Twenty-two years ago, a frustrated and angry me sat down to a computer screen—a Bondi blue iMac (remember those?)—and wrote my first blog post on Daily Kos. I still had a day job, so instead of using my real name, I opted for my army nickname, “Kos,” to mask my playing hooky during work hours. Don’t worry, I still got my work done. And when I finally came clean to my boss a year later, he told me it was okay as long as no one else found out. I still love that guy.
I’ve lived a lifetime in those 22 years: got married, settled down, had two amazing kids, got divorced, started over, saw my first child follow my lead by serving his country in uniform (his Army nickname is “Frenchie,” don’t ask me why), and my daughter will soon be a high school senior. I know so many of you remember my kids from their very beginning. For a lot of you, it’s been a shared journey.
And during that entire time, Daily Kos grew from a blog post that makes me cringe today (it’s down below), and this site and its community grew and flourished, becoming a second home for so many.
For some community members living in red parts of the country, it became a lifeline to sanity before social media filled that role, connecting fierce liberals to others like them around the country. For others, it became a place to organize fellow travelers around Howard Dean, or Wesley Clark, or Barack Obama, or Hillary Clinton. For others, it might’ve been all that and a place to talk about pooties or gardening or the latest great book they had read.
Below the fold, I’ll share stories from some of the best writers who’ve made Daily Kos what it is—from Barack Obama, back when he was just a senator; from Elizabeth Warren, when we were working hard to send her to the Senate; from Nate Silver, when he was only known as poblano; and from the writers who started out in the comments—like Devilstower and Meteor Blades, mcjoan and Angry Mouse—and became front pagers and then staff. Join me on this walk down memory lane, as we mark yet another year in this crazy story that is Daily Kos.
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2002
Day 1, by kos
I am progressive. I am liberal. I make no apologies. I believe government has an obligation to create an even playing field for all of this country’s citizens and immigrants alike. I am not a socialist. I do not seek enforced equality. However, there has to be equality of opportunity, and the private sector, left to its own devices, will never achieve this goal.
2003
The Chickenhawks live up to their pejorative, by kos
But for now, back to politics. And specifically, those few special individuals in our planet that have earned the right to be called “chickenhawks”. You know the ones — be they politicians or pundits, eager to needlessly send off others to their deaths while they themselves sit safe and snug back home. These are also the same people who, when given the chance to carry a rifle on behalf of American ideals in the 60s and 70s, had “better things to do” than fight for American democracy.
So yeah — too chicken to wear combat boots, but eager to send others off to die. There’s a nice, special place in hell reserved for these asses.
2004
Precious, Precious Snark, by Hunter
Snark-related research has been severely curtailed by the Bush administration, and new snark supplies are nearly non-existent. …
Humor, and most specifically snark, is the only thing, some days, that makes politics bearable, and is one of the best things about our online community. We lost some great voices, in the crisis; they will be missed. At the same time, new voices stepped forward with snark untapped, and as such we, so far, have survived.
Let this thread act as tribute to the fallen, and a beacon of hope and defiance amongst those of us who remain. Together, we are strong.
And keep your snark dry. We’ll need it.
2005
Tone, Truth, and the Democratic Party, by Barack Obama
A plausible argument can be made that too much is at stake here and now, in terms of privacy issues, civil rights, and civil liberties, to give John Roberts the benefit of the doubt. That certainly was the operating assumption of the advocacy groups involved in the nomination battle.
I shared enough of these concerns that I voted against Roberts on the floor this morning. But short of mounting an all-out filibuster — a quixotic fight I would not have supported; a fight I believe Democrats would have lost both in the Senate and in the court of public opinion; a fight that would have been difficult for Democratic senators defending seats in states like North Dakota and Nebraska that are essential for Democrats to hold if we hope to recapture the majority; and a fight that would have effectively signaled an unwillingness on the part of Democrats to confirm any Bush nominee, an unwillingness which I believe would have set a dangerous precedent for future administrations — blocking Roberts was not a realistic option.
2006
The Constitution of the United States 2.0, by Mark Sumner (formerly Devilstower)
We the Republicans of the United States, in Order to prevent any challenge to our continued Supremacy, free ourselves from the Confines of Justice, placate the Tranquil masses, degrade the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of War Profiteering for ourselves and our Friends, do ordain and establish Constitution 2.0 for the United States of America.
2007
Is Obama now the frontrunner? On the importance of Iowa and New Hampshire., by poblano (aka Nate Silver)
Chris Bowers, using some of these same techniques, has concluded that Obama is now the plurality favorite to win the nomination. Chris has boiled this down into three questions:
Is Obama likely to win Iowa? Yes, probably.
If Obama wins Iowa, is he likely to win New Hampshire? Yes, probably.
If Obama wins New Hampshire, is he likely to win the nomination? Yes, probably.
I agree with Chris on his answers to each of these three questions. Obama is ahead in the Iowa polling averages right now, and the second-choice numbers might give him an extra point or two of cushion, so I think he’s the favorite to win that state. If Obama wins Iowa, he is the favorite to win New Hampshire. And if he wins New Hampshire, he is the favorite to win the nomination.
2008
Swiftboating, by John Kerry
I hate the term “Swiftboating.” I hate how the name of the boats we honored when we were in uniform in Vietnam has become a verb for the twisted politics of Karl Rove.
But today we need to fight the right wing’s tactics not just to reclaim a word, but to reclaim our democracy.
2009
What’s Really Pissing Me Off, by Meteor Blades
About five minutes after the Supreme Court ruled in Roe v. Wade, the anti-abortion forces began a war on the rights confirmed by that decision. But their molester-enabling, coathanger-selling, health-shattering, woman-hating, forced-pregnancy campaign was two-pronged, a direct assault but also an asymmetrical war, a nibble here, a nibble there.
And at every step of the way, some people who claimed they were pro-choice said that this little nibble or that little nibble wasn’t such a big deal. It only affected a small group of people or it was only the case rarely, we were told. The activists who challenged these nibbles were characterized as “hypersensitive,” “irrational,” and “over-reacting.” Not by their enemies. But by their supposed allies. …
Stupak-Pitts may only be another nibble, but it is the cumulative effect that matters. Eventually, lots of little nibbles equal the entire pie. Those who say our vigorous, uncompromising opposition to it is an irrational overreaction ought to be ashamed of themselves.
2010
The battle for 2012 starts NOW, by kos
But for once, let’s not win because the GOP screwed up royally. Let’s win because we find and support strong leadership. That starts at the top, and Obama has to step up. But it runs through the DNC (Bring Back Dean!). It runs through us as we help identify great new candidates for House and Senate races, as well as local races all the way down to school board.
The decimation of the Blue Dogs means that our own internal war will be quick and easy. It’s kind of hard to argue that Dems should move Right, when the Blue Dog caucus went from 54 members to 26 literally overnight. So sure, we’ll have to deal with Third Way‘s corporatist bullshit, but aside from that, we can focus on the important thing — and that’s beating back the Boehner House and the crazed teabaggers that have taken over the GOP.
I see them gloating today, and all I can think is, “bring it on, motherfuckers”. Because 2012 will be here sooner rather than later, and I can’t wait.
2011
The coming war on women, by Kaili Joy Gray (formerly Angry Mouse)
Even though President Obama has repeatedly stated his support for women’s reproductive health care, he has already compromised on those issues. And given that he has made clear his willingness to compromise on even his most fundamental principles, there is no way to know what further compromises Republicans will be able to extort, should they decide to again take the American people hostage.
Despite Republicans’ promises to re-dedicate the government to focusing on the “real” problems Americans face, it is abundantly clear that they are, in fact, dedicated to restoking the flames of the culture wars, with the battle to strip women of their reproductive rights front and center in that war. The real question is whether self-described pro-choice Democrats, including and especially the president, will have the strength to fight back. Because this is a war women can’t afford to lose.
2012
We built it together, by Elizabeth Warren
Coming out of the Great Depression, America was at a crossroads. The future of our economy – and our democracy – was at stake.
We made a decision together as a country: To invest in ourselves, in our kids, and in our future. For nearly half a century, that’s just what we did.
And it worked. For nearly 50 years, as our country got richer, our families got richer – and as our families got richer, our country got richer.
And then about 30 years ago, our country moved in a different direction. New leadership attacked wages. They attacked pensions. They attacked health care. They attacked unions. And now we find ourselves in a very different world from the one our parents and grandparents built. We are now in a world in which the rich skim more off the top in taxes and special deals, and they leave less and less for our schools, for roads and bridges, for medical and scientific research – less to build a future.
2013
Yes, There IS a Knowable Path to a House Majority: Redraw the Lines. Here’s How You Can Help!, by Stephen Wolf (formerly sawolf)
By now you’ve probably heard that last November, American voters chose to give Democrats control of the presidency and both chambers of congress in this past election. Wait, both chambers? No, Republicans maintained control of the House despite Democratic candidates receiving 1% more votes than Republicans. How could this possibly happen? Well thanks to gerrymandering, Republicans have an unfair advantage in the House of Representatives and were able to hold onto power when the public voted them out. Repeat after me, this is no different than when George W. Bush won the electoral college while losing the popular vote. The will of the people is being denied and Democrats need to WAKE THE F*CK UP and get angry the way we did after Republicans stole the election in 2000. Tell all of your Democratic and left leaning friends and even your annoying libertarian relatives that through legalized theft known as gerrymandering Republicans effectively ‘stole’ the House of Representatives.
2014
Hatred of Congress gets personal, by Joan McCarter (formerly mcjoan)
Sure, 74 percent of the population thinks Congress generally is pretty much a waste of time, but people have always complained about Congress, right? And while they bitch about it, they keep on re-electing their own representative.
“Throw those bums out, but my guy is okay,” has been the way it’s worked forever.
Well, maybe not anymore. This Congress has become so profoundly dysfunctional—and the results of that dysfunction so visible—that the new mood of the electorate seems to be “throw all the bums out.” That’s at least what a new Washington Post/ABC News poll suggests. For the first time ever, a majority of people don’t like their own representative.
2015
Ted Cruz is the biggest a**hole in America, by David Nir (formerly DavidNYC)
Joe Biden has suffered far, far more tragedy than anyone should ever have to endure in a lifetime. In 1972, just weeks after he first won election to the Senate, Biden’s wife and one-year-old daughter were killed in a car accident. Last week, his 46-year-old son Beau, who survived that same accident, died of brain cancer.
So fuck, fuck, fuck Ted Cruz forever for using this opportunity, as Beau lies in state, waiting to be buried on Saturday, to tell a cruel joke about his grieving father[.]
2016
We lick our wounds, we grieve, and then we fucking fight, by kos
Obviously I never saw this coming. All the Trump talk of a hidden vote unseen in the polling was apparently true, whether he intended it to be or not.
The next four years are going to fucking suck. All the progress we made the last eight years will be lost, and we’ll be starting from zero.
I ask one thing for now: please stop the talk about leaving the country. Conservatives suffered through eight years of Obama and never gave up. So why would you prove yourself weaker than those assholes?
We are stronger than they are, because we have the moral high ground. We don’t need to debase ourselves and support an asshole sexual predator. We don’t have to resort to hate and voter suppression to win. Our core voters aren’t dying off; they are growing. Arizona, Georgia, Texas are the future. The Rust Belt is … waning.
2017
Donald Trump is spending the majority of his time watching cable news, by Walter Einenkel
Being president of the United States of America is a tough job. It’s a very busy job with all kinds of very important responsibilities. President (Blech) Trump is someone who isn’t even good at his normal job of business man, and he has lucked his way into a much more serious job. But whether you believe Trump is a man of fascistic leanings (he is) or not (he is), you can believe that he isn’t particularly cut out for the work of the head of the Executive Branch of the United States of America.
2018
Rep. Trey Gowdy, the Inspector Javert of the Benghazi committee, will retire from House, by Jeff Singer (formerly Darth Jeff)
On Wednesday, GOP Rep. Trey Gowdy announced he would not seek re-election to South Carolina’s 4th Congressional District, a seat that backed Trump 60-34. Gowdy, who was a local solicitor (also known as district attorney) when he was elected in 2010, said in his statement said he would be “returning to the justice system,” though he didn’t give any details about what exactly that meant. Gowdy is best known for serving as chair of the Benghazi committee, which ostensibly existed to investigate the 2012 attack on the U.S. mission in Libya, but devoted its time to going after Hillary Clinton. Gowdy took over as chair of the House Oversight Committee last year after Utah Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who also enjoyed going after Clinton at every chance he got, resigned. Gowdy is the ninth chair to retire this year.
2019
Merry Christmas, f*&@ you: Senators get a surprise holiday greeting from Donald Trump, by Jen Hayden (formerly Scout Finch)
‘Tis the season! Loved ones are scrambling to complete last-minute shopping, children are singing their little hearts out in school holiday choirs, friends and co-workers are gathering around cheese plates, cookie trays, and the bar for after-work celebrations. It’s the time of year when we put our differences aside and rejoice in the holiday spirit together, right?
Well, it used to be. Now Donald Trump is president. And while he insists that he (and he alone) is responsible for people saying, “Merry Christmas” to one another (nobody ever stopped saying that this time of year), it seems the other messages of Christmas completely escape him. Case in point: his annual holiday card. It’s a time for an American president to send out a traditional greeting to supporters and his fellow public servants, including members of Congress. This year, he included a little something extra.
2020
Why did polling miss? An early theory, and other observations from this crazy election, by kos
In 2016, 63 million Americans voted for Donald Trump. Many of those were deplorables, as you’d expect. But some people took a look at how that piece of shit treated the White House and the American people, and flipped teams. They’re called “white college-educated suburban women.” And not all of them flipped! Not even a lot of them! But enough of them.
But here’s the thing: As of the latest count, 71 million Americans voted for that a-hole on Tuesday, and that will continue to grow as votes are counted. When all is said and done, about 10 million people who didn’t vote for him in 2016 took a gander at the past four years and though, “Yup, I wants me more of that!”
And those people didn’t vote on ideology. Just like Biden voters came out irrespective of his policy positions, Trump voters came out despite the GOP. They didn’t care about smaller government and lower taxes for billionaires and pretending to care about family values. And they didn’t care what Trump himself said—not about the number of TVs on Air Force One, and how poorly he was treated by everyone, and his multiple affairs, and admitting on tape that he lied to the nation about the pandemic, or anything else.
2021
‘I’m about to puke’: QAnon followers finally sickened by their own toxic sludge, by Kerry Eleveld
Forums of the conspiracy theory known as QAnon went berserk Wednesday as their delusional dreams dissolved into dust while the completely obvious took place: Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States.
Here’s what QAnon-ers expected to happen, according to NBC News reporter Ben Collins: Trump would use the Emergency Broadcasting System to announce the The Storm had arrived; Democrats would be rounded up and arrested; and Trump would be declared president. Q supporters had apparently bought CB radios for the blackout.
Well, rats! Instead, Biden is now president, and America’s legal system is getting ready to rain down comeuppance on Donald Trump.
2022
Sen. Kyrsten Sinema does it again, this time with blue sequins, by Laura Clawson (formerly Miss Laura)
It’s “Kyrsten Sinema wore what to a major Senate vote?” time again. …
It’s true that women in politics face challenges their male colleagues do not. There simply isn’t an option for women so accepted that it fades entirely into obscurity in the way a dark suit does for a man. But there are plenty of ways women can dress to avoid public comment except from the lowest of the low. There are even ways to simultaneously avoid public comment and project a brand: Think of Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s uniform of black pants, a black top, and a jewel-tone jacket.
Sinema isn’t interested in any of that. The more high-profile the occasion, the more she treats it as an occasion for a statement outfit.
2023
Can someone who’s never been poor ever truly understand the scars that poverty creates?, by Jessica Sutherland
The right’s ceaseless war on poor Americans is a constant triggerfest I’ve had to learn to live with. Yet it only took a Twitter conversation I saw Friday morning to tear all my scars open, including—and particularly—the ones I like to think have healed, until I’m reminded how fragile the scabs are. …
The story of poverty is not just mine; I’m far from the only one who escaped it but still bears the scars.
But by escaping it—through education, which ultimately led to a firmly middle-class career—I’m an alumnus of a group that still grows every day: Those still enduring poverty. Whether unable to work or only able to secure jobs that never pay enough, millions of Americans suffer this too-common condition, and millions more are on the brink.
2024
Shed a tear for the conservative man seeking love on the internet, by kos
Even some non-conservatives are getting the vapors at the notion that women don’t need to date A-hole men who want to restrict their rights. It’s been a month since The Washington Post editorial board laid this stinker of an op-ed on its pages, arguing that women are “threatening marriage.” …
Ultimately, women (and men) are right to filter their relationships by ideology. It’s not as if conservatives didn’t pioneer the process—creating their own alternative conservative media, political institutions, book clubs, conferences, and so on. And there’s nothing wrong with that! Peter Thiel even funded a conservative dating app called The Right Stuff (never mind that it flopped, because what women want to be on that thing?). It’s just noteworthy that when women decide to play the same game and filter out the worst of the worst, suddenly people get the vapors.
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Well, that’s just the tiniest sampling of the over one million stories (not a typo) that have been written here over the past decades. I’m sure you have your own favorites, so please share!
