It’s just so fun! Because no longer are we in the days of bemoaning the right-wing media echochamber–we’re seeing the effectiveness of the progressive network-powered media system! Patrick Ruffini graces us with his analysis.

More often than not, the process goes something like this: a Daily Kos diarist posts something, which is then on Olbermann the next night. Pseudo-journalistic outfits like TPM start making phone calls, which gives the guys at Politico just enough cover to start get in on the action, making it an MSM story, embroling the targeted Republican and forcing them to respond. In Palin’s case, sick Daily Kos rumors were given enough credence to precipitate the disclosure of her daughter’s pregnancy, which itself became a pretty big national story.

The left’s latest search-and-destroy mission is against Bobby Jindal, centering on the segment in Jindal’s speech where he talked about commisserating with the late Sheriff Harry Lee about bureaucratic bungling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Um–btw, Mr. Ruffini–I think TPM has proven itself to be a fine and credible journalism organization. They don’t hide their political preference (it’s called transparency dude), but they have proven themselves to be accurate and have dug up important facts on stories (i.e. U.S. Attorney’s Scandal) to cement their legitimacy. They happen to be smart enough to follow leads from the millions of people who are paying attention to politics and follow-up on those leads. If not true–they don’t publish.. Simple, simple.

Ruffini goes on:

In case you’re expecting me to bemoan this as the birth of left-wing hack journalism, that’s where I part company. This is exactly how an ideologically-oriented newsgathering operation / noise machine / echo chamber should work. The real threat here is not what all of you were booing in Tucker Carlson’s speech at CPAC. The New York Times is merely marketing refined gasoline at the pump. The place where it’s being drilled, refined, and transported is in the blogosphere, where the likes of Daily Kos and TPM tease out initial leads that are too hot for the NYT.

In case you’re expecting me to bemoan this as the birth of left-wing hack journalism, that’s where I part company. This is exactly how an ideologically-oriented newsgathering operation / noise machine / echo chamber should work. The real threat here is not what all of you were booing in Tucker Carlson’s speech at CPAC. The New York Times is merely marketing refined gasoline at the pump. The place where it’s being drilled, refined, and transported is in the blogosphere, where the likes of Daily Kos and TPM tease out initial leads that are too hot for the NYT.

“Teasing out initial leads that are too hot for the NYT.” Yes–it’s called journalism and reporting.

Ruffini’s last comment, “The right needs a serious investigative capacity to channel raw information in politically important directions. Op-eds and Fox hits don’t add value.” On that, we’ll agree. Everyone needs serious investigative capacity-no matter the political ideology. We need to hold those in power accountable, and if you’re corrupt-well-get out.

And one last point of agreement–Fox doesn’t add value.