David K's Thoughts On Markos

This is co-host David Kobierowski's thoughts on Markos Moulitsas' appearance on TEXAS POLITICS TODAY on Wednesday, July 16.

Texas Politics Today’s Deece Eckstein and David Kobierowski interviewed Markos Moulitsas, Founder Daily Kos today.

The interview was broadcast live at 2:30pm, Wed., July 16th, 2008 on 91.7FM KOOP, Austin’s Community Radio Station.

It was an honor to have Markos join us in-studio at KOOP Radio today.

Early in the interview, Markos commented “I started Daily Kos as a place to vent and react to what was happening in the world…because I was not seeing it in the traditional media”.

He went on to say “there was a yearning for a progressive medium that was not Corporate in nature. Daily Kos provides honest progressivism”

For me personally, having dedicated 15 years of my life to Corporate America, hearing Markos’ story was refreshing. As a believer in Democracy from the bottom up, the success of Daily Kos validates our need for more honest voices from everyday people that are not paid lobbyists with a special interest agenda.

It was clear that Markos was not happy with the power of lobbyists in our government…he said at one point that “AT&T Lobbyists often have more influence than we (Daily Kos) do”.

Offline I asked Markos why blogs have been more successful on the left than the right and he commented that “the right has a top-down approach to governing, where the left has a more Democratic/bottom-up approach that allows for blogging to work”.

Yea!! That’s what I’m talking about!! With 92% of US AM Radio programs being Conservative, possibly the right doesn’t need to blog?? Well, I’m just glad the people’s voice is getting heard!

When asked about the mission of Daily Kos going into the Nov. elections and 2010 Markos explained “to find candidates that represent the “NetRoots values”…which Markos added “is a lot easier now than it was in 06′”

Another goal of DailyKos is “to push the Democratic Party to represent the people more, as opposed to representing the Corporate Interest”.

Referring to the potential of a major victory in Nov., Markos said “Republicans have made such a mess out of this country that you could be a Monkey and win some of these elections”

Specifically in TX, Markos commented “there’s a possibility for an upset in TX for Obama and the Democratic Party, IF the voters turn out”.

Markos talked about NetRoots Nation (YearlyKos) being “a truly bottom-up event. We didn’t say lets get a bunch of people together to go see Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. But we got a bunch of people together and then Nancy Pelosi wanted to join us”.

Referring to BOR, off-air Markos commented The “Burnt Orange Report is easily one of the top three ‘State Political blogs’ in the country”. NICE!

Thanks again Markos for joining us today on “TX Politics Today”!!