Markos Moulitsas, the influential founder of the lefty website DailyKos, used to love Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester.* Starting back in December 2004, when Moulitsas first praised Tester, then a farmer-turned-state-legislator, as a Democrat who "naturally speaks the language of rural America," the DailyKos has portrayed Tester as the cutting edge of a movement by which once deep-red western states would become swing states and then, perhaps, permanently blue.
In June 2006, Moulitsas was rhapsodic when Tester won the Democratic primary to challenge then-Sen. Conrad Burns.* "What a great night," Moulitsas wrote.* "Not only did the best Democrat win, but so did Conrad Burns' worst nightmare. Say hello to the next Senator from the great state of Montana."* Electing Tester and other favored progressives would create "a whole new ballgame in Washington DC," Moulitsas added.* "Let's do everything we can to make it happen."
Moulitsas certainly did his part, promoting the Tester campaign -- "This is the future face of the Democratic Party," he swooned -- and contributing $1,500 to Tester in October 2006.* When Tester defeated Burns, part of a Democratic wave that took over the Senate and House that year, Moulitsas was ecstatic.
Now that's all a bitter memory.* On Capitol Hill, Democrats are using the lame-duck session to try to ram through some key unfinished parts of their agenda.* Among them is the DREAM Act immigration bill, a favorite of Moulitsas'.* And on Friday, Jon Tester, once the darling of DailyKos, announced that he will vote against it.
Moulitsas' reaction was swift and furious.* "Jon Tester to vote against DREAM," Moulitsas tweeted Friday night.* "Good luck getting re-elected, a--hole."* Moulitsas began re-tweeting negative comments about Tester -- one said, "Sen. Tester's active misrepresentation of DREAM act isn't just burning his bridges, it's going at them with a blowtorch."* And then Moulitsas added his own final remark: "Anyone who votes to punish innocent kids is a de facto a--hole."
The DREAM Act isn't the only cause of the breach; just a couple of days before, Tester voted to extend all the Bush tax cuts.* But there's no doubt the love affair is over.* When Tester runs for re-election in 2012, he'll have to do it without some of his most passionate supporters from 2006.