Newscoma

The Nashville Scene’s Pith in the Wind posts a democratic insider’s take on blogs and the TNDP this morning.

Blogs are fueling the controversy and making matters much worse for Freeman. Actually, you could say blogs and their commenters have created Freeman’s troubles. “In a normal world without the Internet, I wouldn’t know any of this was even happening,” one insider says. “There might have been some muttering or something. But damn, now I’m getting emails from somebody in Knoxville who’s gotten an email from somebody in Memphis who’s been reading it on the Scene’s website, and all of a sudden there’s all this trash out there. There’s just reams of. I don’t think Freeman or Forrester ever expected that this would blow up.”

No, Freeman and Forrester didn’t expect this but it’s not like folks haven’t been telling Forrester since he was elected in as Executive Director.

The blogosphere is what it is. And they are going to be critical at times and praise at times. Anyone on any side of the political bench needs to know that we live in a world filled with social media, blog posts about the here and now and an email system where people are talking nonstop about their passions. In this case, it’s progressive politics.

There are two ways to go here. Embrace it and see it as a way for communicating to the folks who are going to be working with you. Or alienate them.

I’d go with door number one if I was the TNDP and learn some quick social media skills ASAP.

And with that said, the days of the Yes person are coming to an end. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

H/T Kleinheider