Left-wing bloggers — “netroots” activists — are feeling their oats these days. This morning, the biggest of them all, Markos Moulitsas of the DailyKos, comments on a Washington Post story which contains the following quote:

“The bloggers and online donors represent an important resource for the party, but they are not representative of the majority you need to win elections,” said Steve Elmendorf, a Democratic lobbyist who advised Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign. “The trick will be to harness their energy and their money without looking like you are a captive of the activist left.”

That might seem a sensible strategy for a candidate seeking election in all but the bluest areas, but by saying it, Elmendorf unwittingly set himself up as the newest target of “netroots” rage — and revenge. Moulitsas writes:

Mr. Elmendorf almost got it right. The trick, in reality, is to stop appearing like our Democrats are held captive to sleazebag amoral lobbyists.
Here’s notice, any Democrat associated with Elmendorf will be outed. The netroots can then decide for itself whether it wants to provide some of that energy and money to that candidate.
There’s nothing “extreme left” with demanding Democrats act like Democrats, no matter how much these out-of-touch and self-important beltway insiders think it is.