LA Times Whitewashes Obscene Bloggers

Save this one for future reference. When the drive-by media goes dumpster diving for something to use against the GOP, we'll see how casually it's treated.

Edwards — possibly distracted by the universal healthcare proposal he unveiled Monday — let the issue percolate for a couple of days before letting the two women off with a warning: "That kind of intolerant language will not be permitted from anyone on my campaign." The move mollified left-leaning bloggers but not Donohue, who pledged to escalate his publicity blitz against Edwards. At week's end, the battle for control of Edwards' agenda continued, healthcare policy battling blogger controversy for media attention.

The conflict over the bloggers is likely to be just the opening salvo in a wave of guilt-by-association attacks. By trying to gin up support from the blogosphere, candidates are bringing lots of folks into the campaign who've left long trails of (often intemperate) commentary online. So not only do candidates have to worry about having their own gaffes preserved and promoted on YouTube, they may have to distance themselves from what their employees said before coming onboard. Expect this kind of nuttiness to continue until voters show that they care more about a candidate's thoughts than those of the hired hands.

I always get a kick out of hardline Stalinists being referred to as left-leaning. Sure. And Uncle Joe was a moderate.