Where Have All The Netroots Gone, Long Time Passing?

Stanley Greenberg, the husband of U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro and a notable pollster, presented respondents at the Netroots Nation
conference with a list of policy priorities, and asked, according to a report in the Washington Examiner, “’Please indicate which two you think progressive activists should be focusing their attention and efforts on the most.’ The winner was passing comprehensive health care reform, with 60 percent, and number two was passing ‘green energy policies that address environmental concerns,’ with 22 percent. Tied for eighth place, named by just eight percent of respondents, was ‘working to end our military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.’”

A veteran of a few Netroot Nation conferences, chief political correspondent of the Washington Examiner Byron York thinks that war has pretty much dropped of the usually militantly anti-war netroot radar screen.

And Greenberg’s poll seems to confirm York’s suspicion:

“Then Greenberg asked which one of those issues ‘do you, personally, spend the most time advancing currently?’ The winner was health care reform, with 23 percent, and second place was ‘working to elect progressive candidates in the 2010 elections,’ with 16 percent. In 11th place -- at the very bottom of the list -- was working to end our military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.’ Just one percent of Netroots Nations attendees listed that as their most important personal priority.”

What a difference a president makes. During the Bush administration, the anti-war crowd was burbling with indignation.

But, be of good cheer, netrooters: Cindy Sheehan is still waving the netroot anti-war banner, this time in toney Martha’s Vinyard, a step up from Crawford, Texas.

The problem is – Sheehan appears to have fallen off the radar screens of most major news outlets, along with former President George Bush.

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