The web—and the world—was a really completely different place on Could 26, 2002, when Markos Moulitsas dashed off seven sentences and hit PUBLISH on the first-ever submit on Every day Kos. Moulitsas—higher often called the Kos in Every day Kos and Kos Media, LLC—would be the first to inform you that he by no means anticipated what was to return.
And now, we’re simply weeks from the twentieth anniversary of that iconic handful of sentences. In case you haven’t observed, we kinda can’t cease speaking about it or developing with methods to have a good time. There are the Koscars and my enjoyable little undertaking—That is My Finest—and a lot extra to return!
Some years in the past, I’m instructed, there was a beautiful sequence referred to as This Is My Finest (TIMB), which inspired Group members to share one piece of their very own writing that they had been most pleased with, somewhat than the writing of others. One half self-promotion, one half self-confidence, all components superior, TIMB encourages writers to press pause on their roles as their very own worst critics and take a while to toot their very own horns.
I’m so excited to carry TIMB again for this wonderful milestone, and it’s been a blast gathering submissions from the CC Group, our Every day Kos staffers, and also you, expensive Group.
This week we’re highlighting the writing of our fearless website founder. For the reason that website, you understand, has his identify on it and stuff, and he’s written practically 15,000 posts since that first one, I made a decision he didn’t have to select only one story.
As I famous within the first installment of TIMB, which showcased the Group Contributors, we’re difficult you to replicate by yourself writing at Every day Kos and select your personal “greatest” story.
Within the feedback, pontificate with your personal This Is My Finest submissions. We’ll be watching and taking word—and utilizing your favorites to create new collections.
Make sure to embrace a hyperlink to your chosen greatest story and a sentence or two about why you assume it’s nice. Remember the fact that your “greatest” story does not have to be your most advisable or the one which acquired probably the most feedback.
You may learn the second installment—which featured Every day Kos Workers and contains my very own submission, toot toot!—proper right here. To this point, we’ve acquired over 60 of your TIMB submissions, and we’ll be utilizing them to maintain the social gathering going proper up till our joyful twentieth anniversary on Could 26!
However proper now, it’s time to see what tales Kos thinks are his greatest. He chosen eight superior tales that span each many years of Every day Kos, and deserves a spherical of applause only for taking up that Herculean process. He didn’t even complain about it after I requested … not too a lot, anyway.
Let’s go!
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Day 1 (2002)
I hate this submit. Had I identified on the time that Every day Kos would change into what it turned, I might’ve given it extra thought. However it’s what it’s, and it launched this wonderful place.
The key of [Howard] Dean’s success (2003)
“The formulation to Dean’s success is easy: He speaks like a Democrat, notably the half about opposing Republicans. That resonates with these of us who noticed DLC-types lead our social gathering to catastrophe in 2002.”
Individuals right this moment actually don’t get simply how far we’ve come as a celebration within the final (practically) 20 years. It was radical for a Democrat to sound like a Democrat.
Watch Obama (2004)
I used to be on the DNC conference in Boston, and watched Barack Obama—then operating for U.S. Senate—give his well-known speech that catapulted him to nationwide prominence. What a multitude of a narrative—no first names or titles; I discuss Obama having his race “within the bag,” with out saying what race that was. I assumed everybody studying was as a lot of a plugged-in nerd as I used to be. It was additionally the primary time I wrote about Obama being on observe to be “the primary Black president.”
Saturday hate mail-a-palooza (“Pricey Socialist Fuckstick” version) 2009
Earlier than Twitter, Fb, and different social media, the one means for conservatives to specific their hatred for me and Every day Kos was by way of e-mail, which I might then publish as a weekend function. That is probably the most basic of these classics.
Comic David Cross and our personal Joan McCarter learn a few of that hate mail for a YearlyKos function.
Sure, I’m indignant. Pissed. Furious. And sure, at just about everybody (2016)
The outcomes of the 2016 election had been brutal. Right here’s the place I lashed out.
Robert Kennedy Jr. cavorts with Nazis, and suing Every day Kos gained’t make that any much less true (2021)
We battle for our neighborhood, even when it means costly litigation towards a Kennedy household scion.
Anti-vaxx chronicles: One other mindless demise by QAnon stupidity (2021)
Nothing notably particular about this story, besides that it launched a six-month each day sequence that was solely supplanted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Ukraine replace: Most Russian troops are assist, not fighters, and they’re stretched too skinny (2022)
I’m actually pleased with my Russian struggle protection, and this piece particularly actually will get at one thing I’ve seen mentioned very hardly ever in any media outlet—simply how few troopers in any military are literally fight arms.
Now it’s your flip! To make my job simpler (and knowledge entry a lot sooner), please use this format on your submission:
Linked title of story (12 months printed)
A sentence or two in your personal phrases—not an excerpt—about why it’s your “greatest.”
See you within the feedback! Bear in mind: If you happen to’ve already submitted, there’s no must do it once more, and we’re solely accepting one story per individual. And should you can’t slender down your alternative earlier than feedback shut, we’ll be again with one other installment (and alternative to submit) subsequent week!
