Norman Soloman takes Moveon to task for being wishy washy.

Part of the problem is MoveOn’s routine fuzziness about the war – and the way that the group is inclined to water down the messages of antiwar activism, much of which is not connected to the organization.

Consider how the MoveOn website summarized the vigils: “Last night, tens of thousands of supporters gathered at 1,625 vigils to acknowledge the sacrifices made by Cindy Sheehan, her son Casey and the more than 1,800 brave American men and women who have given their lives in Iraq – and their moms and families.” Such a gloss excludes a key reason why many people participated in the vigils: They wanted to express clear opposition to any further U.S. involvement in the war.

In its clear attempt to take the place in the Democratic Party currently held by the DLC, Moveon is being very careful to look activist, look organized, but not go too far to look offensive. Even Moveon is failing to recognize that the success of Sheehan comes precisely because she did not create her protest as a part of some larger organized movement nor need the services of a national group to make it happen (which must drive Moveon crazy, along with a lot of other groups who want to run the show and get the credit). She did it on her own and that is why it is effective and that is why it resonates so strongly with the general public.

To the extent that Moveon and other groups now try to latch on to her they are actually hurting her cause and watering down the clear message she is sending by trying to suck as much recognition for themselves from her actions as they can. But their sheer size and history make them, and by association her, much easier targets for scapegoating and swift-boating than Cindy alone.

In a way I see them and their leeching on Cindy’s protest in much the same light that I view the administration’s pitiful attempts to use the troops to justify the invasion and occupation. The willingness of the troops to serve, even in an obvious absurdity, is not justification for bush hiding behind their sacrifice and using it gild his image and Cindy’s willingness to stand up and be heard has nothing whatsoever to do with Moveon nor justify Moveon trying to pad their resume with progressives by stealing some of her spotlight.

This illegal war and administration will be defeated by the heroic actions of individuals, not by simply putting a new coat of paint on the same old political techiques and calling them progressive. Out of all of this may come a new progressive structure, but I’m not convinced Moveon is it and I’m sure as hell convinced the beltway branch of the Democratic Party isn’t it.

We need to hold this administration’s, and by extension the Republican Party’s, collective feet to the fire and burn them out, not just give them a good tan and send them on their way.