What chaps Washington Times’ hide? Minnesota netroots and T-Paw ropeline

The Washington Times is griping right and left about the Minnesota media environment. If it’s not the state’s progressive blogosphere, it’s Gov. Pawlenty’s snub of reporters wanting access to his Freedom First PAC’s big pretzel event in Washington, D.C.

Under the heading “Beware the Tweet,” the Times’ Inside the Beltway column laments that liberals are organizing online:

Republicans should be wary of the pre-loaded political Tweet.

Progressives have announced plans for a social-media offensive, geared to “our new reality”, says Xavier Lopez-Ayala of the Alliance for a Better Minnesota. The progressive group is one of several across the country that are honing the Twittering, blogging, videography and advocacy prowess of grass-roots types to “further change” as 2010 approaches.

Uh-oh. There’s that old “c” word, Mr. Obama’s onetime mantra. Progressives are hot to Tweet, and they still recall the Web-based victories of Howard Dean well over 100 years ago. Wait. It was 2004. It only seems like a century ago.

Meanwhile, Mr. Lopez-Ayala calls the dicey art of social media “impact journalism.” So, Republicans: Log in and get thee to thy Tweet board.

But the Times reserves its heartfelt whining for its own kind. From a Water Cooler blog post titled “Pawlenty’s fumbling fundraiser”:

Pawlenty’s handlers don’t trust their candidate to survive a little scrutiny, even from fellow conservatives.

After contacting Pawlenty’s consultant Alex Conant about attending the first Pawlenty event, The Washington Times got the brush off: ”The event is closed to press, but it’s outside, so you may get some color from the sidewalk and may be able to ask him a question as he’s leaving…”

Golly, how thoughtful. Like we need permission to stand on the sidewalk and shout questions.

Not to be deterred, we sent the consultant a second email suggesting he reconsider and we got back this howler: ”(You’re) welcome to pay the $50 entry fee if (you) want to attend. If I let (you) in for free, then I have to let in every reporter, which we are not doing.”

Suddenly Washington is kindergarten where the rules have to be fair? Get a grip, Al. I haven’t been in Washington forever, but I didn’t get here yesterday. If Mr. Pawlenty has 2012 aspirations he needs to let conservatives to get to know him. Hopefully his consultants will figure that out.