Faced with internal division, liberal website clamps down on Obama criticism

By: Casey Cheney
Washington Examiner
Jul. 09, 2010

With a Democrat in the White House whose approval ratings have fallen well below 50 percent, liberal websites are entering some new territory--how to handle users who are reliably liberal but are not fans of President Barack Obama.

Case in point is Democratic Underground (aka DU), a liberal discussion forum started in 2001 that, up until recently, was united in its hatred for former president George W. Bush. But now that many Democrats have withdrawn their support of Obama, DU responded last week with regulations on how its users may express opinions about the current occupant of the Oval Office and Democrats generally.

It turns out Democratic Underground is a safe haven for all Democrats too faithful to their party to say anything beyond "constructive criticism" of Obama or other Democrats in office. The last thing they need is another voice telling them that maybe Obama should have factored hurricanes into the oil cleanup plans. Oh, and don't you dare think about calling our president "Barry."

"Forget about criticizing Obama," warned PJ Gladnick, Examiner Opinion Zone blogger and operator of a blog called "DUmmie FUnnies" which pokes fun at Democratic Underground members.

So, if you suggest "that a particular point of view is required in order to be a Democrat, liberal, or progressive," call someone a conservative, make a comment that's "too rhetorically hot, too divisive, too extreme, or too inflammatory," prepare to be booted

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