There's a big brouhaha going on today in the left blogosphere about the reported firing by the John Edwards campaign of two liberal bloggers because some right-wing shit-heads didn't like the content of some of their previous posts. One of the bloggers in question, Amanda Marcotte is a long-time favorite of mine. I used to read her back when she had her own little blog called Mouse Words and then I followed her over to the group blog Pandagon a couple of years ago. She's young, liberal, sexual, atheist, feminist, intelligent and outspoken. In short she's everything that drives nails up the collective ass of conservatives. Hell, as the father of two girls on the threshold of puberty, some of the things she writes even make me a little uncomfortable. Especially when it comes to the idea that women should be allowed to have sex for the sheer fun of having sex without being looked down upon just like men do. It's not that I disagree with this concept, in fact I completely agree with Amanda here. It's just that thoughts of my daughters walking that particular walk make me feel all icky. I hope I'm man enough not to just dump the whole thing in my wife's lap and spend several years studiously looking the other way, because given the choice, I would much rather see my daughters grow up to be independent thinkers like Amanda Marcotte than some religious conservatives' dutiful baby-makers.

I didn't even know Amanda Marcotte was working for the Edwards campaign and now, if the story is true, she's already been fired, and presumably for the very same reason she was hired. That is, for being a liberal blogger. The crazy conservative right could have worked themselves into a tizzy over something written in the past by pretty much any liberal blogger. They would have a fucking stroke over what I think of them. Anyway, I went over to the John Edwards campaign website to see what I could find out and maybe post a comment. I had to register and I'm still waiting for confirmation before I can comment, but a lot of people are telling him the same thing I wanted to. Basically that if he caves to the right wing on a trivial issue like this right off the bat, then his campaign is dead on arrival. I thought trial lawyers were supposed to be scrappers. We'll see.

UPDATE: It looks like they are not going to be fired, at least for now. Edwards has released a rather tepid statement of cautious support and the the two bloggers have issued the standard political non-apology apology. Edwards still comes off looking weak because he waited so long to answer the right-wing attack dogs and when he did finally respond, he didn't give them the smack-down they deserved. It doesn't bode well for his candidacy. This is the same right-wing noise machine that in 2004 convinced a lot of voters that a genuine, decorated war hero was in fact a coward while at the same time promoting a guy who dodged the same war as a steely-eyed savior of all things good and decent. This little attack was nothing compared to what they will pull if Edwards begins to look like he has a real shot at the Democratic nomination. He needs to grow some sac if he's in this race for the long haul.

2ND UPDATE: I've been too busy to follow this story, but now both bloggers have resigned. Probably one of those "for the good of the campaign" bullshit resignations. Regardless, John Edwards is no longer even on my radar as a possible candidate I would vote for. Amanda has a good post up featuring some of the hate-mail she's received recently.