Edwards buzz share does the limbo: How low can you go?
by WonkoKevin
Conventional wisdom (or as bloggers like to say, CW) says that negative attention is bad. But Clinton’s negatives went way up in Wonkosphere and she won New Hampshire. Huckabee’s negatives went way up and he’s going to win South Carolina. No, negative attention is only bad if it leads to no attention. It’s no attention that is death. Case in point, John Edwards 2008. Despite coming in second in Iowa within the relevant timespan, Edwards liberal buzz share (blue line) has consistently gone down, day after day, in all of 2008. Likewise, conservative bloggers have also turned away. Now Edwards is below the critical 10% buzz share line. With all the fanblogs out there, if you can’t hit 10% not even your fans are interested. I can’t get the Tom Petty song “Free Fallin’” out of my head…
Update: From the comments below the data are not very good news for Edwards fans. Please note Wonkosphere is non-partisan; we in fact picked Edwards to win Iowa in our original pick in mid-December.
It is true that there are lots of diaries on Daily Kos who are Edwards supporters (we wrote about it several months ago). And it is true that only the main feed from Daily Kos is in our directory. We tried to add the individual feeds but it didn’t work, and DK hasn’t responded back as to how to make it work. But I just did a search, and over the last 5 days there are 40 diaries about Edwards in Daily Kos and 51 about Obama. So the trend is broad.
January 11th, 2008 at 5:36 pm
“It’s no attention that is death” … Gee, ya think maybe the absence of blogging about edwards could possibly be linked to the fact that everybody with a microphone or printing press has written the guy out of the race? He’s being treated like yesterday’s dinner scraps — which, when you consider the content of his campaign message — is not suprising since his message is about the need to take on everybody who is body-slamming democracy these days, you know, the same corporate folks who own 99 percent of the airwaves and newsprint…ah well, they don’t own all of the blogosphere yet so we’re still free to say Edwards is our choice and the guy we’re voting for.
And in the midst of silence please take note at the actual delegate as it currently stands (and not as cnn “projects” on its website): obama is at 25, hillary at 24, and edwards at 19.
A race it is, and a race it remains …
btw, with regard to the absence of blogging on the subject of edwards — we personally haven’t got enough time in a 24-hour day to keep up with all the blogging we’ve seen on a gazillion political sites that refers to or directly comments on john edwards…
January 12th, 2008 at 2:17 am
OK, here is some Edwards buzz. He is still the most electable and most progressive candidate in the field. If his share of “buzz” as you say has fallen below some hypothetical critical mass then it is partly because you all in the blogsphere are acting like conventional media and following the lead of the corporate networks that are shutting him out. We will fight on because it is the right thing to do and for some of us the necessary thing to do for our own survival. We must have this system reformed for the survival of our families.
January 12th, 2008 at 9:43 am
I can only surmise that the heavy pro-Edwards traffic @ DailyKos, where John Edwards diaries are in the 10-20 per day range with comments in the 300-600 range just don’t count?
John’s in it for the long haul. There has been 1 caucus and 1 primary as of today (Saturday, 1/12)…I can’t believe that now the blogosphere is jumping on the COM (Corporate Owned Media) bandwagon in its attempt to marginalize and eliminate John Edwards.
He’s in it all the way to the convention and his supporters, by and large, are staying with him.
January 12th, 2008 at 11:09 am
It has absolutely amazed me that the MSM has so effectively shut Edwards out of the reporting. It’s like he doesn’t fit into their story. I too like his progressive positions, his strong, clearly articulated positions, and I am deeply suspicious of the other candidates who are drawing big corporate bucks and the white wine crowd, cheers from Republicans (!!!) in the case of Obama and support from almost every early-declaring elected official in the case of Clinton. And now the internet?!?! I think it’s a pity that Huffington Post, for example, seems to have erased Edwards as well–though they do link to this post. Am I a racist or a sexist because I think that the candidate talking about inequality in America and money-driven politics in Washington deserves my support? It seems to be coming to that if today’s self-destructive blather on the blogs is any measure.
January 12th, 2008 at 11:10 am
Bill Maher was talking about John Edwards last night. DailyKos has diaries posted everyday about Edwards. Edwards is the best progressive candidate and I just emailed my kids and they are spreading the news on their FSU Campus. Viva, John Edwards! The man fighting for our middle class.
January 12th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Try as the “IN FOLKS” may, there is no escaping the fact that CORPORATE AMERICA and their OWNED MINNIONS in the Main Stream Media fear JOHN EDWARDS and his message ABOVE ALL ELSE on this planet including THE BUSH-BOOGGIEMEN-TERRISTS!
The BELT WAY ENTRENCED GANGS of BOTH PARTIES are doing their darnedest to shoot him down and kill him off in the primaries, because THEY KNOW that HE is the one who can and will TURN THIS MESS AROUND!
Bloggers who a taking cheap shots like this one are NOT SERVING THIS NATION IN ANY POSSITIVE WQY!
January 12th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
The time for talk is over; time to vote–we’ll see then. 99% of what is talked about in MSM media and on the blogs is crap.
January 12th, 2008 at 4:48 pm
The main feed from Daily Kos is included in our Directory and analysis; however the inidividual diaries are not. We have tried to add them but they don’t work and we have not been able to get a response from DK as to how to make it work. WonkoKevin
January 12th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Sorry, wonker but that’s just irresponsible on the part of wonkoblog. Perhaps before “you people” try to trash and marginalize John Edwards, perhaps someone should sign up for a dKos or MyDD account and sort by tags. Try this on for size, from dKos in the last 24 hours:
Recent Diaries
Sort By Tag: Time:
Tag:
Tag: John Edwards (All Tags)
Reaching Across The Aisle
by cpa1
33 comments (33 new)
Shut the “F” Up.
by revelwoodie
156 comments (156 new)
Lawrence O’ Donnell is a Loser
by Michael 4 Edwards
28 comments (2 new)
This is not a “Let’s transcend presidential primary…
by sad pony guerilla girl
15 comments (15 new)
Edwards Evening News RoundUp: the Fight for America’s Middle…
by jamess
218 comments (218 new)
I just voted for John Edwards
by lbrasington
25 comments (18 new)
Personal story of being screwed by corporations
by mnhtnbb
61 comments (61 new)
War and peace
by Texas Populist
14 comments (14 new)
I’ve Hated/Loved the Clintons Since . . . .
by gchaucer2
120 comments (120 new)
Which Dem will prosecute BushCo’s crimes?
by Veritas78
35 comments (35 new)
The Edwards Netroots Insurrection
by BruceMcF
347 comments (23 new)
New Hampshire Reactions
by Ms. American Pie
6 comments (6 new)
Enough with the Bullshit, Kossacks
by autoegocrat
43 comments (43 new)
John Edwards is pi$$ing off all the right people.
by JedReport
258 comments (258 new)
Political Jiu-jitsu – Embracing Right-Wing Talking…
by inflector
12 comments (12 new)
Where is Foreign Policy beyond the Middle East?
by ceti
3 comments (3 new)
Poll: Who did you support last time vs. this time?
by oscarsmom
116 comments (116 new)
I’m worried
by david mizner
586 comments (586 new)
Today with Senator Feingold
by Spruce
13 comments (13 new)
Union Support Drifting Towards Obama
by icebergslim
43 comments (43 new)
John Edwards is FOR REAL
by James Kroeger
24 comments (24 new)
The Nataline Sarkisyan case — blown out of proportion?
by Eternal Hope
12 comments (12 new)
Edwards supporter with genuine question for Clinton and Obama …
by Ruby K
29 comments (29 new)
Black V. White, Obama V. Clinton
by DAVE DIAL
39 comments (39 new)
Edwards Will Win. Kossacks Will Destroy Obama and Clinton
by FischFry
41 comments (41 new)
The Huffington Post Publishes Racist Tirade
by Garden Neighbor
59 comments (59 new)
Lawrence O’Donnell is an idiot
by GUGA
22 comments (22 new)
Nevada teachers to block Hotel Worker’s Union Vote in…
by Frederik
57 comments (57 new)
The Mushroom Party
by Wally in Miami
18 comments (18 new)
CNN Declares Edwards candidacy is dead
by bushsux
106 comments (106 new)
The MSM and Hillary
by NY Writer
17 comments (17 new)
Bill Maher Returned Tonight - John Edwards
by AntonBursch
427 comments (60 new)
To Hell With 11th Commandment
by kwAwk
18 comments (18 new)
To Change the System, Stop Taking Their Money
by sagewater2
8 comments (8 new)
To Change the System, Stop Taking Their Money
by sagewater2
8 comments (8 new)
Edwards/Clinton ‘08
by GunLovinDem
58 comments (58 new)
The Danger Is McCain.
by Phoenix Woman
126 comments (126 new)
A few things I think
by jmcl89
3 comments (3 new)
3 Facts on Michigan Dem Primary: No Write Ins, Many voting …
by BobAlex06
6 comments (6 new)
Take Edwards’ voice you take my voice
by Ellinorianne
20 comments (17 new)
Edwards Evening News Roundup: A Fighter for Working America
by sarahlane
292 comments (276 new)
San Diego Chargers MUST withdraw from playoffs NOW
by Clem Yeobright
78 comments (78 new)
John Edwards Eats Babies
by Mordecai
19 comments (3 new)
Please, let’s all just try to be nice.
by angrybird
10 comments (10 new)
A friend writes. . . .
by Red Wind
23 comments (23 new)
Why Senators Obama and Clinton should join forces.
by rrheard
81 comments (81 new)
edwards should bow out to stop hillary.
by skyterrain
109 comments (109 new)
Why Do We Value Electability?
by politicalteen89
20 comments (20 new)
Big Business puts John Edwards on Notice
by jamess
329 comments (152 new)
Is It Implausible that either Clinton or Obama will Stumble?
by BruceMcF
68 comments (68 new
January 12th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
68 Diaries in 24 hours… Oh, but there’s no “buzz” re: Edwards in the blogosphere. (/snark)
January 14th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
Holy cow. Did it ever occur to anyone that the reason Edwards isn’t getting much buzz is that Obama and Clinton are more interesting? Did it ever occur to anyone that there is negative buzz out there because people don’t buy the populist b.s. when the guy gets $400 haircuts and lives in a 28,000 square foot house? And did it ever occur to anyone that the reason Obama and Clinton have more delegates is because they have mobilized their supporters, rather than whining about which media are “fair” and which are not?
And BTW, what exactly is “irresponsible” about trying to include Kos and getting shut down? I take Wonker at his word, that he has not gotten anywhere contacting Kos to include the diaries.
If your goal is to get Edwards’ buzz to be more accurately represented, wouldn’t the smarter course of action be to lobby Kos to get them to respond to Wonker’s requests? But then again, that’s actually trying to fix the problem, not just bellyache about it, so you may not want to do that.