The CotoBuzz Journal, Community Journalism

The CotoBuzz Journal

Community Journalism, Newsletters and Blogs Covering South Orange County, CA

The CotoBuzz Journal is a member of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and NAHJ

August 2007 Issue

We do not make jokes, we simply watch the LA Times, the Orange County Register and the Coto de Caza Board of directors and report the facts!

Osama, Chelsea’s Mama, Obama, A do that Screams Whoa Bubba, and a Liberal Blogorama

August 5, 2007

Kos, Kos is not your average cous cous, but there are various similarities. Cous cous is a species of pasta originating in North Africa. Rather than being in the form of noodles or extruded shapes, cous cous is granular. The raw pieces are roughly the size of coarse sugar grains. What some people find most appealing about cous cous, is its versatility. Once you have the basic recipe down, the things, which cous cous will do, are limited only by your imagination, provided your imagination stretches no further than variants of the rice pilaf/pilau idea.

Kos on the other hand, is a type of species originating in the Liberal Coast, in the form of nuts, flakes and fruits. The raw pieces of their 20 billions or so neurons are the size of a cous cous grain, and just like the cous cous, Kos is also known for its versatility: Immediately after the Fox News Network announced plans to host an August 2007 Democratic Debate in Reno, Nevada, the Kossovites decided to issue “50 demerits for any Democrat who participates in a debate sponsored by the conservative machine’s propaganda arm…..Oh, and a slap in the face to the Nevada Democratic Party for ever thinking this was a good idea”

On the heels of the CNN/YouTube 2007 Presidential Democratic Debate, “Organized by the liberal blog Daily Kos, the event has brought together hundreds of bloggers, journalists, party insiders and Democratic presidential candidates for a three-day wonk-fest of panels, speeches and what promise to be beer-soaked parties”, reads an article by Wall Street Journalist Amy Schatz, published August 3, 2007, titled Blogger Event Draws Democrats Candidates Court Liberal Support, but It's No Guarantee of Success. In the article, Ms Schatz describes an on-going feud between Fox News talk-show host Bill O'Reilly and the liberal blog Kos “Calling Daily Kos a "vicious far-left Web site," Mr. O'Reilly spent a segment of his broadcast attacking the blog and asking why the conference's lone major corporate sponsor, JetBlue Airways Corp., would support a site that allows readers to post hateful comments”. Ms Schatz adds “Daily Kos bloggers -- its staff of editors and their many readers/contributors -- took offense at Mr. O'Reilly's attack, and a war of words broke out”

Yesterday, Democratic presidential candidates fielded questions from a crowd of the 1,500 or so Kos crowd. Typical responses were: “In 90 seconds, I don't have the time to tell you all the mistakes I made” – Hilary Clinton, referring to her tenure during the Clinton administration. Senator Obama has made headlines recently with not only about his naiveté about foreign policy (willingness to meet with dictators such as Castro, without pre-conditions), but also about his lack of knowledge about world geography (would invade Pakistan, cutting off supply routes to Afghanistan). Edwards continued with his “I am also running, look at my hair do” attacks.

Just like the CNN/You Tube, whether you liked or not, the Kos Convention is a sign of the times. Ms. Schatz writes about the O’Reilly-Kos feud: “The episode underscores how important the writer-activists have become to the Democratic Party -- and how much this weekend's Daily Kos get-together illustrates the trend. Liberal bloggers now routinely get invited to campaign events to meet candidates, they receive press credentials and sometimes are given exclusive information during briefings and blogger conference calls”

This is where we differ with Ms Schatz – The CotoBuzz Journal did not get a press pass, did not get an invite and otherwise was ignored by the Kossovite crowd!