I've been trying to figure out exactly what to say about all of this. I've seen so many things printed as fact that are blatantly false - and I was left to try to prove a negative. I also had to resist the impulse to lash out at other blogs and bloggers. Just not my style, not in public anyway. I feel it's totally uncool to "eat your own". Anyway-
Misconception number one - I am not being paid by Jennifer Granholm. Funny how just one front-pager from ML can say that I work for the GLF and it becomes "common knowledge" when most all the others are saying very nice things about me. And when my disclosure is a click of a button away on the "About BFM" page, and was made long ago in some post somewhere on this blog, and no one bothers to research that before they publish their "facts", well, the best I can offer on that is - search the Michigan Secretary of State records that are online. You won't find me listed on the GLF PAC because I am not being paid by them. As far as the consulting gig goes, I would have put it on any posts I made about the MDP - but I haven't posted directly about the MDP since well before I got the gig. (As far as the speed of my reply – I had internet issues all day yesterday. Comcast was out most of the day, and my laptop cannot load Soap blogs at the coffee house for shit. I got the Kennedy thing up and that was all she wrote. No idea why that is happening)
Which leads me to the primary issue, which seems to be the excuse du jour as to why we were picked for credentials over ML. I posted my feelings on the primary in this diary. Take the time to read it - it explains exactly why I generally avoided the whole thing. (I also called the MDP the "Detroit Lions of political parties" somewhere on this blog, and quite frankly, I can't think of a bigger slam than that) I also called for a re-vote well before Clinton and Granholm did - that was in direct opposition to what Granholm was saying at the time. They followed me about a month or so later. Again, go read to know the reasons why.
A true Granholm shill would have been supporting Hillary, obviously. Out of the "big four", I liked Edwards best and said so - although I could find positives and negatives about all of them. Really don't want to get into that fight, like the diary said. Moving on...
Misconception number two - I am not a member of the MDP. Again, I can't prove a negative, but I can show you this lovely picture of how Mark Brewer looks at me. I don't really know how he feels about bloggers - I do know that the MDP was not happy with me last year when I was kicking the crap out of Andy Dillon over the budget battles. Funny thing about that is - Andy was OK with it. He likes the challenge. I hunted him down at the State of the State Address, and he had a smile and a handshake for me. Brewer, I honestly don't know. Tell you the truth, I don't much care.Our accomplishments as a blog speak for themselves. This isn't just about me, as some are insinuating- it is what we have accomplished as a group. If people want to ignore the great things we have done to focus on popularity contests and blog drama, there isn't anything I can do about that. All I can do is continue my work - a massive body of writing at BFM and my own blog that stretches back to 2003 - and well before that at a political forum at about.com. Wizardkitten has been around for a long, long time.
And one last thing. I am a proud supporter of Jennifer Granholm. Very proud. She is the only reason I came back to "community" blogging, and anyone who has read me these past two and a half years on Michigan blogs knows that. I don't support everything she does, of course - wasn't happy about the primary behavior, really not thrilled about the Kennecott mine situation, and there have been a few other things here and there over time - but overall, she's mine and I'm hers. And I really don't care how other bloggers feel about that. I'm not here to be popular with the “in crowd”, or I would have sockpuppeted or just stayed silent like so many others have. She is an amazing woman, and I am so grateful she is our governor.
Quite frankly, if I published everything I have been through in my time in the Michigan blogosphere, you would be astonished that I haven't flamed out by now. Might make a great book someday.
And whenever you guys are ready to fight Republicans, just let me know. I'll be here, firing away at them as usual. I would be really happy if you could tear yourselves away from Democratic infighting and help me out.
Thank again to those that have supported me with your kind words and thoughts. It brought tears to my eyes more than once yesterday, and I am forever grateful.