Markos Moulitsas Znia founded his blog DailyKos.com in May 2002. With more than a million visitors each day, it is one of the most popular blogs in the nation. Moulitsas was in Salt Lake City recently to promote his new book Crashing the Gate co-written with Jerome Armstrong.
nnWhy are Democrats losing races?
nnWe have to give people a reason to vote for the Democrats. The best we can do right now is, “We don’t suck as bad as the Republicans.” ? The Democrats will win short term because the other side screwed up. ? But long term, we’ve got to build the institutions. The Republicans have an idea machine, a media machine and a party machine that sells the ideas to the people. The Democrats need to become an idea machine.
nnWhat do you think Democrats stand for?
nnRepublicans represent individualism while the Democrats represent fairness, opportunities, investing in people. It’s values. We try to get people with what’s in our heads but it’s emotion'what’s in our hearts'that wins votes. These are our values: the core American value is fairness.
nnWho’s likely to become 2008 Democratic presidential contenders?
nnRight now my best guess is [former Virginia Gov.] Mark Warner. He is a Democrat who is not afraid to be a Democrat. However, if [Montana Gov.] Brian Schweitzer were to run, I’d quit my job and move to Montana. ? I love Russ Feingold but his two divorces are a problem. He has a perception of leadership. People can disagree with you on every issue but if they see you as a leader, they’ll elect you.
nnWhat’s on the horizon for you?
nnI want to build institutions called Democracy Centers'social spaces where people can organize. They’re megachurches for the left; I want to build a network around the country. The first center will be in San Francisco. In the daytime, it’s a social center: coffee shop, art gallery, a place for outings, math tutoring, a community center; at nighttime, it’s a bar. People come for the services and go out voting Democratic.
