What Happened At BSB Yesteday
Submitted by David Potts on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 2:03pm.
As I’m sure you’ve already seen, BSB had a major blow up yesterday over Nick’s interview with Lee Fisher. You’ve also likely seen countless posts elsewhere about what happened.
But what you haven’t seen so far is the truth straight from us, or I guess me. While a lot of this is already out there and the rest can be figured out, this needs to be out there if BSB is to continue.
It’s my understanding that Nick filmed the interview while attending a Young Democrats meeting in Columbus. Because Lee’s publicist (and Nick’s friend), Lauren Goode, was out of the room, he was asked to let the Fisher campaign review the video before it was posted.
Below are the emails that Nick and Lauren exchanged about the interview.
From: Nick D <nick@buckeyestateblog.com>
Date: Mon, Mar 9, 2009 at 11:49 AM
Subject: Re: good to go?
To: "Lauren B. Goode" <X>
Here's my 2 cents:
First of all, I really felt like I had to ask Lee about the party endorsement deal. This idea of a "pledge" not to seek a pre-primary endorsement has been a huge meme on the blogosphere, and I felt like if I didn't ask him, it would undermine my credibility as a blogger/journalist.
That said, it's a question that is going to be brought up in the blogosphere at some point, since it sounds to me like he's clearly going to seek an endorsement (and he'll probably get it, with Gov. Strickland behind him). And, your "no comment" on this issue to Modern already has him thinking that Lee won't take the "pledge" (it was largely his idea).
Bottom line: Modern and Russo will have a field day, but they will anyway once Lee announces that he's seeking a pre-primary endorsement from ODP.
BTW, I'm glad you liked Peggy's interview, but I don't want to post it until you give me the OK on Lee's, because you can see Lee's arm in the shot.
Let me know!
Nick
On Fri, Mar 6, 2009 at 10:43 AM, Lauren B. Goode <X> wrote:
peggy's is great. i'm in contemplation mode on lee's.
Lauren B. Goode
Fisher for Ohio
614-XXX-XXXX
www.fisherforohio.com
Please contribute today at www.fisherforohio.com!
From: Nick D <nick@buckeyestateblog.com>
To: Lauren B. Goode <X>Sent: Friday, March 6, 2009 10:35:14 AM
Subject: Re: good to go?
Like I said yesterday, I don't have video editing software, so I can't do that without purchasing it. I was hoping the Obama camapign would leave a spare Apple laptop with Final Cut Pro on it laying around the basement, but I didn't see one :)
Nick
On Fri, Mar 6, 2009 at 10:31 AM, Lauren B. Goode <X> wrote:
Is there any way we can just eliminate the question/answer on the party endorsement?
Lauren B. Goode
Fisher for Ohio
614-XXX-XXXX
www.fisherforohio.com
Please contribute today at www.fisherforohio.com!
From: Nick D <nick@buckeyestateblog.com>To: Lauren B. Goode <X>
Sent: Friday, March 6, 2009 10:14:52 AM
Subject: Re: good to go?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUjTnkYkvVY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5RJM-5oBDo
Here you go. The first one is Lee, the second one is Peggy.
Nick
On Fri, Mar 6, 2009 at 10:12 AM, Lauren B. Goode <X> wrote:
i'm youtube stupid. so i went on to find it and couldn't find it again. can you send me the link one more time?
Lauren B. Goode
Fisher for Ohio
614-XXX-XXXX
www.fisherforohio.com
Please contribute today at www.fisherforohio.com!
From: Nick D <nick@buckeyestateblog.com>
To: Lauren Goode <X>
Sent: Friday, March 6, 2009 10:08:38 AM
Subject: good to go?Hey Lauren-
Are we good to go on posting the videos? I'd like to post Lee's today.
Nick
So there it is, the full story of the interactions between Nick and the Fisher campaign over the video to the best of my knowledge.
This is the first and only time that a campaign has had this much control over any aspect of BSB to the best of my knowledge. I assure you that it will never happen again.
Lee Fisher owes this community an apology
Submitted by Tim Russo on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 5:09pm.
that is clear. I'm glad you posted this, Dave. if there is any more to report, I hope you'll do so.
All of this drama
Submitted by DelCo Dem on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 10:06pm.
And it boils down to the conclusion that Lee Fisher's campaign is pathetic. Amateur move, Lauren and Lee.
Good Lord. I was looking forward to Fisher's live blog since I learned so much from Jennifer Brunner's stint on BSB. Now it seems not only that Lee is unwilling to make an appearance, but he is editing the paltry interview that he gives to a friendly ear.
This does not bode well for a general election. If you cannot be forthright with the rank and file door-knocking base like me, then I am not really interested in what you have to say when you finally do get around to saying it. When will that be, Lee? Are you that dependent on getting the ODP nod to even win a primary?
Dear God, I hope ODP stays out of this primary while we have two state-wide officeholder candidates in the mix. Otherwise, I fear that it will be a bloodbath that will demoralize dems in the general election.
It is unfortunate that BSB readers are the losers here. I hope Nick and Modernesquire continue to post. I don't always agree with Nick, but he brings a view that makes me think. As for Modern, he has a gift and the guts to lay it all out there, in striking detail, in a way that a good legal mind will do. The fact that Modern manages to speak my mind more eloquently than I can do myself most times makes this more of a personal loss for me. I am thinking that Lee Fisher's campaign, such that it is thus far, is not worthy of the loss of Nick and Modernesquire in BSB's discourse.
Overreacting
Submitted by rjs on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 10:24pm.
I am amazed at how much everyone is over reacting to this. Certainly Lauren shouldn't have asked Nick to edit a video. But Nick said no. He didn't edit the video. He certainly gave them more leverage than he should have and I imagine he regrets that, but I have to believe that is because Lauren is his good friend and not because he is 'in the tank' for the Fisher campaign. I believe he was being passive and not corrupt. That's not to say it wasn't a mistake, but let's not hang him out to dry, please.
The sad part is, instead of learning from a mistake and continuing as a progressive voice on this blog, the whole team was broken up. I've enjoyed reading the site for some time now, and it seems to me that the response to this situation has been an incredible over-reaction.
Let's remember who the real enemy is here. Our unemployment rate in this state is almost nine percent. We have a foreclosure crises the likes of which we have never seen. The high school graduation rate in some Ohio districts is under 50%! It is depressing to see someone thrown out for a small mistake like giving a campaign a few days to think before having a video interview posted. Every time we kick each other down a notch, we put the Republicans up a notch. Every hour we spend on inside-baseball crap like this is an hour we're not getting our message to Ohio's voters.
Did you even read the post?
Submitted by plunderbund on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 12:19am.
It pretty much sounded like to me that if Nick had the software needed to edit out the pledge question and answer he would have. I'm glad DPotts posted this exchange. It really does shed light on what went down. Nick got played and damaged this blog and his own credibility greatly. I don't think the reaction was too harsh at all.
I might feel differently had Nick come out and said plainly that he fucked up, but he didn't. His only post on the matter was "hey. later all. link to my old blog potts!" LOL
Rabid Wolf Routine
Submitted by Nick D on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 9:06am.
RJS, thank you for doing that which Eric is seemingly incapable of, looking at this like a human being instead continuting the rabid wolf routine that he and Modern and Russo have been on throughout this whole thing.
Do I regret giving Lauren that much control over the interview? Yes I do. I'll be putting up a more detailed post shortly over at Blue Ohio.
grow up nick
Submitted by Tim Russo on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 9:29am.
there's no rabid wolf routine, there is only a loud chorus of "wtf" in response to your incompetence.
WTF?
Submitted by Nick D on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 10:37am.
Incompetence? Tim, we are not professional journalists. We're amateurs. That includes you, Modern, and Vessels, as high and mighty as you might act (unless I'm missing your M.A. in Journalism, I thought you were a lawyer).
I've already said I made a mistake in giving Lauren that much control over the interview and I regret it. What more do you want from me? Bloodletting?
Heh
Submitted by mvirenicus on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 11:40am.
i'm basically on your side here against all the personal attacks, nick, but please don't make appeals to "degreed professionals." i quit the ohio state university after two years with a 3.6 gpa largely because most of the future degreed professionals around me were drunks, drug addicts or just plain assholes, and those drunks, drug addicts and assholes are what have been driving this country into the ground, Democrats most definitely included.
idea
Submitted by saggitarius on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 10:52am.
Can we just use some final cut pro from an Obama mac, or whatever Nick was jabbering on about in those horrible emails, to just edit NICK out of this blog. Also seriously, next time you talk about doctoring a video, don't do it on something so easily recorded as email. Things like this are why Tony Soprano met at a strip club
Nope
Submitted by Nick D on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 10:57am.
Sorry Saggitarus you aren't going to get rid of me that easily. You think that people should be able to leave comments attacking me but I shouldn't be able to respond?
Have you or anyone else considered that the whole thing was an excuse given to a friend as a polite way of saying no?
Yeah
Submitted by mvirenicus on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 11:25am.
this whole thing is unfortunate and i'm sorry the tone has become so personal, nick. i think you did a fine job here at bsb aside from what ignited the current circus. yeah, i think it was a pretty big gaffe on your part, but you certainly don't deserve all the venom being spewed in your direction.
everybody needs to chill. what's done is done. it's not like someone here tanked the economy or invaded iraq for no reason.
At least you're consistant
Submitted by Ryan on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 11:54am.
I mean, you haven't stated that you did something wrong...just regret what you did. At least we all know what to expect when you go back to blue ohio.
Did You Read This?
Submitted by Nick D on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 12:41pm.
Ryan did you read this?
I've already said I made a mistake in giving Lauren that much control over the interview and I regret it.
Believe me, I plan a full blown mea culpa once I get the thing launched.
Calm down
Submitted by ohio_observer on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 1:54pm.
Everyone need to calm down. Though Nick erred I am pretty sure these things happen when there is a hotly contested primary. I bet that similar things happened in the background on various blogs when we had Hackett Vs Brown and Obama Vs Clinton primaries in the past.
I have enjoyed reading postings from all three, dpotts, Modern, Nick D.
Yeah
Submitted by rjs on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 4:21pm.
I wish we could have stopped this circular firing squad before it started but it looks like people here were ready to string Nick up for a tiny error in judgment without 1) the possibility of forgiveness or 2) the benefit of the doubt.
BSB was a great resource for progressives in Ohio and I hope it still can be. If I were an Ohio Republican I would be thrilled about this. Nick's heart is clearly in the right place and he was obviously just trying to be polite.
To call it a serious journalistic ethical lapse is absurd. Sean Hannity making up a quote from Barack Obama and then calling him a liar is a serious lapse. http://mediamatters.org/items/200903120002?f=s_search. Armstrong Williams taking $240k from the Bush Administration to promote NCLB in Op Ed's is a serious lapse. http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/jan2005/will-j13.shtml
Let's focus more on the problems with Rob Portman in the future, please, instead of tearing each other apart over what is essentially a non-issue.
Drop the Chalupa!
Submitted by Pelikan on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 9:14pm.
I don't know why but I just re-read this whole string of comments and "Drop the Chalupa!" just popped in my head. You know the hell of this is, wasn't Nick just starting to do a BSB 101 series at the beginning of the week? I mean here's a guy who was trying to make BSB what I think (from what I've been told of the history of BSB) more of a community for all of us to play Web 2.0 Twister and advance the cause of progressives and he's been driven underground.
This is not the New York fucking Times. I think there should have been some room for maneuver on this - to wit too many decisions were made within 24 hours of Nick's screw up.
Pelikan
Not To Throw Nick Under The Bus
Submitted by David Potts on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 9:28pm.
But I was the one doing BSB 101.
Sorry David
Submitted by Pelikan on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 10:33pm.
I stand by the "Drop the Chalupa!" part of my previous remarks. The BSB 101 stuff is great and I'm glad you're doing it. Thanks for allowing me to come here and make an ass of myself.
Pelikan
Always Welcome
Submitted by David Potts on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 11:05pm.
And you didn't make an ass out of yourself, though I did get a few questions about your post on mandatory sick days a while back. :)
As for this, I figured I'd better get it out there before someone checked the record.
I'm glad you posted this...
I know I haven't had much interaction with BSB lately and only felt compelled to post during this latest debacle. I do appreciate you posting the email exchanges and trying to clear things up to an extent.
It is clear to me that Nick's behavior in this issue was beyond the pale. I am glad to see that he is no longer employed here at BSB. I do hope that some credibility can be recovered after a while because I do believe that BSB is the bellwether for other Ohio blogs. Everyone sort of follows you guys.
By the way...I don't have a problem with a blog supporting one candidate over another as Eric said over at Plunderbund. So....keep going....I want to see what is in the works for the future.