As Requested: Arianna | Slog | The Stranger

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Saturday, June 10, 2006

Politics As Requested: Arianna
Posted by Eli Sanders on June 10 at 14:30 PM

The commenters have asked, and now I shall deliver. Ladies and gentlemen (and trolls), Ms. Arianna Huffington:

Also, ladies and gentlemen, here is prospective presidential candidate Mark Warner of Virginia, who just finished addressing the conference after dropping some serious cash (according to Arianna) on a blogger party last night at the top of the Stratosphere. After his speech, Warner was mobbed by bloggers and members of the mainstream press, who have descended in increasing numbers as this conference has gone on:

Finally, another example of how the blogosphere is leveling the pundit playing field. Meet Ari Melber, my little brother’s roommate in New York, a graduate of Seattle’s Garfield High, and a frequent blogger at HuffingtonPost. Here is Melber, 26, discussing foreign policy on a panel earlier today:

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Comments

Hey Eli, what does your brother pay for rent in New York? How did he get a job? I'm interested in moving there and wondered how hard it is to live cheap while looking for work.

Posted by New York Bound | June 10, 2006 2:51 PM

At first glance, Arianna looks naked.

Posted by DrewVSea | June 10, 2006 2:54 PM

wow and I thought it was only rich white men and women...Look at the diversity - the "level playing field". I love the single working mothers, and that photo of the homeless person was cool, that Mexican restaurant owner...Ooops they're working too hard to spend time blogging about how Al Gore's movie changed their life...But Eli's brother's roomate. Not just another rich Capitol Hill liberal there...but...ooops...guess he is...oh well. At least there are women bloggers, even if they are rich and white.

Posted by Level Playing Field | June 10, 2006 3:25 PM

Hey,

Just wanted to send a shout out to Eli and THE MANAGEMENT for how much I'm appreciatin' your Kos coverage. Best Slog happening since the Huff Massacre and obviously so much better. . . . .

Posted by Richard Jensen | June 10, 2006 3:41 PM

Oh it's so unfair... Only rich white people can go to the thing in Vegas. Oh, I'm so whiny about it.... Can you hear me whine? ....Everyone in the library is looking at me.... I love attention, but have no talent, but I know how to whine... Why can't they have a free trip for the whiny people? I need everything given to me... Do you think I'm pretty?... Oh, how I love to whine.... do I look fat in this outfit?

Oh, I forgot to insult Dan Savage and Tim Keck... Um, both of them are white...

Posted by Whiny Playing Field | June 10, 2006 5:24 PM

These folks look like they have not yet signed Initiative 91, the "Sonics Pay Their Own Way Initiative" which is in this weeks Stranger.

Posted by Chris Van Dyk | June 10, 2006 5:28 PM

If Melber's supposed authority in foreign affairs is a sign of blogs' ability to create a "level playing field" (by elevating a neophyte to expert status) and its supposedly progressive potential (elevating pundits over organizers in political movements), then that's a good example of why we're doubly fucked.

David Sirota, for instance, describes Melber as Exhibit A among a bevy of "Democrats' self-promoting sellouts."

http://www.davidsirota.com/2005/06/democrats-self-promoting-sellouts.html

Posted by wf | June 10, 2006 6:11 PM

MANDATORY BLOGGING FOR ALL SINGLE MOTHERS, HOMELESS, MINORITIES, LOW INCOME AND WORKING POOR.

If they don't participate, execute them.

Posted by trustiplayingfield | June 10, 2006 6:14 PM

Melber is pro war and so is The Stranger. We need to defend Israel, invade Iran and then move on to Syria. Eli's brother has a cool roomate. Too bad we can't get more pro war Democrats like that writing for The Stranger.

Eli could you please write something that explains to the Seattle liberals why war is good for America? Your anti-Rachel Corrie piece was a good start. Getting Melber to write a kick ass pro war piece for The Stranger would be awesome. He's your brother's roomate. Ask him!

Posted by Pro War | June 10, 2006 6:25 PM

Ari Melber is hot! I'm glad he believes that the war is a good idea. Lots of democrats do. Like me!

Posted by Kimberly | June 10, 2006 6:28 PM

If he's pro-war why isn't he in the military? Or did he tell when they asked?

Posted by Pro War is for Pussies | June 10, 2006 6:53 PM

It is an oft mentioned comment that most of the pro-war cadre of this era NAVE NEVER SERVED - no HAVE THEIR kids.

War is so easy to postulate about from the irory tower of others betting kelled and amimed and otherwise fucked up.

And at 26, and expert? At 26 he is not even expert on hacking off, let alone global foreigh policy.

This gets amusing - is this the ypppie revolution before out eyes? From the safety of dad and mom's computer?

Posted by Joseph Smith III | June 10, 2006 7:07 PM

hey eli, can you ask joel if ari went to university prep for middle school? i have this feeling that we had this fight in sixth grade about who was going to do the country report on israel (i claimed it first). but it could have been another ari.

Posted by annie | June 10, 2006 7:31 PM

Is Arianna hot or what?

Posted by Jim Demetre | June 10, 2006 7:57 PM

Hey. Wait. I thought the secret to public speaking was to imagine your audience naked.

WF -- I generally agree re our penchant for elevating self-promoting neophytes, but I consider Sirota yet another confirming instance.

Posted by RonK, Seattle | June 10, 2006 8:46 PM

Ari Melber is what Democrats need to win. A Pro-War, Pro-Military government will make America strong.

Ari and Eli both went to University Prep Private school I think.

Posted by Josh | June 11, 2006 2:10 PM

WF -- brilliant point! attacking people with new ideas because they appear too young to have a voice in a democratic forum is exactly why you're writing pointless unintelligent remarks in the comments section of the slog.

...and as for that Sirota quote, Sirota is the worst of self-promoting democrats as he is currently promoting himself on a BOOK TOUR, but i guess your expert googling didn't get you that far.

Posted by wf: "google expert" | June 11, 2006 3:08 PM

...and as for that Sirota quote, Sirota is the worst of self-promoting democrats as he is currently promoting himself on a BOOK TOUR, but i guess your expert googling didn't get you that far.

Posted by wf: "google expert" | June 11, 2006 3:09 PM

I'm not quite sure if anyone in the above comments actually watched the foreign policy panel at the Yearly Kos event. I did and none of the panelists were pro-war. As for Melber looks like the last thing he wrote was on Lieberman's pandering to GOP politics and opposing the war in '06: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ari-melber/joe-lieberman-gets-angry_b_22301.html

some of the post:

The Iraq War has ended thousands of Americans' lives, but it has not ended the political lives of any of the hawkish leaders who rushed the country to war. At least not yet.

Reuters is reporting that the war's "first big political casualty" may come in August, when Connecticut Democrats have the option to reject pro-war Senator Joe Lieberman. The alternative is Ned Lamont, a successful, low-key businessman who spent the spring puncturing the shell of Lieberman's seemingly high approval ratings, exposing simmering discontent with the three-term Senator. Political insiders started taking Lamont seriously when he beat expectations at the state convention last month, and many reporters are covering the race as a Democratic referendum on Iraq.

Posted by jessica | June 11, 2006 3:33 PM

Everyone except Jim Demetre is missing the point. Arriana...

Posted by Mike in MO | June 11, 2006 4:00 PM

huh?

i was criticizing melber's lack of experience, not his age. i was criticizing his opinion that "The Democratic Party has to confront its dovish base", not attacking him for presenting "new ideas" in a supposedly "democratic forum."

it was pretty obvious, i thought, that neither sirota nor i were criticizing all forms of self promotion. the criticism was of how bad politics could be a vehicle for personal advancement when wrapped in an old slice of globaloney or new media mumbo jumbo.

Posted by wf | June 12, 2006 10:02 AM

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