The Other McCain

"One should either write ruthlessly what one believes to be the truth, or else shut up." — Arthur Koestler

Joe Miller Didn’t Give Me Bloggola

Posted on | August 23, 2010 | 20 Comments

Six weeks ago, I reported about Joe Miller’s Senate campaign in Alaska, and yesterday Ace of Spades endorsed Miller. Thanks to the Daily Caller, Ace now finds it necessary to point out that he didn’t do it for money:

I got annoyed when the Tea Party Express kept asking me to promote Joe Miller. I know they all get paid — they’re professionals. But instead of buying an ad and paying me, they just wanted me to promote their fundraising for Miller.
I didn’t push Miller the first day they asked because of that annoyance. But the second time, I realized what I was doing: I was taking out my resentment at the you-do-this-for-free conservative organizations against a very good candidate I would otherwise support, just because I was annoyed that it had been decided I was Mr. Cheap Date.
So I promoted Joe Miller, as I should have on Friday; I endorse him enthusiastically and without reservation.

You should read the whole thing, because it’s a very thoughtful examination of how money and/or the hope of money can influence bloggers’ thinking. I just checked my tip jar, and if Jeff S. in Walla Walla or Barry C. in Missouri ever needs a favor, hey, I’m there for you, man!

I doubt either of those guys is a campaign operative trying to influence my coverage, but even if they were, they haven’t demanded a quid pro quo. On the other hand, Jeff won’t mind if I say, “Go, Dino Rossi!” and I’m sure Barry won’t mind me saying, “Go, Roy Blunt!” And if they want me to say it again, I’ll be happy to oblige.

Expanding on my previous post, my key thought here — and I said this in an e-mail to Ace — is that the problem isn’t bloggers hustling for a few extra bucks here and there. Rather, the problem is these big-money “New Media consultants” who collect six-figure incomes for doing little more than sending out e-mail press releases. There ought to be some way to eliminate the middle man so that bloggers aren’t starving while the consultants get rich.

Speaking of which, Da Tech Guy didn’t get his share of the “blogola” loot, and the Lonely Conservative wonders how to become the Rich Lonely Conservative.

There’s now a Memeorandum thread, with commentary from Ed Morrissey at Hot Air, John Hawkins at Right Wing News, Jillian Bandes at Townhall and Doug Mataconis at Outside the Beltway. And one final point:

JOE MILLER for U.S. SENATE
He Must Be a Real Fiscal Conservative,
Because He Still Hasn’t Hit the Freaking Tip Jar!

UPDATE: Dan Riehl has a roundup of reaction and includes a link to Melissa Clouthier:

If you want perfection and purity, politics is not your business. Politics is people and people are fallen, imperfect creatures. Deal with it.

Amen, and read the whole thing. It’s 31 flavors of pure awesome.

Category: Ace of Spades, Alaska, Blogging, Shoe Leather Fund

Comments

20 Responses to “Joe Miller Didn’t Give Me Bloggola”

  1. JeffS
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 7:26 pm

    Well, you haven’t been keeping us A Breast of Tweets from Alyssa Milano, Stacy……

  2. JeffS
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 3:26 pm

    Well, you haven’t been keeping us A Breast of Tweets from Alyssa Milano, Stacy……

  3. Robert Stacy McCain
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 7:41 pm

    Wait: You want MORE Alyssa Milano?

  4. Robert Stacy McCain
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 3:41 pm

    Wait: You want MORE Alyssa Milano?

  5. A few minutes with Charlie Baker (R) candidate for Gov in Massachusetts « Da Techguy's Blog
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 3:43 pm

    […] An FYI No Bloggola was exchanged for this interview, silly me. Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)Faux […]

  6. Miss Sharon
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 7:55 pm

    Joe is being outspent 20 to 1 by a RINO who was put in office by her dad and was narrowly re elected in 2006 in red state Alaska. Perhaps Miller is not acquainted with the going rates as he is not in Meg Whitman’s financial category. That does NOT mean he isn’t a fine conservative candidate.
    So what is the going rate?
    I’m sure John Fund, Jedidiah Bila, and Thomas Lamb, Erik Erickson, among others were all compensated by their employers. Point taken. The paradigm needs to change.

  7. Miss Sharon
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 3:55 pm

    Joe is being outspent 20 to 1 by a RINO who was put in office by her dad and was narrowly re elected in 2006 in red state Alaska. Perhaps Miller is not acquainted with the going rates as he is not in Meg Whitman’s financial category. That does NOT mean he isn’t a fine conservative candidate.
    So what is the going rate?
    I’m sure John Fund, Jedidiah Bila, and Thomas Lamb, Erik Erickson, among others were all compensated by their employers. Point taken. The paradigm needs to change.

  8. Payola for Conservative Bloggers? :: The Lonely Conservative
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 4:04 pm

    […] AM to cover a political event 95 miles from his home. Stacy McCain expanded on his thoughts in a new post, which is also worth reading. Share this post Hide Sites […]

  9. JeffS
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 8:48 pm

    Wait: You want MORE Alyssa Milano?

    Well, I’d sure love to see her re-Tweet you. But that probably ain’t gonna happen. So I’ll trust your judgement.

  10. JeffS
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 4:48 pm

    Wait: You want MORE Alyssa Milano?

    Well, I’d sure love to see her re-Tweet you. But that probably ain’t gonna happen. So I’ll trust your judgement.

  11. Jeff
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 9:16 pm

    with a few notable exceptions very few bloggers get into the game for money …
    most if not all have a “day” job which pays the rent …

    just remember that if there is a big money source it can be attacked by the Alinsky clones … so can anyone who gets paid by them …

    when you fly the pirate flag you have to accept the pirate life … poor, unaccepted among “polite” company and often ignored …

  12. Jeff
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 5:16 pm

    with a few notable exceptions very few bloggers get into the game for money …
    most if not all have a “day” job which pays the rent …

    just remember that if there is a big money source it can be attacked by the Alinsky clones … so can anyone who gets paid by them …

    when you fly the pirate flag you have to accept the pirate life … poor, unaccepted among “polite” company and often ignored …

  13. Adriane
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 9:39 pm

    404 on the Joe Miller link …

  14. Adriane
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 5:39 pm

    404 on the Joe Miller link …

  15. Mark J. Goluskin
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 10:33 pm

    My endorsement of John Colbert in the California 29th congressional race was free of charge. What was I thinking?!

  16. Mark J. Goluskin
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 6:33 pm

    My endorsement of John Colbert in the California 29th congressional race was free of charge. What was I thinking?!

  17. The TrogloPundit does not – repeat not – “feed on partisan cash.” But he sure is hungry. « The TrogloPundit
    August 23rd, 2010 @ 11:05 pm

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    August 23rd, 2010 @ 11:48 pm

    […] Stacy McCain comments on the strategic mistake of big donors like Meg Whitman, and that donations “buy” good will (from a writer) (which by the way, is not […]

  19. Earn, don’t burn! | World's Only Rational Man
    August 24th, 2010 @ 2:11 am

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  20. So, About This Whole ‘Blogger Payola’ Thing… | GoodPorkBadPork.com
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