Login Here
Firedoglake has issued the following press release today:
Collins Campaign In Sexist Attack on Leading Blog
Firedoglake Calls for Apology and Firing of Collins Campaign Blogger
Washington, DC August 15, 2007 - On the same day that Susan Collin’s Senate reelection campaign chief of staff Steve Abbott was pronouncing that "we have long prided ourselves on our efforts to maintain a civil level of discourse over the course of spirited political campaigns,” Collins’ Director of Internet Strategy, Lance Dutson, launched a false and offensive attack against the highly respected blog, Firedoglake, best known for its groundbreaking liveblogging of the Scooter Libby trial.
Firedoglake’s founder, Jane Hamsher demanded an apology and the firing of Dutson for his characterization of the blog as “the foul-mouthed fem-blog FiredogLake.”
"I'm deeply offended that Senator Collins would speak about professional women in such a degrading and offensive manner," said Hamsher. "It is well beneath the dignity becoming a sitting Senator to engage in such coarse and misogynistic rhetoric."
Christy Hardin Smith, featured FDL blogger, said: "The sexist undertones used on Sen. Collins' blog are appalling – the use of "fem-blog" is erroneous and dismissive. Citizens in this country have a right -- an obligation -- to hold those who ask us for our votes accountable. Women have just as much right as men to speak up for their country and their families, whether Senator Collins likes that or not."
Firedoglake, one of the leading progressive blogs with over a half million readers per week publishes posts by Jane Hamsher, Christy Hardin Smith, Trex and Pachacutec -- both male bloggers -- and guest posts by an additional 4 women and 6 male bloggers. Firedoglake received critical acclaim with its in-depth coverage of the Valerie Plame case culminating in the blog’s live gavel-to-gavel coverage of the Scooter Libby trial – coverage that drew applause from leading journalism professionals. The New York Times, in a page one story noted that “the Firedoglake ‘live blog’ has offered the fullest, fastest public report available. Many mainstream journalists use it to check on the trial.”
Highly engaged in the political arena, Firedoglake joined with Crooks and Liars, Digby’s Hullabaloo and Down With Tyranny, to launch the Blue America Pac, which raised half a million dollars during the 2006 election cycle. FDL features weekly interviews with candidates and recently hosted online conversations with presidential candidates Sen. Hillary Clinton and Sen. Chris Dodd.
# # #
Maine based firepups might like to send civil letters to the editors of their local press - here are a few contacts to work with:
- Jtuttle@bangordailynews.net - Jeff Tuttle, editor Bangor Daily News
- Mdowd@bangordailynews.net - Mike Dowd, editor Bangor Daily News
- radionews@mpbn.net - Maine Public Radio
- cvn@mainetoday.com - Carl V. Natale – MaineToday.com
One great way to support FDL's call for better political discourse is to support Collins Democratic challenger Tom Allen with a donation via Blue America.
Don't miss DownWithTyranny Keninny's great analysis of Collins "desperation."
(update - Dutson's hatespeech website seems to be having difficulties so you may have problems with that link)
Share This 
Spotlight
woot, go, go go! attaaaaack
Hurray!
I’ll be *very* curious to see if you get an apology!
Yeah! Attack! Attack! Attack! Attack!
Go git ‘em!
Booyah! Lance is about to get the coulterificated.
Have I mentioned that I LOVE being the press secretary for FDL!
Well said! Did you cc the Dems? They could benefit significantly by the example.
Zed?
Glad you did this! Foul mouthed fem blog - not.
JDM @ 7
Oh, indeed!
FDL!!! And single digits?
Damn! Foul-mouthed fem bloggers!!
The reporter at the Portland Press Herald who wrote the story about Collins being stalked: I wrote him or her (I don’t remember the byline offhand) earlier today. I don’t need to say this to Mainers, but folks who are not may not be aware that Maine campaigns are generally civilized and not particularly partisan. We elected two independent governors over the last 40 years for a reason.
This is very much out of keeping with the tone of a statewide Maine campaign, which is what I wrote to the reporter. I did not know that this person is a staffer. That makes it still worse.
I don’t see how Lance keeps his job.
FDL is foulmouthed? Have they been taking grammar lessons from Dick Cheney?
Very impressive.
Like any other republicans attempting to cover their lame ass, I’m sure Collins will say Dutson just misspoke.
Go Fem Bloggers! We all love you.
Thank you for making such great statements to Susan Collins. It should be easy for her to give a heartfelt apology considering her “civil campaign” pronouncement.
Hang tough, that’s for sure.
This is what it looks like, Dems.
PURRfect! Now this is smart politics - to say nothing of just plain smart.
Question: A couple of days ago someone wrote in that people with video cameras were following Susan C. and that they had clobbered girl scouts (?) and children. I assumed it was a troll who was writing in. Have they been pushing this line too?
Go FDL! Go Jane, Pach, Christie, Trex and all! And make sure all the dems hear about it!
-ck- @ 13
In his case it is “noble” foul-mouthed language.
game on, susan.
Siun @ 6
Atta girl, Siun!
Now this is thinking like Red Auerbach. Love it.
But, but, ya’ll are foul-mouthed fem bloggers…!!! *g*
1,568 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizens Hamsher, Hardin Smith and all the Firepup Patriots:
EEEEE… DOGIES!!! Now THAT’s what I’m talkin’ about. There is one word to describe the FDL press release: perfect!
KEEP THE FAITH AND DO IT TO THEM BEFORE THEY GET ANOTHER CHANCE TO DO IT TO US!!!
Shouldn’t the Independent Senator from Connecticut condemn this sort of partisan, polarizing attack by the Collins campaign? Shouldn’t said Senator condemn this obvious “politics of division”?
Ghostman
The story of someone clobbering girl scouts, etc was silly … there were two different people tracking Collins at a parade - from from Iraq Summer who wanted to get Collins to answer some questions and one from the Maine Dems who were doing simple campaign tracking. Dutson apparently got offended….
then offensive
nice work, Siun!
Perhaps Keith Olbermann should get a copy as well?
I’ve been trying to access their website all day. I wonder if it’s down due to heavy traffic.
The best defense is a good offense. I love, love, love the statement.
Siun, the “hatespeech” link at the end of your post links to the FDL post earlier today instead of dutson’s website.
Cleaning house one New England state at a time? This is feeling mighty familiar, almost like a Joementum/Dangerstein situation. Hopefully Susan Collins will do the right thing, but if she chooses to back Dutson and his ranting then she’s probably not going to like the fight she has on her hands.
Don’t mistake us for fowl-mouthed… that would be a special title reserved for Cheneys hunting partners.
Eureka Springs @ 33
And Scarecrow.
We must do here what we are insisting the Democrats do - make it as difficult as possible for this type of Republican to do what Bush has taught them all to do.
Saying it doesn’t make it so AND we will not sit passively by while we wait for the truth to emerge.
Republicans have counted on the passive faith in the truth-shall-set-us-free approach. They simply state lie after lie after lie until the truth is buried and sputters out.
Truth can’t do anything at all unless it is spoken, lived, fought for, and sometimes, used as a sword.
Nice work! But shouldn’t you have slipped a few obscenities into the Release? I mean you have a reputation to uphold… /sarcasm/
I am proud to be a Firepup.
It must be lunch time and my sugar level has dropped. My patience is ebbing. Unlike Cheney and Chertoff, I bleed, perspire and need normal food.
retirin’ in five @ 35
Quack?
Seamus - we wanted to point folks to Jamie’s earlier post which was so good.
Thanks for checking it out.
SeamusD at 31 — I think Siun did that because the Collins’ campaign website is down at the moment. Since we had a screen-grab of one of the offensive comments, you at least get a taste of what was allowed to stay up there for more than twelve hours before their site was either overtaken with a lot of traffic or pulled (they haven’t as yet announced what happened to their website, so we don’t know what is going on with their end of things…).
Right on!
I’m really proud of Jane, Christy, and all the others. FDL is fighting back!
So far today this Datson kook took down his blog– or was told to take it down– and fundraising for Tom Allen has gone through the roof. DWT has two pieces up on Collins’ assault on FDL, one by me at 8AM and another by Ken at 9AM. At 8AM we had 273 contributors to Allen’s site. Last time I looked we were up to 286. Blue America is far and away his biggest online supporter in terms of numbers of donors and amounts of money. It’s driving Lieberman insane– and I’m not being hyperbolic. I had a phone call this morning.
QuakerGirl @ 21
And he said it “felt good,” so that must make it okay. Conservatives are always telling us “if it feels good, do it,” right?
puppethead @ 31
It seems that our man Lance Dutson has had some legal problems of his own for shooting of his foul mouth. Susan C certainly knows how to pick people:
http://belowthefold.typepad.co.....ons_l.html
People here sometimes use emphatic, earthy language. But commenters and posters at this blog have enriched the English language as much as if not more than any other progressive blog. There’s a doctoral thesis out there on this somewhere, eh, punaise?
howie at 43 — hehehehehehe Well, that’s something anyway. *G*
Nice, no warning shot over the bow, just a direct hit!
Great job Siun!
howieklein @ 44
Ooh, ooh, tell us more!
Right on, Ladies!
I’ll bet Dutson’s nose is still hurting.
The Dems could learn a thing or two about self-respect from the leadership of this blog!
Christy Hardin Smith @ 42
Maybe they can call the people who ran Joe Lieberman’s 2006 campaign website for some technical assistance?
Redshift @ 51
LOL! There really isn’t much more– just an insider calling to laugh and tell me I was right about how this would make Lieberman nuts. He thinks we don’t like him.
Oh ET!
SMACK!
foul-mouthed FEM BLOG? well, there is a little foul language here and there, that is true, but fem blog??????
no, i don’t think so……most definitely not. (bring on the gong show error sound…..)
ever notice when insecure people get nervous or are afraid that they attack someone with name-calling and disparaging remarks? that seems to be happening a lot lately.
just shows you’re having an effect jane, et al……and having an effect is what you’re trying to do, so, you must be doing something right!
your other motive that i have gathered is to educate, and that you do equally as well…….
so, shine your boots and keep on kickin’ your heels, you all rate high on my fine people scale. i love what you all are doing and spend a lot of time being informed here and i’m PARTICULAR about where i spend my time……..
Christy Hardin Smith @ 40
Some mysterious virus not of their making done to make them look bad.
More of this!!! Brava/Bravo
scarecrow @ 39
Sorry, my bad. Googled definition. Of course, if I’m eating crow over my hasty comment, wouldn’t that fit the definition? Nevermind.
howieklein @ 54
Well - Duh.
Howie! what great news!
I really hope everyone will join in to support Allen … we need to get any Senator who employs this kind of nut out of government.
scarecrow @ 40
And me.
Ghostman @ 27
I think that’s a very good point, ghostman.
I chipped in for Allen when I read Jamie’s post. I hope this helps him get his message out.
Per Howie’s comments, Lance Dutson is probably the best thing that’s happened to Tom Allen in the last couple of days–and also to FDL.
Poll: Dole vulnerable on Iraq
Just think how badly they would lose to a brand-name Democratic candidate.
Damn! Forgot about Raven! (Yo, bro, forty years ago entering last week of AIT at Ft. Leonard Wood.)
I know I, for one, am not “foulmouthed.”
I’m epithetically enhanced.
From the wiki on profanity:
I loves all you motherfuckers!
btw, I am bringing this forward, for obvious reasons, from a prior thread:
August 15th, 2007 at 11:48 am
Collins site is down, this is obviously some sort of hack from liberals, always attacking people for censorship except when YOU do it. you people sicken me and need to re-education to stop hating our constitution and America! Bush is a true christian warrior and when future people look back will be remembered as a hero!!!!!
dont censor this comment fdl, there is nothing offensive, just opinion, just like th last one you deleted, further proving my point.
Wrong. No, we did not. The site was either configured ineptly and could not handle the substantial traffic that Dutson brought on himself and on Sen. Collins with his asinine stunt. Or they have taken it down themselves.
Do not make accusations without the proof to back them up, or you make yourself look like a loon. And, for the record, bearing false witness is a sin.
Watertiger … we are never “foul” …energetic, impassioned, colorful … but foul?
Great job Suin!
Reason one gazzilion and ten that I love this place.
JF @ 66
We so need a candidate to take on Dole. She is loaded with campaign cash from Big Business interests but vulnerable as a quintessential rubber stamp.
retirin’ in five @ 67
Dang, Lost in the Woods in August, hot as it was in Munsani!
I’m proud of you all for speaking up.
Looks like more Rightoric: up is down, black is white, yadayada.
Firedoglake is my favorite blog. I like the news, the analysis, the fairness, the detail, and the dedication to truth and accuracy. (Oh, and also, the humor.)
I am an elderly Southern lady for whom courtesy is an essential part of life. I would characterize the language on Firedoglake as modern American.
I’m always checking out conservative blogs in an attempt to find some reasonable dialog. So far I have found only one that is perhaps a possibility. But the language of most conservative blogs and their commentors is extremely coarse and ad hominem.
Though I live far from Maine, I’m now going to send Tom Allen a small check.
More on Dutson. The case was dropped. But he was referred to by the Boston Globe as a “hyperopinionated blogger”
http://skinnymoose.com/network/?page_id=163
Y’all are some cool chicks!! Am I allowed to say that?
Enjoy.
OT Deborah Pryce retiring
Christy Hardin Smith @ 70
Wrong. No, we did not. The site was either configured ineptly and could not handle the substantial traffic that Dutson brought on himself and on Sen. Collins with his asinine stunt. Or they have taken it down themselves.
Do not make accusations without the proof to back them up, or you make yourself look like a loon.
Remids me of a certain candidate for Senate in a certain northeastern state on a certain election day.
Mayfly! thank you!
Another sign that we are winning and that the Republicans are feeling unnerved and under pressure.
Your are interfering with the “canned”idate message machine!
They will try anything to stop the flow of critical analysis.
Good job, Firedoglake. Fight back! Shower them with truth and principle and progressive values.
I just started reading this blog, and I have to say that you are ‘NOT THE FOUL MOUTHED FEMALE BLOG’ that Collins is talking about. Just because the truth is kind of ‘foul- mouthed’ you call it like it is. The truth stinks, and you’re just calling it like it is. I dislike immensely what is going on in OUR country today. I am really scared because nobody seems to be doing anything. It really is up to us, what is the first thing to do? I wrote to Pelosi, and she sent me back a two sentence reply saying that I should get a hold of my Congressmen. Isn’t she MY speaker too?? I just don’t get it, it feels like I woke up on another planet or somewhere I’ve never been before. Thanks for letting me rant.
OT to Raven — it was great to be young. It sucked to where we were then.
There is nothing that freaks out Republicans (both the males and female) more that intelligent women who stick up for themselves and don’t take any B.S. Its hits them right in their core because it goes against their entire worldview. A worldview that is comprised of social dominators and the dominated. We, both male and female, are nether, we don’t want to dominate anyone but that doesn’t mean we’ll take and B.S. either.
WT, I *am* foulmouthed, so it’s cool.
they’re still pissed that the Allen campaign got all those donations when Joltin’ Joe came and campaigned for Collins.
Is that DD character still around? That guy pissed me off…
Not. One. Step. Back.
Dow closing: -167.45
Nice post: and to think that occasional poster DWD brought you this news. Why my heart just flutters (in a manly way of course.)
(Honestly, when I read that yesterday, I giggled. The attack was so amateurish that it did nothing but elicit humor on my part. If anything, this blog is the antithesis of the foul-mouthed blog. And though it is somewhat of a feminine place, it is not entirely so and that is fine: it is what I expect to find here . . . but it does just show to go you: at the Kos Convention it was all middle aged white guys. . . I guess, when they want to hurt someone, then it is “foul mouthed fem bloggers.” I guess you just cannot please everyone!)
Tim Fuller @ 78
I am not woman! Hear me roar!
Heh. The women here rock.
Caesar @ 79
OMG!!! That is huge! Do you have a source?
Christy Hardin Smith @ 70
Wrong. No, we did not. The site was either configured ineptly and could not handle the substantial traffic that Dutson brought on himself and on Sen. Collins with his asinine stunt. Or they have taken it down themselves.
Do not make accusations without the proof to back them up, or you make yourself look like a loon.
To gods warrior
That’s what you get when you use faith-based server management. If you repigs ever get out of the 15th century, maybe you’ll figure it out.
LS @ 86
jeez, is this ever going to end?
howieklein @ 91
The Hill
retirin’ in five @ 84
Yep, surrounded by people and lonesome. But, then again, I wouldn’t trade some of the friendships that I eventually had. Quite and education for a wise ass drop-out from the Chicago burbs.
Right wingnuts are always quick to point the finger when their inept sites go down.
NorskeFlamethrower @ 26
Originally from Massapequa myself.
Turns out the mine czar was a Bush recess appointment that couldn’t even be approved by the 109th.
OldCoastie @ 93
Everything dies
baby that’s a fact
but everything that dies
some day will come back
BTW,
This is my first time at FDL so may I just say; you go girl.
I’ve added you to my bookmarks.
I’m probably going to get smacked for this, but maybe putting Jane out in front wasn’t such a hot idea. The whole “Lieberman in black face” issue is going to come screaming out of the grave now.
Christy Hardin Smith @ 68
Wrong. No, we did not. The site was either configured ineptly and could not handle the substantial traffic that Dutson brought on himself and on Sen. Collins with his asinine stunt. Or they have taken it down themselves.
Do not make accusations without the proof to back them up, or you make yourself look like a loon. And, for the record, bearing false witness is a sin.
Once again, a Rightard rears one’s grammatically and factually challenged head up, eh???
1,568 DAYZ AND THE KILLIN’ GOEZ ON AND ON AND..
Citizen Retirin’ In Five:
Hey man…didja do yer basic at Leonard Wood too? I was in C-2-2 from the end of Febrary ‘66 to June, went to AIT at Fort Sam Huston then on to Walter Reed…landed in-country in Decmber ‘66.
Peace on ya and your family, brother.
KEEP THE FAITH AND PASS THE AMMUNITION, THEY AIN’T DONE WITH US YET!!
great press release, Siun.
Attack attack attaaaaaack!
At the very least you hit back with zest and style.
Well done.
Every time Susan Collins mentions FDL it’s great PR and adds $$$ to Tom Allen’s coffers. Let’s just go ahead and have the debate about the role of the so-called shrill and distempered blogosphere.
Come and find out why we’re so pissed off. Newcomers will be pissed too if they aren’t already.
It’s all good as far as I’m concerned.
Bring it on Rethugs!
Pach:
BTW, thanks for the clarification at the tail-end of the last thread.
Tom at 99 — It has never gone away. And you show me one person in politics who has never made a mistake. Just one. This is Jane’s website, and she has done a helluva lot of good with it — no hiding, no way, not ever.
howieklein @ 91
www.openleft.com/frontPage.do
NorskeFlamethrower @ 102
Ft Campbell here, then Knox, then Korea, not till Oct 68 for the Nam.
East Germany? Or the formerly-free United States of America?
Senator Joseph Lieberman, July 26, 2007, speaking on the Senate floor in boastful praise of the just-passed 9/11 Recommendations Conference Report:
Lieberman’s partner in crime, Maine’s Senator Susan Collins, July 26, 2007, also speaking on the floor near the midnight hour, on the same topic:
http://thomas.loc.gov/r110/r110.html
I couldn’t believe my ears when I heard these words spoken live, and now after the gutting of FISA, I had to look them up to make sure I heard what I thought I did, after seeing absolutely zero coverage or commentary anywhere in the media or blogs about this provision. [Tom Allen, please take note.]
And now Susan Collins can’t handle a little videotaping and observation of her actions at her public campaign rallies and municipal parade photo-ops..?! American citizens ought to haunt the public movements of the Democratic Party leadership, and of Susan Collins, and Lieberman, and Kyl, if only to let them know what constant monitoring and suspicion feels like - they’ve approvingly and eagerly helped to subject the rest of us to far worse invasions of privacy committed by our government’s unchecked and secret police powers, even in our private phone calls and emails, so why should they be allowed to exempt themselves from such “unwarranted surveillance” by mere citizens and constituents at public events?