PURGE OF MELE BEGINS. As well it should. The New Organizing Institute (a "grassroots training and research program created by experienced online organizers...in conjunction with MoveOn.org") just announced it has "removed Nicco Mele from its Advisory Board after learning that Mele will be supporting John McCain if he should run for president." It is important that someone is taking the lead in drawing the line against progressive support for McCain, and I hope more progressive organizations follow. NOI went on to add, "Senator McCain's record is radically out-of-step with the values of most Americans�and certainly inconsistent with the values of the NOI." Indeed. As McCain's campaign picks up steam, there is going to be a temptation for some progressive reformers to lose their minds and support him for the same lame quasi-character-based reasons Mele gives: "[his] work on campaign finance reform and his independent streak." I've always been perplexed by this obsession good-government types have with campaign finance reform and certain other reforms like non-partisan redistricting. Some people are clearly willing to throw their progressive values on social and economic issues overboard in their rabid support of reforms that may actually help Republicans (e.g., banning soft money while raising the personal contribution limit, instituting non-partisan redistricting in California with no promise that Texas will do the same.) As Matt pointed outyesterday, when it comes to a McCain presidency, this trade-off is just ridiculous.
--Ben Adler
