Farewell. The Flying Pig Has Left The Building.

Steve Hynd, August 16, 2012

After four years on the Typepad site, eight years total blogging, Newshoggers is closing it's doors today. We've been coasting the last year or so, with many of us moving on to bigger projects (Hey, Eric!) or simply running out of blogging enthusiasm, and it's time to give the old flying pig a rest.

We've done okay over those eight years, although never being quite PC enough to gain wider acceptance from the partisan "party right or wrong" crowds. We like to think we moved political conversations a little, on the ever-present wish to rush to war with Iran, on the need for a real Left that isn't licking corporatist Dem boots every cycle, on America's foreign misadventures in Afghanistan and Iraq. We like to think we made a small difference while writing under that flying pig banner. We did pretty good for a bunch with no ties to big-party apparatuses or think tanks.

Those eight years of blogging will still exist. Because we're ending this typepad account, we've been archiving the typepad blog here. And the original blogger archive is still here. There will still be new content from the old 'hoggers crew too. Ron writes for The Moderate Voice, I post at The Agonist and Eric Martin's lucid foreign policy thoughts can be read at Democracy Arsenal.

I'd like to thank all our regular commenters, readers and the other bloggers who regularly linked to our posts over the years to agree or disagree. You all made writing for 'hoggers an amazingly fun and stimulating experience.

Thank you very much.

Note: This is an archive copy of Newshoggers. Most of the pictures are gone but the words are all here. There may be some occasional new content, John may do some posts and Ron will cross post some of his contributions to The Moderate Voice so check back.


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Saturday, April 26, 2008

A letter to Obama

By Libby



Well since everybody else seems to be telling Obama what to do, I figure I may as well offer my two cents worth of free advice.



Dear Barack:



You've come a long way in this race. Beyond all early expectation you've become the frontrunner in the race for the White House. Chances are good that you will be the next president of the United States. Let go of the underdog persona and start acting like a winner.



By that I mean, and I try to live by this rule myself, don't explain. It's so rarely necessary. When McCain demands you apologize for Ayers -- ignore him. When Hillary Clinton demands you have another debate -- just say no. The losing candidate always wants more debates but believe me, nobody else does.



Ignore the polls and take charge of the narrative. Act like a leader. Just tell the people how you're going to fix what the GOP has broken. The chattering classes will cluck but they couldn't be more out of touch with the real world. Don't react to your critics, direct the dialogue instead. The average voter doesn't care about the wonkery, they want hope. Make those inspirational speeches again and give them some.



Sincerely,



Libby Spencer



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6 comments:

  1. expatbrianApril 26, 2008 at 12:53 PM

    Good one, Libby. It is time for Obama to take control of this process and that means directing the action instead of reacting to it. I think this man has the capability of being one of the great ones even starting in the deep hole that he will inherit.

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  2. LibbyApril 26, 2008 at 1:18 PM

    I don't know about being a great one Brian, but I think he'll do alright. Besides, he's winning by the rules and I think he needs to start owning it.

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  3. BlogDApril 26, 2008 at 3:19 PM

    Good advice. But it's "Barack."

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  4. distributorcapApril 26, 2008 at 11:44 PM

    he definitely needs to take a little control --- and while not loose the nice guy/above the fray image --- a little more edginess would help.
    like brian i think he offers a lo t-- but the media absolutely wants to tear him down

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  5. LibbyApril 27, 2008 at 1:57 AM

    Oops. Thanks for catching the spelling error BlogD.
    DCap - that's the trick. He needs to show his strength but without getting mired down in the muck of old politics mudslinging or risk losing his whole message of change.

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  6. raymond neztsosieJanuary 17, 2009 at 3:02 PM

    Dear Elected President Obama,
    I am a Native Navajo(Dine) from State of Arizona. I believe every American citizen have a concern or an issue of their own that they want to bring to your attention before your Inauguration. As an indigenous Nation, we want our vice to be heard in Washington D.C. and the White House.
    Becoming President, I praise you that you,re going to make a change in America and that you'll listen to us, too.
    Right now, our American Indian Religious Freedom Act(AIRFA) of 1994 is overlooked in U. S. Circuit courts. We need your help. We want our Washington to understand us that we have a belief, our ways, we live by and they are been destroyed.

    ReplyDelete

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