How did you find Democratic Underground? Word of mouth, from another site, internet search? I came

[debm55]

here from Huff Post in 2004. I was on the main site, but it seemed that the posters were far too knowledgeable then me. I don't believe there was a Lounge or Topics area. So I lurked from 2004 until last September. I am so glad I found this wonderful place with so many smart and humane people with humor. Thank you all.

[TygrBright]

1. I saw the banner with the URL on the teevee coverage of the Junyor inaugural. n/t

[debm55]

31. Great! That's about my time.

[hedda_foil]

96. That's what brought me here too!

A baby born when we first found DU would have graduated college this year!

[rurallib]

2. A friend told me at a county party meeting

went home and checked it out and have been here ever since. I think that was august of 2004.

[debm55]

33. Mine was in 2004 also.

[BlueTsunami2018]

3. I found it on websearch after General Wesley Clark announced his candidacy.

I was a Clarkie and just stayed here.

[debm55]

34. I liked Clark also.

[drray23]

4. I also came from huffpost

but in 2014. The reason was that they decided at this time to force people to not be anonymous anymore. There are enough crazies on the RW side (even in 2014) that I did not want to do this so I went over to DU.

[debm55]

10. That's why I use my real name because of that. Otherwise I would have used a made up name when I

came here. I did visit both for a little while. But then stopped.

[bamagal62]

5. My sister told me about DU

The summer of 2005. Lurked for a long time before joining and even longer before commenting/engaging.

[debm55]

35. I joined then lurked. There were and are so many smart people, I was afraid to post.

[bamagal62]

101. That's what I love about this group.

So many smart and really funny people!

[bucolic_frolic]

6. I came 2 or 3 times, from a Yahoo Group called thenewbushwhackerbrigade2

which was run by a great man now deceased who ran a (D) Congressman's home office in his life. DU may have been linked on that group by CLG, Citizens for Legitimate Government. This was somewhere around 2000 to 2004

[debm55]

37. Same time for me too.

[questionseverything]

7. I found du from bradblog readers/activists

[debm55]

39. Wow, I remember yellowdogdem blog.

[OAITW r.2.0]

8. A link(s) from a dude that I read every day.

He had a kick-ass website, Loved Garbage and drank hi-end tequila. Passed awhile back.

Someone will fill in my short term memory fart.

[BOSSHOG]

18. BARTCOP? Tulsa Oklahoma

[OAITW r.2.0]

23. Thank you!

Pissed me off, I knew the site began with the letter B, but the brain couldn't return the correct answer. Such is life at 70. The man rocked it in the early oughts, read him every day.

[BOSSHOG]

25. And he was working behind enemy lines

Had the energy and the attitude. Kind of a genesis for my fuck you assholes approach to civil discourse. I don’t drink tequila (only once, against my wishes at my 65th birthday gaggle) but I’m gonna have a Bud for Bart tonight. Maybe two.

[OAITW r.2.0]

26. I'll toast Bartcop drinking a local microbrew started by a close friend.

[debm55]

29. I have to admit I read a post here and went to that place to see what the hell it was. I decided to

troll, After a week of "How do you know that?" "what's your proof" and "Please back it up" I was thrown off to the Led Zep song-Immigrant Song with cats. But there was at the same time a far better one that caught them totally of guard. Found him here. Never went back even to lurk after that week. This was Bush Jr. term.

[clouds]

9. Same.

Lurked for 22 years. Still don’t post much, and get chapped a lot when I do. But I learn other opinions, and respect, even if I disagree.
I find du more valuable than twitter ever was. If the news is true and worthy, it’s usually here, and vetted without the clutter and distraction of other places.

Who needs an app? We have the Democratic Underground.
☮️

[debm55]

42. Yes, and I like the friendly talk. Still feel I not smart enough to post on the main board. I do

read it though.

[Niagara]

117. Welcome to DU, clouds.

I like the fact that we all have different opinions, thoughts and perspectives.




I don't like the condescending, superior attitudes and belittling that goes on here. We're all the same team, there's no reason for it. I absolutely place those members on ignore.

[Deuxcents]

11. I was in east Texas helping my sister

And going a little batty so I looked up sites for progressives and lurked at a couple but always came back to the DU. I read the different posted subjects and conversations and said yep! Think I’ll stay here and that was around Christmas, 2016. I’m so much the better for being here 🙏

[debm55]

43. And we are grateful to have you here.

[Deuxcents]

71. 🫶

[OAITW r.2.0]

12. The unique thing about DU is.....

the real time posting of news and - in between - opinion. It's the best format on the net and. really, the only interface I need to understand real time events with superb real time context/opinion.

[debm55]

44. Yes, the format is the best.

[tblue37]

13. I also came here from Huff Post in 2004, following a link to an essay by H20 Man.

[debm55]

63. I wonder if we knew or posted to each other on Huff Post. Thanks for all of your videos. It makes me

Last edited Fri Aug 11, 2023, 10:25 PM - Edit history (1)

happy.

[Deuxcents]

78. There are some days I look for your posts

Because the news is so depressing or just to get a better attitude and the too cute animals are a sure bet for smiles. Ty

[tblue37]

89. Actually, that's why I post them. I think of it as a service for people who have to deal with too

Last edited Sat Aug 12, 2023, 01:06 AM - Edit history (1)

much that is sad, ugly or depressing. I have the time since retiring to do it.

[debm55]

93. It is tblue37, it is.

[BOSSHOG]

14. BARTCOP, God Rest his soul

Turn of the century. I don’t remember the specifics about him and DU, BUT I know I’m here because of him. Awesome Hell Raiser. I sent him a few bucks a couple times. One day outta the blue he called me. We were kindred spirits. Had a great conversation. I don’t know where the old philosopher is but I’m sure he’s making those with “conservative” values uncomfortable.

[debm55]

46. BOSSHOG, I don't remember him, But with all the praise and memories shared, I wish I did.

for BARTCOP

[BOSSHOG]

54. An outstanding voice for liberals everywhere

Crusty old Buckaroo. If elected to Congress his oratory would come out like a flamethrower on the floor of the house. And nothin but facts. Been dead nine years now.

[Mad_Dem_X]

121. Same here.

I loved Bartcop; I was so sad when I heard he had died.

[Karadeniz]

15. Internet search....

[debm55]

47. Great

[doc03]

16. I have been here for twenty years, I don't remember. nt

[debm55]

48. But we are glad you are here doc03

[yellowdogintexas]

17. another who found DU from a link on HuffPost

I liked what I found, so I stayed.

[debm55]

49. Me too.

[GP6971]

19. From Bartcop. n/t

[debm55]

62. Sorry ,I missed his posts, Glad you are here GP6971

[GP6971]

64. Last I checked, his

site is still up. If you have a chance check it out.

[dweller]

20. I read about it on Truthsocial ...

Oh crap that’s not right … I read about it on TRUTHOUT.org in a article by Will Pitt
Lurked several/many months then joined up . 2001/2002


✌🏻

[debm55]

50. Great you are here.

[drmeow]

21. Not sure how but I came across

one of the Top 10 Conservative Idiots and I was hooked.

[debm55]

52. Glad you are here.

[WheelWalker]

22. On a bus from Tralfamadore. One of those placard signs over the windows.

[debm55]

53. That's funny and here you are!

[MuseRider]

24. Stumbled on it

while just looking around. Did not join right away or even post for a while but I was sure happy to have found it.

[debm55]

55. And we are happy you are here!

[captain queeg]

27. Good question, though I don't remember how I stumbled onto it

It was a lot longer ago than my membership says. I found it at my previous office and we moved about 2010, so it was before that. I had a couple previous memberships that I’d not use for awhile and forget my user name and password and have to start over. I didn’t really get involved regularly till I retired in 2018.

[debm55]

60. captain, doesn't matter how or when. the important thing is you are sharing with us now.

[captain queeg]

106. Thanks!

[True Dough]

28. I had been a member of a few political forums previously

but they seemed to be tilted in favor of ReThugs. So I went looking for a place where people are reasonable. Voila!

[debm55]

61. Yes, there were some strange forums and blogs back in the day. Glad you are here.

[True Dough]

92. Thanks, debm

Happy to be here! And you're bringing people together with your inquisitive threads.

[debm55]

94. Thank you True Dough.

[beveeheart]

30. Drudge Retort

[debm55]

66. Beveenheart, glad you are here

[EYESORE 9001]

32. Bartcop

I followed Bartcop back before the Supreme Court selected GWB as White House resident, and in the dark days that followed, I searched for liberal bloggers that gave perspectives not provided in corporate media. Through Bartcop, I discovered The Smirking Chimp, Wonkette, Daily Kos, Huffington Post, Emptywheel, and a host of others. One stood out, however, as a home for incorrigible news hounds who threw themselves into their endeavors with a passion I found fascinating. The name was Democratic Underground.

I lurked for a long time, finally joining up when shrub was in lame-duck status and the Great Recession was on the horizon. It was great to have a place to talk about canvassing for the eventual Democratic nominee, Barack Obama, and sharing other experiences.

[debm55]

67. To Bartcop

[Wolf Frankula]

36. Bartcop

He had an IQ of under 64 and he was the smartest man in Tulsa, Lahoma. I miss him.

Wolf

[debm55]

68. to Bartcop

[rubbersole]

38. From Thom Hartmann...

...lurked forever.

[Sneederbunk]

51. +1

[debm55]

70. Me too, but we are both here now.

[debm55]

75. Glad you are here. I lurked for almost 20 years.

[NotASurfer]

40. I was watching the results roll in 11/8/2016

So many stares where the results defied polling, so many results where just enough votes flipped...I started looking for reports of election hacking. The outcome diverged that much from what I thought was reality. Figured even that evening that if there had been something untoward with counting or equipment or reporting, some enterprising reporters would already be picking up on it.

There were no contemporaneous reports that the elections had been hacked, but I ran across DU because there had been a nasty hack that shut DU down. I finally checked after seeing that reported a few times, since it was still early, no idea why it would be related.

And DU was really down. Except...emails still got through. And the admins reverted to an earlier text-y basic HTML webpage to keep the community going by those emails. Brilliant obstinate determination. My introduction to DU was through those composed and reposted emails. People were shocked, hurt, some folks were in severe pain over the outcome - but nobody gave up.

So here we are.

[debm55]

74. NotASurfer, glad you made it and are here. I was in a daze and was crying that evening.

[mommymarine2003]

41. I used to listen to Thom Hartmann. He would talk about a site called Democratic Underground.

My son was in Iraq, so I must have joined in 2003; since I call myself "mommymarine2003". I was very angry that Bush was president and my son was at war. I don't write much, but reading comments from all my fellow Democrats throughout all these years have really helped keep my sanity through my son's two deployments and the nightmare named "Donald Trump".

[debm55]

76. mommy, glad you are here. How is your son?

[central scrutinizer]

45. Media Whores Online 2001

I miss the Horse. His or her takes were similar to Jeff Tiedrich

[debm55]

57. Great

[Swede]

56. Well that was 20 years ago, so I can't remember.

But I'm glad I did.

[debm55]

58. And we are glad you are here, Swede

[Doc_Technical]

59. FreeRepublic.com

Someone posted a list
of liberal websites.

[debm55]

84. I trolled for a week there --Got the Led Zep Immigrant Song kitties departure. LOLO Glad you are

here.

[wildflowergardener]

65. Kerry forum?

I don’t remember for sure but my profile says November 2004. i remember being involved with a John Kerry forum so maybe from there.

[debm55]

85. Glad you came here.

[rsdsharp]

69. Bartcop.

[debm55]

82. to Bartcop, for bringing you here

[watrwefitinfor]

72. Saw a reference to DU in an article I was reading on Common Dreams.

Can't remember the article. It was in 2004 during the campaign and things were still frothing here from the primaries and I was still sick about Dean dropping out.

I watched from a distance for awhile. Joined in June '04. Exciting times.

Couldn't decide on a name until Country Joe & the Fish provided a little inspiration while I was watching the Woodstock dvd and reading DU at the same time. Figured it would say something about my background - old 60s anti-war radical with a sense of both humor and irony and a love of politics and music.

In retrospect I guess I could have done a little better with the spelling.

"WatrWeFitinFor" maybe?

Wat

[debm55]

87. Same year I signed up. But I lurked for 20 years. Glad you are here.

[greatauntoftriplets]

73. I was surfing for Junior jokes and saw a link to the Top 10 Conservative Idiots.

This was in February of 2001. I lurked for months, mainly because it's addictive and I only had computer access at work.

I joined months later, then bought my first home computer with that year's Christmas bonus

[debm55]

79. greatauntof triplets, glad you used that money to join up on DU

[greatauntoftriplets]

83. Same here.

It was a good investment.

[unblock]

77. Smirkingchimp

[debm55]

80. Me too.--from Huff Post--2004

[Angleae]

81. From a wingnut site I used to visit that was whining heavily about this place.

Called The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Found now on tapatalk (prev yuku & ezboard). Has very little traffic nowdays just due to everyone there dying off due to age.

[debm55]

86. That's funny. Glad you are here

[sorcrow]

88. Top ten idiots of the week

I joined sometime in 2006 after a work friend in another city sent me a link for top ten idiots of the week. I am forever indebted.

Democratically yours,
Sorghum Crow

[debm55]

91. sorcrow, glad you took your friend's advice.

[ThoughtCriminal]

90. Smirking Chimp - 2001

Lurked a while before joining in 2002

[debm55]

95. ThoughtCriminal, thank you for all the years you have been here.You are a treasure.

[WestMichRad]

97. Recommended by a friend... for the weekly Top Ten Conservative Idiots.

Lurked a couple years, then signed it but rarely posted anything until a couple years ago. Still don’t post much… someone else usually puts up a reply that represents my opinion, and I don’t see the point in piling on. (Can you guess I’m an introvert?)
Very glad for DU, it’s probably my most-visited web page every day.

[debm55]

99. WestMichRad, glad you took your friend's advice and you are here.

[WestMichRad]

100. I'm glad, too.

And I might get to 1000 posts this year… in only 19 years! Bam!!

[ailsagirl]

98. A friend was always referring to it...

Last edited Wed Aug 16, 2023, 10:10 PM - Edit history (1)

so one day I checked it out and I’ve been a DU-er ever since.

[debm55]

102. And here you are, thank you for joining us.

[ailsagirl]

107. My pleasure 😎

[Polly Hennessey]

103. Bart cop and Media Whores. Have been here a long time.

DU kept me sane during the Bush years. Agree, Deb, about posting. I don’t post much because I’m a little intimidated by the many knowledgeable and “way” smarter than me DUers.

[debm55]

104. I read in the main area, but for posting it is the lounge. You are a valued member,Polly

[Tikki]

105. Oh boy...way back when (2001 or so) I was posting on the Excite

political board when a poster came on and said all the righties should go to free republic and all those left of the dial should go to Democraticunderground.com.
So I came here and lurked for a while and then in July 2002 I signed up and signed in.

Always as Tikki.

[debm55]

111. That's interesting. And here you are today.

[FirstLight]

108. I honestly don't remember...😆

But I do know that I came here because Bush being president hurt my soul and I needed others who would commiserate...
But then, Obama was such a breath of fresh air.
Looked at my profile and it Said 2008

[debm55]

112. That's alright. You are are here now and that is all that matters.

[electric_blue68]

109. I think I have an interesting story. W/o a computer @home I was at libraries, and net cafes. I knew

about interest newsgroups via my science fiction fandoms maaaaybe a couple of years before the World Wide Web appeared.

Coming out of a rough year I found my first Net Cafe w Netscape in 'late 95.? Then On Line access through the library in '96.

Fast forward to ?2001 or '02. I'm at the biggest Net Cafe in NYC in Times Sq.
[ W is in office. If I remember right I was in the Hyatt for the '00 election. I watched scores of people go running to the bars after Gore's defeat. :'''''( ]

I must have been looking up something like liberal politics (but Not the liberal party) or democrats ?
Anyway, I noticed DU - a site for Democrats, Not officially with the Party. Hmmmm. Interesting.
So I found you.
But with a multiplicity of interests, and no computer at home I forgot.
Though Not about politics -
a music group's site I frequented had a section for political discussion which was mostly by posters of liberal, and progressive leanings.

Fast forward - yet again to 2020: Lockdown. While I have a landline, I have a smart phone for On Line access - it's my lifeline; as well as for calls.
It's June 5, then 6; and hardly anyone on my music site/political sub forum is giving what I'd consider proper remembrance, and respect for Sen Robert Kennedy's memory.

And I suddenly remember - DU. Just like that!

But, surely - 20 years; they couldn't still be around could they?!
And *surprise* Ta Da ~ there you were!

I got to properly commiserate, and found a whole range of topics, and lively dems, and all manner interest groups as well, etc!

And so ~ I've been here ever since. 👍🙂

[debm55]

113. That is a very interesting story.I think Bush sent alot of us here. I am glad you remembered DU

after all those years.

[electric_blue68]

130. Ty. It was rather amazing 😀

[calikid]

110. KZYX/Z in Mendocino CA back in '01. Been here almost every day since!

[debm55]

114. Glad you are here, calikid.

[Fla Dem]

115. I don't remember exactly. Sometime in 2002 I googled something. DU came up with a response.

I then was intrigued with this new (Jan 2001) discussion group and followed it for a while w/o joining. Finally decided, I wanted to share my thoughts and opinions so joined in Nov 2003.

[debm55]

118. So glad you made that decision.

Last edited Sat Aug 12, 2023, 12:15 PM - Edit history (1)

[Niagara]

116. I had found DU somewhere between...

I had found DU somewhere between Occupy Democrats and another Democratic page on Facebook, that actually no longer is available. I happen to like Occupy Democrats, however their articles are sometimes not always reliable and spelling on memes is atrocious.


I was a lurker on DU for a long time before signing up.


I finally signed up on the night that PBO won his reelection. Looks like that I wasn't the only one that did so.

[debm55]

119. Glad you are here, Niagara.

[Niagara]

120. Thank you, Debbie!

[ProfessorGAC]

122. I Heard Skinner On CSPAN

Back in 2001, Washington Journal did phone interviews with political website owners each Saturday morning.
They interviewed David one morning. Thought I'd check it out.
I signed up 22 years ago, yesterday.

[debm55]

126. Wow, didn't know Skinner was on CSPAN. Glad you joined Professor

[Vinca]

124. I was a refugee from John Kerry's campaign chat room - 2004. I must have seen a reference

to DU there and I've been here ever since.

[debm55]

127. yes my reference was on HuffPost. Glad you are here

[AllaN01Bear]

125. i came here by accident after the al gore defeat in 2000 everything was intact then.

[debm55]

128. I was heartbroken the same as I was with Hillary. Glad you joined.

[Aristus]

129. I saw DU as a link on another page; StopBush, or something like that.

It was in the awful months after January, 2001. Right-wingers were crowing about their guy getting in, and everyone in the country with a functioning brain realizing the country was in the hands of a colossal nepo-baby fuck-up who had only a nodding acquaintance with the English language.

It was in the weird period when we thought things were bad, but we might be able to muddle through to 2004; because we didn't know how bad things were about to get.

I looked all over the internet for sympathetic voices, voices of reason, voices of progressivism, voices of optimism. I saw the DU link, clicked on it, and never looked back. I lurked for the first few months, because I had never registered with a web site before. But I was delighted and relieved to find smart, passionate, patriotic people who didn't shy away from the term 'liberal'. I knew they would give me the strength to get to the end of the Dim Son's misadministration. Little did I know just how badly I would need that strength.

One week after September 11th, 2001, I registered at Democratic Underground, and have been here ever since.

[debm55]

131. Thank you, Aristus. Your post is very touching. Looking to the future we had no idea how things

would go with the election and after, Thank you for being you and being a DU poster and the work you do in your everyday life. You, are a hero.

[Aristus]

132. That's very generous. Thank you.

[beemerphill]

133. I looked for a site like this.

Several sites were right-wing, and I wondered if there was a liberal counterpart. I found DU through a search engine. I like to get news and viewpoints from many sources and think the matter through before deciding where I stand. DU has been a valuable and entertaining resource. To whoever is in charge, Thanks!

[debm55]

134. Glad you found DU!

[beemerphill]

146. So am I!

DU has been interesting, informative, and entertaining. I try to check it every day.

[Kaleva]

135. Many at the Kerry forum linked back to DU.

After the 2004 election, I lost interest in politics until the 2008 primary when I joined DU in Feb of 2008.

[debm55]

136. Thank you Kaleva. Makes sense.

[BluesRunTheGame]

137. Smirking Chimp

As I remember, their servers went down on 9/11/2001 when the towers fell. Somehow or another, I found my way to DU looking for news.

[debm55]

141. Thank you.

[IcyPeas]

138. Smirkingchimp. (But I can't remember how I found Smirkingchimp)

[debm55]

142. Thanks, IcyPeas

[Emile]

139. Early 2001. I was a member of Democrats on MSN.

[debm55]

143. Thanks, Emile

[highplainsdem]

140. Bartcop, I think. But I also read Media Whores and Smirking Chimp.

[debm55]

144. Thanks, highplainsdem

[Talitha]

145. April 2018 - I did a DuckDuckGo websearch on something and DU was the top result.

It was like heaven dropped right into my lap!!!

[debm55]

148. Isn't that true!

[Paladin]

147. Can't remember, been too long. (nt)

[debm55]

149. True, Paladin. I was on HuffPost when someone mentioned. So I came over here.

[Paladin]

150. Can't remember exactly how I got here.

Just damn glad I've been here, all these years.

[debm55]

151. And we are glad you are with us

[Paladin]

152. Many thanks. (nt)

[Grey]

153. Would you believe Tucker Carlson?

He was whining about some dude on this blog called Democratic Underground to some old white guy on a TV show. I think it was called Crossfire, thought I should take a look. Been here for years. Haven't found any other site that even comes close.
I am so thankful for everyone here.

[debm55]

154. Wow. that's so Tucker brought you here, Kind of funny. Glad you came here and stayed, Grey.

[Phentex]

155. I was on a lefty board and someone told us about DU...

I don't think any of them post here anymore.

They moved the original board to Facebook and I don't have Facebook so that was the end of that.

[debm55]

156. Yes, I moved to DU from HUFF POST. I don't do Facebook either.