Here is a taste of what some of the nation’s most prominent liberal journalists told supporters at a Monday panel in "The Big Tent," a venue for bloggers in Lower Downtown Denver provided by a trio of liberal activist groups.
SirotaProgress Ohio/Flickr
Paul Krugman – New York Times Columnist
Krugman advocated for universal health care, saying that the system doesn’t have to be perfect, but the government just needs to get one in place. “People who get universal health care – they will love it too,” he said. “Within a year after a universal health care system comes into existence it will become untouchable. It will become something that is as American as apple pie.”
Arianna Huffington – former Republican, editor-in-chief of HuffingtonPost.com
Huffington focused on the unreliability of swing voters, urging that presumed Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama target the 83 million eligible voters who did not vote in 2004. She also argued that “people vote their fear” and accused Republicans of fear mongering.
David Sirota – Columnist, Journalist
Sirota, known for frequent sparring with libertarian Denver Post columnist David Harsanyi, spoke about change. “You see a country that is ready to create a political mandate,” he said. “And we have an American history that suggests we need a political mandate for change.” Sirota argued that politicians will only adjust their behavior if the pressure for “change” remains after the election. “The way power works is that political movements change the political topography,” he added.