
Matt:
Union time. Contact me. It’s clear you and your colleagues need collective power to ward off such unnecessary intrusions.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:19 am
Tht Third Way reminds me of a dog I had once. Called him “Ol’ Blue.” Damn, I hated that dog. Kicked him every chance I got. Damn you, Ol’ Blue Dog, Damn you.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:20 am
#500!!! Do I get a prize?
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:20 am
Dear Sirs,
Why oh why must we be subjected to such authoritarian bullying? Reading this post, I felt as if I had been kicked in the stomach by a jack-booted skinhead. Please cancel my subscription to this blog and return my money as soon as possible.
Yours,
Outraged in Tunbridge Welles.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:21 am
Re Jimm’s comment “True, and I question whether most of these commenters are regular readers, because this is more indicative of the comment sections of some other blogs that come to mind.”
——————
Strange. Any google will show that I have posted frequently on Yglesias’s blog for the past two years. And I don’t recall any fucker named “Jimm” being all that involved in the discussions.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:21 am
I hope I’m #500…that would be such a great X-mas story…This was great Jennifer…keep up the good work-product!
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:26 am
Let’s show some sympathy for Ms. Palmieri, who obviously lost a bet, the consequences of which required her to publicly humiliate herself on Matt’s blog.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:31 am
#500!!! Do I get a prize?
You’ve won a Third Way ‘Yes.We.Can.Incrementally’ commemorative plate.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:31 am
This is Jennifer Palmieri, acting CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.
Why acting? Is there some sort of shakeup going on at the upper echelons of the CAP Action Fund? What kind of political games are we dealing with here? And what the fuck is the CAP Action Fund, anyway?
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:31 am
I hope comment 443 gets to JP and MY can address this with an update.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:32 am
Evan Bayh can go tonguejack my shitbox.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:33 am
Big Brother, meet Big Sister!!
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:36 am
long-time reader, first time commenter
Unsubscribed. Let me know when an independent thinker regains control of this blog.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:37 am
Jennifer Palmieri - key leader in the progressive movement or hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit artist?
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:38 am
I would think some sort of acknowledgment of this whole kerfluffle by the ostensible blog “owner” would be appropriate by now- even just to smooth over what may be a poorly-handled non-controversy -and yet Mr. Y has continued to post as if nothing’s happened.
To acknowledge it and suggest “no big whoop” or perhaps “I’m mad as hell…” would seem to make sense, but to simply act as if it simply hasn’t occurred is a wholly unsatisfying … dare I say it? … “third way.”
Strikes one as … “hyper-timid”…
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:38 am
Gee. A half-dozen cool snarks. THANK YOU. 500 comments on a what ??? Oh, some troll tried to get something HIDE’d…. Have double-scotch and chill.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:39 am
I always knew Third Way was a gutless, principles-compromising organization. Do I need to consider CAP to be no different?
Palmieri, this was a blunder of epic proportions. Just like Edwards firing, er, accepting the resignations of Melissa McEwan and Amanda Marcotte because “The Catholic League” objected to them being hired as bloggers. And I’d bet money you were part of that decision too.
Kowtowing to power is not Progressive. Just remember that.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:40 am
Since there’ve been like six posts by Matt since this creepo intrusion took place I’m going to assume he’s not going to say anything addressing this. In the absence of a response I say CLAMOR CLAMOR CLAMOR!
All kidding aside, this was dumb.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 am
Jennifer Palmieri — a Clinton White House veteran who is now acting chief executive officer of the Center for American Progress Action Fund and senior vice president for communications at American Progress — is being considered for assistant secretary of defense for public affairs. This is different than the job how held by Geoff Morrell, who briefs journalists as Pentagon press secretary. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, who is remaining from the Bush administration, has said Morrell will stay in that role.
Oh, goody. Another Clintonite DLC triangulating asshole seeking a return to insider status. Wonderful.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:44 am
This is a working link to the Third Way Board of Trustees.
Highlights:
Dwight Anderson is a principal and portfolio manager of Ospraie Management, LLC, a $8 billion investment firm …
Ms. Dater is Chief Investment Officer of AG Asset Management…
Mr. Delman is with DGZ Capital.
Mr. Dyson is Chairman of Millbrook Capital Management, Inc., a private investment firm.
Robert “Rob” R. Dyson … is Chairman and CEO of the Dyson-Kissner-Moran Corp., a privately owned, diversified investment holding company.
Mr. Flom is widely recognized as one of the leading attorneys practicing in the merger and acquisition arena.
Michael B. Goldberg … spent two years as a Managing Director and co-head of the mergers and acquisitions department at The First Boston Corporation
David Heller lives in New York City and is the Co-Head of the Goldman Sachs Global Securities Division.
Mr. Joseph has directed investments in industries ranging from automotive components and specialty chemicals to healthcare and media.
Derek Kirkland is a Managing Director and Co-head of the Global Financial Institutions Group at Morgan Stanley’s Financial Institutions Group in Investment Banking.
Thurgood Marshall, Jr., is a partner at Bingham McCutchen LLP, and a principal of Bingham Consulting Group. Mr. Marshall counsels and devises strategies for advancing clients’ interests before Congress, the executive branch and independent regulatory agencies
Michael E. Novogratz has been President and Director of Fortress Investment Group LLC …
Dr. Howard Rossman .. is responsible for all aspects of fund management, including manager due diligence, strategy analysis and asset allocation.
Bernard L. Schwartz is chairman and CEO of BLS Investments, LLC.
Ms. Vogelstein … has over 24 years of experience in venture capital and specialized equity investing.
FWIW.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
I just have to throw my two cents in that this post was creepy, inappropriate, and disappointing.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:52 am
So CAP and Third Way finally come out of the closet and admit that they are corporate prostitutes.
That is progress of a sort.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:52 am
# KCinDC Says:
December 21st, 2008 at 10:52 pm
Well, we have learned that Third Way is apparently thin-skinned enough to demand that CAPAF commandeer the blog and post a ham-handed disclaimer late on a Sunday night.
AND has the power to make the Acting CEO on a weekend hop to it and do this.
Ms. Palmieri, if you had to do this, you should have done it as an editor’s note or something on the magazine separately, not here, or you should have put it in a comment. Asserting ownership of the blog by taking it over like that kind of goes against the whole purpose of hiring a blogger.
I just want to tell you, I was going to contribute to CAP, but now I think I’ll refrain. I think my money might be better used by the United Christmas Fund.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:56 am
This just shows that Matt’s original comments about Third Way were on target.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Me thinks Ms. Palmieri should have just left this alone.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:13 pm
What in the world? Since when does the CEO take over a blog to disavoiw its previous position?
Certainly it’s in the realm of things you can do, but I would point out that it’s WAY outside the realm of things you ought to do.
Ms. Palmieri, I was an admirer of your organization. No more. Any organization that is going to disavow its bloggers not in an accepted form (separate press release, editorial note, press conference, purchase of airtime on major network, etc) but by commandeering HIS OWN PAGE is not one that I’m willing to contribute money or time toward.
This is, in my opinion, disgusting. Mr Yglesias, my best to you as always.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:17 pm
This is wrong on so many levels. Ms. Palmieri you owe Matt a public apology. What does it accomplish to undermine one of your best bloggers like this? How does it help CAP or Third Way?
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Ms. Palmieri, I didn’t come here to read YOU. If you want to say something, go start your own damn blog page.
I’m now convinced that Third Way is a bunch of overreactionary psychos for putting you up to this and that CAP is antidemocratic milquetoasts of the Reid variety.
Great damage control there. Learn your netiquette or stay off the damn InterTubes.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Wow. I’d never even heard of Third Way. Now I suspect them of being bad people. Brook no dissent, eh?
But that’s OK, I’m sure when put up for a popular vote their civil rights will be safe. I know I will be voting not to strip them away!
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Boy, that was a disgusting and disturbing thing to do, Ms. Palmieri. I look forward to following Matt’s writing to the next place that hosts his blog, because this is way too creepy.
I’m a regular reader on Matt’s blog and I comment not infrequently.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Jennifer, you’re a disgrace.
I hope Matt will look for another platform. He and his readers deserve better.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Don’t ever do this again, Ms. Palmieri. You make the Third Way look far worse than Matt’s little critique did.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Matt, time to leave this place, if you ask me.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:36 pm
To maintain his credibility, the only response Matt has open to him is to resign immediately.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Picker of nits picks again. So much for “progressive” thinking.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Wonder if this was push back from Thrid Way or pre-emptive defense from CAP. Either way it’s intrusive and unnecessary.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:43 pm
OP HERE HAHAHAHA DISREGARD THAT I SUCK COCKS
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Thanks for the clarification, Kommisar Palmieri
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:46 pm
Jennifer Palmieri is a valued employee.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:47 pm
What crock. Utterly shameless for a self-confessed “progressive” group
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I can’t believe that you removed the original blog posting.
Maybe you should rethink being involved in politics, I think most of us prefer knowing what’s actually going on to your style of handling things.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Josh Marshall now has a front page post on this issue, and Atrios is pushing it hard too. My guess is “nominal allies” of Matt would not do so without his blessing.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:52 pm
In the spirit of this ridiculous post, I’m going to see your insane sillyness, Ms Palmieri, and call you a Fascist.
Get a Grip.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Kevin Kelly - The original post is still up.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Wow. It is time for you to go it alone again, Matt. Ms. Palmieri? That is a truly creepy post. I have always been a huge admirer of CAP but you have undermined your credibility. You owe Matt an apology.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:58 pm
This post doesn’t actually creep me out, at least the way I thought it would. It’s just very Dunder Mifflin.
But I think that’s a problem too, right?
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Didn’t Mussolini describe fascism as the “third way” between socialism and capitalism?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
What a post. It’s an insult to TP readers, to Matt, and to Ms. Palmieri’s reputation. Matt’s post didn’t make me lose that much respect for third way, but this idiotic bungling bit of interference makes me lose respect for everyone involved.
Jeebus what a stupid bit of bullying idiocy. Outrageous.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Do we lose respect for Matt if he doesn’t abandon this creepy ship?
On the other hand, I find the US of A quite creepy (my taxes paying for torture, for instance), but have not left. But then again, I have no self respect.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
fuck that
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Dear Ms. Palmieri,
I tend to agree with Matt’s assessment of your weak incrementalist bullshit tea. FWIW, you should just not fuck with his blog. Your post is whiny, bitchy, and intrusive all at once. Heads up, it appears that is all the Third Way stands for at this point.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Christian at 541 - I can think of at least two very good reasons for push back by bloggers about this that have nothing to do with MY’s blessing:
1) This is a violation of blogger’s independence. I think every blogger would find this annoying and want to push back against it.
2) Clintonian triangulation in the face of right wing extremism is what launched the netroots. There’s quite a bit of resentment, maybe even more now that we have actually policy proposals to fight over.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Does Matt have any balls left? I don’t think so.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Really, Ms. Palmieri? Which part of this fiasco highlights your qualifications as a senior vice president of communications?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:07 pm
If there is any justice in the world, this will be the last prominent position Ms. Palmieri ever holds, and it will come to an end before 2008 does. This post is a mistake of enormous, epic proportions. What a disgusting tool. Shameful.
If I were Matt I’d be calling The Atlantic and asking for my old gig back.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Really bad form.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Just wanted to add to the number of disapproving readers. This was handled very poorly. Since Matt is the 9th most powerful person in Washington, Jennifer Palmieri must be pretty close to the top. This does not bode well.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:10 pm
How many ways are there to say, “Go to hell, Jennifer!”?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Does this remind anyone of the the letters section in The Nation, in days of yore … ??? Those were the days, my friend, indeed! Alexander Coburn was my favorite provocateur. (It may still be like that in The Nation, but I wouldn’t know having graduated to The Intertubes.)
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:15 pm
This is terrible. The post in question starts with the disclaimer that the author does not speak for the organization.
Do lay it off.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Funny how a post defending Third Way when done in this context does more harm to Third Way than anything Matt could have written. I take it Palmeiri isn’t a chess player.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Dude, what a bunch of gangsters those third wayers are. Hyper-incrementalist my ass. There was nothing incremental about thre move here. Those mofos are like the mafia.
In a real note: I used to work in capital hill for a terribly centrist Dem and third way would call all the time to get our messaging right. Ggggangsta.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:19 pm
This is horrible. Either let Yglesias blog, or don’t. Get out of the way.
And, by the way, I’m done supporting Think Progress. Sorry Matt. This is obscene.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Do I think Third Way serves up hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit? It seems that Third Way is presenting hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit. In fact, some of the finest hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit is provided by Third Way. I think MY was right to call Third Way’s policy proposals “hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit.” The common view that hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit is best presented by Third Way is correct. Hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit seems to be what Third way focuses on. Third Way’s hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit is what will make them famous. Especially when MY calls attention to Third Way’s hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:19 pm
This post unnecessary, and I think a poor use of editorial control. Matt had a disclaimer right at the beginning of the post, and as far as I’m concerned nothing further should have been required.
I do hope this will not become a habit.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:21 pm
@557
Absolutely. But if Yglesias had only 1/100th the balls of cockburn. I can only imagine Katrina trying to undermine Alexander only to here his response. The good ole days.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
total nonsense. what’s the over/under on matt’s departure within the week?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I just saw a picture of Jennifer Palmieri on Google Image Search. Let me tell you, I wouldn’t even have sex with her with Bea Arthur’s dick.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:27 pm
I must agree with Josh Marshall. It was a mistake for this message to be posted here. I think a front-page acknowledgement and an apology to Mr. Yglesias is in order.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Can you say corporate front masquerading as “progressive”? Check out the funding of Third Way:
And, thanks to a link posted above we now also know that:
“Democrats connected to Third Way were integral in defeating a bill, supported by a majority of Senate Democrats, which might have prevented the telecoms from getting immunity.” That would be telecoms that, “…allegedly gave spy agencies access to their communication networks and databases without a warrant.”
Now *that* doesn’t sound very progressive. If anything the original blog was too kind to Third Way. These people sound solidly right wing if anything.
Thanks to Palmieri I’ve learned quite a bit about who the the Center for American Progress Action Fund pals around with today. I guess that’s what happens when Third Way/CAP get together to treat a progressive blog like it’s a right-wing radio station. The authoritarian attempt to co-opt definitions and the entire conversation doesn’t work so well when people can actually talk back does it?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:30 pm
This sounds like a good companion to “The Wrecking Crew - How Conservatives Rule”
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:30 pm
@ 564
So true. Still, it gives us a yardstick for comparison — on which Matt Iglesias stands at perhaps 4 or 5 inches, to go by his tepid follow-up post.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:31 pm
This is a violation of Matt’s blog, and shows extremely
poor judgment on the part of Jennifer Palmieri. She ought
to be censured for this.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Ohhh, now Third Way doesn’t like hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit? If they don’t like it called that, they shouldn’t put it out there.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:34 pm
BillyBob wrote:
Assuming you’re not a right-wing troll, BillyBob, what on earth do you imagine this crude observation makes to the discussion about the propriety of Ms. Palmieri’s intrusion on Matt’s blog?
Where do you think you are, michaelsavage.com?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Looks like I offended a Golden Girls fan. My apologies. But the fact remains that Jennifer Palmieri is damned ugly. She should really shave her butt and teach herself to walk backwards. The world would be better off.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
If, in the future, we see no more guest posts like this, will that mean that Matt has had his posts pre-approved?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Jennifer, you just violated the editorial integrity of this blog and undermined the credibility of Third Way, CAP, Matt, and yourself in the process.
Well done!
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Matt.. When are you going to respond to this? Have you already and I missed it?
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Time to blow this taco stand, I think.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:51 pm
Ms. Palmieri,
Thanks for alerting me to the essence of Third Way. It’s helpful to know which elements of the progressive spectrum deserve no further attention or support.
As for your own credibility, short of an acknowledgment of how egregious your post was, it is irreversibly damaged.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:52 pm
I came here from Glenn Greenwald’s post at Salon, and he is right. This is just creepy and disgusting.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Based on this, I’ve come to the conclusion that I need the Third Way like I need a third nut.
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:54 pm
From Rob:
Agreed
December 22nd, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Wow, can you say trashing CAP’s credibility???
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:01 pm
Dear Ms. Palmieri:
This is not your blog. It is Matt’s blog. You shouldn’t be posting on it. That diminishes your credibility and his. If you want to post things, you can always start a blog of your own.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:03 pm
zomg, so dumb. what a lame thing to do.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:07 pm
This is the kind of shit that the Bush administration has been pulling for 8 god damn years and look at where it has left the country. You keep doing that shit and CAP will be going down the toilet as well.
Shame on you, Jennifer Palmieri.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Third Way-like / DLC policies have not been good since 1992. As we are at the edge of a complete economic distress — yes timid is good. No! Real policies for universal Healthcare, childcare, and college will lift the economy and our standard of living — not just the stale word of “reform” and no funding.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:11 pm
Sorry. It seems to me that there are several hundred people taking this waaaay too seriously. It’s a blog. That’s all. It’s a petty bureaucratic difference between 2 people no one has ever heard of. That’s it.
Most of these posts sound like the come from the crazy ideologues of the far right. Same attitude. same lack of perspective.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
In a just universe the first link on a google search of “Third Way” would point here, and a search of “hyper-timid” or “incrementialist bullshit” would point directly to the Third Way page.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Matt, come back to The Atlantic. Seriously, man. They don’t bleed like these people bleed, but your calling is not to be a mouthpiece.
And Jennifer, what horrible karma in doing this. You have no right. But it on your own blog.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Sadly, or amusingly, or both, hard to distinguish from what you’d read in the Free Republic comments, if a similar situation had occurred (in which case many of the same folks would be ridiculing freepers for being over the top drama queens, and so it goes, round and round, rinse and repeat).
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Where is the original “bad” Third Way article? Has it been deleted?
I don’t like this new/old fake liberal mafia business.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Just unsubscribed from this blog as well as Think Progress. Too bad, I really enjoyed some of the content CAP was putting together.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
I actually fail to see any connection with Glenn’s actual subject (Cheney implying that Demos supported the detention/torture program) and this far more minor and really unrelated situation. Not one of his brighter moments, but I realize he was just looking for some reason to lend his “support”, even if he had to be completely ridiculous to do it.
If anything, that should be an item for thought, because Glenn pretty much perverted his own blog posting just to come to the social aid of a blog fellow, in the process greatly diminishing the importance of what he was trying to say in the main subject, which should have been of the utmost more gravity in terms of real-world importance, and certainly not painted as a related situation to Palmiere’s editorial disclaimer of Matt’s post about Third Way, which is pretty trivial in the larger scheme of things.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
No.
How is it called, “simple answers to simple questions”?
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:34 pm
This was a huge mistake. All the progressive blogs have linked to this post; Greenwald at Salon has also linked to it. CAP just lost a ton of legitimacy and respect.
It’s also completely unnecessary. Everyone knows that op-ed writers/bloggers NEVER represent the publication they’re writing in, as Ms. Palmieri even acknowledged. It’s like seeing the NY Times disclaiming Bill Kristol’s views in Kristol’s column space. If Ms. Palmieri disagreed with the blog post, she could have responded in her own blog, not taken over MY’s.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:35 pm
I, too, have never heard of “Third Way,” and will now associate them with crybabies and timid incrementalists. Badly played, CAP, badly played.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:35 pm
If you have an editorial comment to make, you should make it elsewhere. Pushing a slap-down article into Matt’s feed is editorial misconduct.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Another excellent point.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:37 pm
Stupid, stupid, stupid thing to do. If Ms. Palmieri’s intent was to hurt Matt Yglesias’ credibility and appease Third Way, she’s done well. She’s also fucked up the notion that Think Progress is willing to let people think for themselves. What a stupid, stupid, stupid thing to do. Congratulations, Jennifer, you’ve fucked yourself up, good.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:38 pm
This CEO needs to apologize to Matt and his readers for completely mishandling this. She may want to apologize to CAP and Third Way while she’s at it.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Die Yuppy Scumbitch!
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Agree with many of the above comments — like #24 “While I’ve lost some respect for CAP from this post, I’ve lost a lot of respect for Third Way. If they were actually doing something worthwhile, they wouldn’t put so much effort into policing the blog world for moderately critical content about their work. Show us your “third way” through germane policy proposals and not through controlling debate.”
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:46 pm
wow, fuck you Jennifer Palmieri.
gee, this makes me think third way crap was even worse than I’d imagined.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Third Way looks so much worse now because of this, and it’s not like the outcome was unpredictable.
Swear to God, the second Republicans stop being insane nihilists, I’m jumping ship. This party’s a friggin’ mess.
December 22nd, 2008 at 2:59 pm
I love that title: A Special Note. Why not go all the way and call it: A Very Special Holiday Note from All of Us Here At CapIntern
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:04 pm
Disgusting, appalling - what pretty much everyone else has said.
Look, Fieldmarshalls of Progressivism, if your quondam myrmidons had wanted to be Borgs, they would have signed on to the Movement Conservatism. Take your self-importance and go stand in the corner.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Wow. I read this blog daily. And that’s pathetic. I knew next to nothing about Third Way previously, but now I have a picture of whiners and bullies. Nice job, Ms. Palmieri!
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:10 pm
wow. This post is an embarrassment and completely shameful. I come here to read Matt’s unfiltered opinions, not to read Matt’s commentary as a mouthpiece for an organization. And yes, while I’m sure you have no intention of actively filtering his posts, by publicly scolding him, you have created the perfect environment for self-censorship. Well done.
This is the kind of crap we expect from the right, and it has no place in our house.
Shameful, and pathetic.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:10 pm
It’s all been said already, but yeah, way to go, Jennifer Palmieri - that’s good fail right there. Good fail, indeed.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:12 pm
I’m a big fan of Matt Yglesias. But you can bet I’m not going to contribute to a group as heavy handed (and flat out creepily Soviet) as CAP (not that they need my few dollars). I’m afraid that you shouldn’t have left The Atlantic, Matt!
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Streisand!
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Hilarious how “Jimm” has posted a dozen times just to rip the people who are complaining, and to carry water for CAP and Palmieri’s awful decision.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:16 pm
Classic dumb move.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:20 pm
Imagine, Ms Palmieri, that *you* are having a conversation with a friend. The friend is talking to you when, suddenly, a stranger jumps in front of your friend, waves her arms madly, and says that what your friend is saying is wrong.
Even if your friend IS wrong, your first impulse will be to disregard, even disrespect, the intruder.
There are many many better ways to say that MY is wrong. You’ve chosen one which actually kills your message.
The first requirement for real intercourse, of any sort, is manners, Ms Palmieri.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:22 pm
As a public service, I would just like to remind everyone who is thinking about how to stop the bucket-toting brooms before the sorceror returns, that it is not the crime, it is the cover up. It will do no good, it never does, but there you have it.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:29 pm
This was the dumbest “clarification” that I have seen.
Matt’s a great blogger: perhaps he should move to someplace that respects that.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:34 pm
How many ways are there to say, “Go to hell, Jennifer!”?
606 and counting.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Make that 618.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:45 pm
The first requirement for real intercourse, of any sort, is manners, Ms Palmieri.
I am interested in the other requirements for intercourse. And intercourse.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Ms. Palmieri…
1) I’ve been scratching my head all day trying to suss out possible motivations for your post. Whatever they were, the previous 604 comments (along with 30+ links to this post at memorandum) suggest actual results haven’t matched your hopes. In the future, you might consider some sound advice pre-dating even All Internet Traditions: when new to a blog (or forum) lurk before speaking. And when you believe you know what’s going on, lurk for a couple more months. People who don’t heed this advice generally embarass themselves and others, while memorializing such acronyms as HTIB.
2) If you (and CAP-TW-DLC-Transition) take the assorted backlash somewhat seriously (and overlook our chaff), there are constructive lessons you can learn. If nothing else, I hope you would all work toward a better understanding of the liberal blogosphere, which has changed over the course of the past two years. I suspect most of the political flaks have been too occupied by election tasks (i.e. REALLY IMPORTANT STUFF) to immerse themselves hereabouts lately. But tactical mistakes like this one (and more importantly, the handling of the Rick Warren debacle) suggest a fundamental misunderstanding of the growing power of blogs to drive the news, among other things.
3) Personally, I’m far more troubled by the connection you’ve drawn for me between CAP and TW than by other obvious consequences of your blogospheric faux pas. My thinking is more liberal than that of the Third Way/DLC types on most issues, although I’d consider some of their policy positions an improvement over those of the past eight years (and some just a continuation thereof). Last week, my senator, Evan Bayh (former DLC chair), formed a new “Blue Dog” group in the Senate, which set of some minor alarm bells in my head.
As a long-time supporter of PE Obama, I continue to hope that he will be able to influence some real changes in How Washington Works, and will be grateful for each of them. But frankly, the news that CAP (as the policy arm behind much of the transition) is working with TW on Homeland Security, of all things (FISA revisited?), makes me nervous.
Have a nice day!
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:50 pm
Why equate the two? I obviously did criticize particular content as stupid and drama queenish, and I also obviously criticized Jennifer too. Why would someone ignore the one and magnify the other, then conclude that I’m doing the opposite of the ignored?
Sounds like a freeper tactic to me.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:50 pm
awkward…
Wow. If my employer did a CYA move like this, and this publicly, on my blog/top project/account, it would be time to seriously consider firing my employer.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:53 pm
I have nothing new to say, but wanted to make sure my unhappiness and amusement is counted.
I would have totally have missed Matt’s post had Ms. Palmieri not drawn my attention to it. I had never heard of the Third Way or Ms. Palmieri until now. Now I’ll never forget them. And not in a good way.
Well played, madam. Well played.
December 22nd, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Is the count right - 600+ posts on this?
I suspect Matt did this to raise his hit count.
Just kidding. Major reaction here. On thinking about it for a second, I have to agree that this is rather odd. Filtering a comment through Matt would have been considerably more effective, if not much less than the censorship this post implies.
OTOH, disrespecting Matt is a time-honored tactic at most places he’s worked for apparently, which is why he doesn’t work at those places any more.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:02 pm
This is NOT how to control a debate. This is simply airing one’s dirty laundry for all to see.
All I can think of is Palmieri sitting at her desk while being chewed out by the folks at Third Way on the phone. After they hang up on her, she hysterically calls her battered IT team and rages on about how nothing is being done right, and how she has to take care of everything… and then forces them to post her silly disclaimer. What happened to proper protocol?
Did she Palmieri ‘learn the internet’ at the same place Palin and Blagojevich honed their political chops?
Is this how Palmieri wields her ‘Acting CEO’ power? What’s next? This does not bode well for the Center for American Progress Action Fund family.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Thanks to inkadu for listing the Third Way board members, and to Ms. Palmieri for bringing all this to light. I wasn’t aware that Third Way was a Wall Street front organization, but based on the composition of its board, it’s hard to believe otherwise.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:10 pm
This strikes me as such a ham fisted, control freak, paranoid, misguided effort………..what a big mistake. I hope that you realize it and don’t try to jump on to someone else’s blog again (even if they work for you)…….you can write your message elsewhere and ask Matt to direct readers there.
I hope that this doesn’t reflect the overall direction and philosophy of this organization.
you’ve won no fans by doing this.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Looking at the matter pragmatically, this post was a bad idea. Taken in the context of progressive values, this post was an even worse idea.
irony Good Job. /irony
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:19 pm
THIS IS EXCELLENT NEWS!!! FOR Jennifer Palmieri, acting CEO of the Center for American Progress Action Fund!!!!
JenniferPalmieriactingCEOoftheCenterforAmericanProgressActionFund-mentum!!!!
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:30 pm
I think it is clear that the entire progressive blogosphere roundly condemns Jennifer Palmieri’s heavy hand. And rightly so. Let me just add another log to the fire that I didn’t see above.
Did anyone notice that Palmieri didn’t link to the original post? How gutless is that?
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:48 pm
I’m with JimboSlice at poster No. 2. Yglesias is a Harvard-suckup because that’s his background, and the neoliberalism comes in train. Just another MSLBer.
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:50 pm
OK–The hour approaches 5 p.m. in the East– No apology/”clarification” from Palmieri? No response ON HIS OWN BLOG from Yglesias? I am starting to think both CAP and Yglesias are starting to take on some serious water here…
December 22nd, 2008 at 4:56 pm
Likely Yglesias isn’t being allowed to clarify/whatever. Palmieri is also so obviously tone-deaf that she probably doesn’t even understand how wrong this is.
Editor wants to dissent with their bloggers opinion? No problem. Start your own fucking editorial blog! I don’t even agree with Yglesias and find this trespass to be appalling.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:00 pm
lol.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Perhaps retitle this blog “Usually Yglesias”?
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Sweet baby Jeebus! We have a very late entry for FAIL OF THE YEAR by Jennifer Nobody-Cares-WTF-Your-Tite-Is-When-You-Look-Like-Such-An-Obvious-Tool!!
*points and laughs*
my GAWD this is a backfire of staggering proportions. Fail, baby, Fail!
My poor Matt. Dear sweet darling of truth in the inter-ether, leave these loosers to their pit of eternal suck and come back to us at the Atlantic, won’t you?
We miss you bunches.
luv,
BDub
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Like others, this post sickens me.
On the other hand, the flood of responses to this post makes me proud.
Cheers,
-UU
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:47 pm
I understand Palmieri’s panic — you try to build ties with other groups and then someone vents. But bloggers are bloggers, and the form relies on being quick and unfiltered. Matt’s wrong half the time anyway — that’s what we like about him.
Next time just put out a statement on yer website, and I’m sure Matt will link to it. Bloggers love that stuff.
December 22nd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
One more disgusted reader here. I knew of CAP because of its alumni being Obama advisors and had a vague notion of it being a solid, progressive organization. This does not make CAP look good – a CEO stepping into a very well-known blogger’s turf and undermining him in defense of an organization that’s stuck in the ‘90s and has no reason to exist other than to try and hold-back actual progressives. I hope Yglesias considers moving on. I will definitely look at CAP more skeptically after this.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Isn’t it downright amazing how tone-deaf and heavy-handed certain PR “professionals” can be? Perhaps out in the “real,” i.e., offline, world CAP is well-received and deserving of respect. Possibly there’s even a cadre of progressives that have convinced themselves that CAP is a true progressive innovator that will lead us into a fresh new vision of a better America, and that the best way to achieve that ambition is to “partner” with other groups such as the well-meaning but ineffectual Third Way. (BTW, who came up with that name? It conjures up mental images of a nineties-era pseudo-evangelical Newage cult. But I digress…) There may even be a goodly number who consider CAP to be a very credible organization.
But all that is out in the “real” world. Here, online, credibility is earned with a different coin, one that CAP seems to have in ever-decreasing supply. Here, honesty and openness and a refusal to compromise one’s voice and values pays your dues. And the inescapable fact is that here, on this site, Matt Yglesias’ presence lends credibility to CPA, and not the other way ’round. Trying to weaken MY only weakens CAP.
Palmieri’s post fails miserably at achieving any of its objectives–it did nothing to effectively contradict MY’s characterization of Third Way as a purveyor of “hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit”; it generated massive new traffic to MY’s original post on that subject (and I’m guessing that as of now his post has gotten, at minimum, at least three times as many hits as it did pre-controversy); it damaged both CAP and Third Way’s reputations while leaving MY’s unscathed; and, instead of the poor victim, it rightly or wrongly left an impression that Third Way is a heavyhanded puppeteer holding CAP’s strings, and that CAP is willing to compromise its principles anytime someone with enough pull raises a stink.
I hope Yglesias moves on soon. Working under this stifling regime can only cause his reputation to suffer.
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Epic bad. I’m so thoroughly amused. This from the acting CEO, no less, not some innocently clueless lesser player.
No one, anywhere, is going to believe 100%, anymore, than an editorial opinion coming out of this place has not been coerced, repressed or otherwise tilted from what it might have been.
Well, I mean, I’m not, anyway.
Go CEO go!
December 22nd, 2008 at 6:54 pm
Jennifer,
With all due respect, get your own fucking blog. For those of us reading without our heads up our asses, we understand quite clearly that Matthew Yglesias is responsible for the content on the blog titled “Matthew Yglesias.” Go spin your tired PR bullshit somewhere else, we don’t want to hear it.
P.S. - Third Way hyper-timid incrementalist bullshit
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Just want to express my disappointment at Jennifer’s post. With a mind like hers, maybe she should have worked for the Bush administration.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:54 pm
The whole kerfuffle has made this reliably Dem voter take a look at Third Way, leading me to the conclusion that TW is a bunch of faux-progressive yuppie wankers who want to relive the Clinton era. The HTIB epithet is too weak, if anything. Good PR job, Jennifer.
December 22nd, 2008 at 7:56 pm
This has got to be one of the lamest posts I have ever read. Well, maybe that is an overstatement but so is this post!
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Sorry, Matt. Last time I visit the site.
It only takes an instant to trash your reputation and ruin someone else’s blog.
Ciao.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:09 pm
I don’t really think this is that big of deal.
It’s mostly just funny.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:36 pm
HA! Turn around one day to shovel my way out of a snowstorm and look what cat jumped out of the bag.
What a mistake this post was! You need to learn about the internets, I think.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Jennifer Palmieri,
DUH! WTF do you think you’re doing? Of course we know that Matt is giving us his own opinions. What is this, The Hooterville Clarion?
We get it. You’re freaked out by opinions that differ from your own. But please don’t insult our intelligence with your moronic clarifications. Please, just stfu.
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:50 pm
Wow! How’s that bigfooting thing working out for you, Jen? Want a do-over?
Got to admit it was very efficient: trashed not just your and CAPAF’s reputations but Yglesias’ AND Third Way’s. All with one stupid post!
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:57 pm
Oh, and here’s the Third Way’s board:
Progressive group, don’t chya think?
Someone needs to tell these schmucks that they had their decade in the sun. Into the dustbin with you.
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Wow. Jennifer do you ever read Matt? If you did you know that that he’s got his head up his ass a lot of the time. Not in this case though, apparently!
December 22nd, 2008 at 9:38 pm
@DissentNow — This from the acting CEO, no less, not some innocently clueless lesser player.
In my experience the CEO probably *is* the most clueless player in the house. Dilbert Principle: Organizations tend to promote incompetence into the position where it can do the least amount of damage.
I only wish I were kidding.
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:33 pm
LET’S PUSH THIS MOTHERFUCKER TO 1000!
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:11 pm
wtf
Are you kidding? Do you want me to stop reading this blog?
Way to fully desagalate your blogger in front of everyone.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:41 pm
NOW I see why everybody was so upset. Yeah, this is tacky. I thought she just posted a comment to Yglesia’s post. This is much different — much more Big Sister.
December 22nd, 2008 at 11:46 pm
Jennifer, 2nd thoughts? Perhaps you’d like to clarify yourself further!
December 23rd, 2008 at 1:08 am
Good stuff Jennifer, this would be in the running for the most boneheaded blog post of all time.
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:24 am
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:55 am
What’re the chances of a return to The Atlantic?
December 23rd, 2008 at 6:26 am
Jennifer showed poor judgment by posting this here.
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:39 am
Glad to see Third Way is composed of a bunch of tin-eared whiny crybabies.
And you wonder why Republicans kept kicking your wimpy asses until Obama came along?
No surprise you guys can’t strategize your way out of a paper bag.
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:17 am
Nice work drawing more attention to the post you wish didn’t happen!
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:49 am
Dude I think CAP gets support from Marbury’s charitable org, so you better be careful lest Steph find out about your not so high opinion of him.
k1
December 23rd, 2008 at 10:30 am
what i find almost as appalling as the censorship issue is Jennifer Palmieri’s stilted PR drivel. I guess you get to be a bullshit CEO by spouting brainless, meaningless phrases like “work product,” “key leaders,” “progressive movement.” And make sure you end that PR pap with a pat line about the future. UGH.
Did anyone else barf?
December 23rd, 2008 at 11:04 am
Washington Monthly, Huffington Post - who knows where next. Good job helping out Third Way, Jennifer, I’m sure they really appreciate it.
December 23rd, 2008 at 11:28 am
Matt - You shouldn’t have to deal with this sort of editorial interference. Jennifer is way out of bounds; she ought to be ashamed. You should just fcuking leave.
December 23rd, 2008 at 1:44 pm
I’m not going to pretend to have read everyone else’s comments, so assume this is to the original poster, and the poor CAP intern stuck reading all 669 of these…
As a long-time reader, and someone whose politics is actually similar to Third Way in a lot of cases, I can’t express how appalling I find Jennifer Palmieri’s note. I’m sure any substantive political and ethical issues have already been done to death, so I’ll just say that, as a practical matter, it’s just a mind-bogglingly stupid move.
December 23rd, 2008 at 1:49 pm
[continued from #669... got cut off somehow...]
Any trouble Palmieri hoped to head off has been dwarfed by the (incredibly predictable) outraged response to her note here and elsewhere. Any halfway competent manager would have seen it coming from miles away, which is why they would have restrainted themselves and just not posted. But Palmieri is clearly the [i]other[/i] kind of manager, which is why she clearly needs to be sent back to a position she can actually handle.
At least for me, definitely no CAP checques until that happens.
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:02 pm
Can someone tell me where I can find a free press? One that is not afraid to offend in the pursuit of the truth. This note is absurd.
December 23rd, 2008 at 2:16 pm
Just leave, Mat. It will be their loss not yours.
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Yeah, Ygelsias sorry dude but I’m done. I found myself thinking you were holding back while reading your blogs this afternoon. Right or wrong it’s true. I’m not really your crowd anyway….
I’ll definitely follow links from Miss Mac, Coates, Kruggie, Ezra, et al but through no fault of your own I can’t erally justify supporting you anymore.
Hard to believe Podesta supports stuff like this, but I guess progressives love the P&L too…
k1
December 23rd, 2008 at 3:53 pm
this is a good time to say that I’ve always been a fan of Matt Yglesias at his various addresses, but I’m starting to think that this censored blog kind of, um, sucks……..go back to working on your own, MY!
December 23rd, 2008 at 6:02 pm
This might come as a shock to Jennifer Palmieri, but I read Matt’s blog to read Matt…..not to have someone come shouldering their way in to slap Matt on the wrist….
This post reflects badly on Palmieri, The Center for American Progress Action Fund and Third Way. a trifecta….
Matt, you need to get gone from here…..
December 23rd, 2008 at 9:53 pm
This is BS.
December 23rd, 2008 at 11:30 pm
Ouch.
Reminds me of elementary school when a kid would act out and the teacher would smack his hand with a ruler before the whole class.
December 24th, 2008 at 2:41 am
I can’t believe John Podesta would have done something like this.
December 24th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Pretty embarrassing. I feel bad for Matt and I think this Jennifer woman should be ashamed in addition to being embarrassed.
December 24th, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Jennifer, did you come up with the brilliant idea to second guess Matt on your own? Oh, Teh Stupid hurts.
December 25th, 2008 at 1:12 am
wow.
December 25th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I’m guessing Jennifer is sorry she wrote this crap by now. lol
December 25th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
i don’t know this sums it up if you ask me. just mho.
December 27th, 2008 at 5:22 am
Well Jen, this was the thread that made you famous.
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Way to go, neniseaxy!!!
January 1st, 2009 at 1:25 am
I’m also a CAPAF grantee, I run a college paper funded in whole by CAPAF. Having read this entire blog post and all the comments today, I have to say — I AM DEFINITELY DISSING THIRD WAY. This is too fucking hilarious to pass up.
January 1st, 2009 at 6:07 pm
Let me point to an (ideal) scenario that no one has really considered.
(1) Third Way got ticked off and asked Jennifer to do something about it.
(2) Jennifer got Matt’s permission to post a short message on his blog capturing the fact that his opinions don’t represent the employer’s opinions.
(3) Since this substance of this statement is to confirm Matt’s independence, it seems harmless enough to Matt.
(4) Matt doesn’t introduce Jennifer’s statement because that would have blunted its efficacy for appeasing the angry folks at Third Way. Jennifer and Matt both agreed on this.
(5) Matt is happy that he has gotten such an upwelling of support. Jennifer is also happy that Matt got such an upwelling of support, and doesn’t much mind the negative media coverage (because leaders willingly take hits for their subordinates).
I’m not sure if this is true, but I prefer to imagine this scenario rather than the others.
January 2nd, 2009 at 4:11 am
Wow, this CEO seems to be clueless about how and why people use this medium to share and explore ideas. That memo from the politburo reeks of everything that runs counter to the spirit of blogging and the popularity of the internet.
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January 3rd, 2009 at 6:14 am
Last time I saw Ms. P she was ushering John Edwards through two or three creepily cheerful photo op phone calls to voters. It was “come phone bank with the candidate night” in his Manchester, NH office, the day after Christmas.
What a difference a year makes, eh, John and Jen?
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