I honestly can not remember the first time I blogged, since I used to blog before blogging was called blogging. But I do know, that a great deal of my time blogging has been put into progressive politics. There are many more out there like myself, who take the time to educate their friends and to push for policy that can help our respective liberal political parties.
For people like us to continue pushing for progressive policy in this country, we need conferences like Netroots Nation. We need liberal gathering places now more than ever, especially for us Texans.
I have had the chance to go to NN in the past, but at the last minute been unable to attend. But this June, I feel I must make the journey. And you can help me.
Democracy for America is kind enough to sponsor 40 diverse progressives from across the country to help defray the cost of attending NN. Their scholarship will help pay for the hotel, registration, food, etc.
You can help me win won of these scholarships by showing your support. How do you show your support?
Want a case study on why statewide candidates should go to Netroots Nation? Three words... Linda Chavez Thompson. Even through Linda is only 5 feet tall, you couldn't miss her at the conference.
In 36 hours, Linda Chavez Thompson met one on one with bloggers from Texas and across the country, attended multiple caucuses and panels, had a campaign briefing, spoke to 2,000+ attendees as a keynote speaker moments before Sen. Al Franken concluded the festivities, hosted a latino blogger breakfast, and was so impressive she became a trending topic on twitter.
KetyE: Here at briefing w Linda Chavez-Thompson. #NN10 #NetrootsNation #latism What an amazing woman! #p2 #gov20 http://tweetphoto.com/34692166
Linda was impressive. Along with Judy Jennings and Rebecca Bell-Metereau, the three women from Texas were everywhere and working hard to talk to people from every state and every walk of life.
Attendees took notice. As Linda bounced from the Women's Campaign Forum Breakfast to her Campaign Briefing, others already started talking about her speech that night.
@ernestomedia: RT @MeanRachel: Linda Chavez-Thompson (@electlinda) will speak tonight at #nn10 keynote, spread the word Texas will have a Latina Lt. Gov in Nov!
Which had the added benefit of getting Texans a little fired up.
@XicanoPwr: It's people like Bill White, Linda Chavez-Thompson and Chuck Rocha that make me feel proud being from Texas again! #NN10
At a conference packed with events, LCT had over 40 folks attend a campaign briefing. Leaders ranging from the Hispanic community, labor community, and online leaders. Folks were enthusiastic and as a result of positive feedback Linda hosted a Lation blogger meeting the following day to capitalize on the passion being generated.
Without missing a beat, as many of us loitered after the briefing (or in some cases headed down to the blackjack tables... it was Vegas after all) Linda immediately went to talk to her brothers and sisters in the labor movement at the labor caucus.
I wish I could take the time to show you what happened next on twitter. Seriously. But with over 200 tweets in less than 15 minutes, Linda Chavez Thompson dominated twitter feeds across the country.
Linda spoke to over 2,000 attendees before Sen. Al Franken's keynote. The speech easily one of the best speeches of the night and convention.
@sadydoyle: Linda Chavez Thompson is KILLING ITTTTT. I want to be LCT when I grow up. #nn10
It was incredible to watch the room as she spoke. She was funny, interesting, and a crowd pleaser. She talked policy. She discussed the Texas political climate. And she showed there was hope not just in Texas but everywhere.
Not long ago, Texas earned a unique honor. The city of Laredo became the largest city in the country without a bookstore. Over a quarter million people and there isn't a single bookstore in the whole town. If we don't work together, we are going to continue to see the gap grow between the haves and the have nots. We are going to see our budget shortfall grow at the same rate we watch our education deficit increase.
The thing that was so refreshing to watch at Netroots Nation wasn't that Linda was there, but that she was there speaking truth to power and influencers. She was open and honest about her beliefs and her solutions. To every politician or candidate out there who is afraid or timid, what we saw this past weekend was how well people response to honesty. What we saw, online and off, people are hungry for leadership. We are starving for an honest debate. Instead, we are either too often ignored or pandered too. Linda Chavez-Thompson was successful at Netroots Nation because she used the medium the way it was intended... as a political space to have fair, open, and honest discussions about how we can work together and fix complex problems.
For 36 hours, Linda Chavez-Thompson was the political embodiment that Texas is changing, and not because of time, but because we are devoted to making a difference. Linda Chavez-Thompson is a difference maker.
Linda Chavez-Thompson is a client of GNI Strategies. A company Matt Glazer launched in 2009 with two others - Katie Naranjo and Will Ikard. Linda Chavez-Thompson nor the campaign saw, edited, or had any direct input in this Netroots Nation retrospective.
Last year, I wrote a post about why I loved my first Netroots Nation. Today, back from my second trip with more ideas for projects than ever before -- and with only 99 days until the election -- I feel compelled to follow Matt's lead and share my energy and enthusiasm for what made the trip so great.
Last night in Las Vegas, Linda Chavez-Thompson not only lit up the auditorium in front of a crowd of 2000 eager progressives, she also lit up the currents in which online activism thrives, becoming a trending topic on Twitter and earning the attention--and money--of anyone paying attention online. Also paying attention was Politico, who quoted her this morning in their Netroots Nation wrap-up as saying, "The old way of doing politics is done. This is the new thing. If you don't embrace it, you lose out on a whole new way to get your message out."
The old way is done, indeed. Chavez-Thompson didn't just deliver a speech last night, she delivered a leader. In an unhurried, eighteen minute speech, Chavez-Thompson took her time, weaving the tale of a come-from-behind underdog who now has the power, drive and (my words, not hers) cojones to make it better. It was the making of a super hero--actually, make that heroine--in a time where both Texans and those squinting toward our state thinking "What the hell is going on down there?" are so desperately in need of one.
Join activists, bloggers, organizers and on-lookers as we drink, laugh and carouse liberally to kick off the 2009 DNC Fall Meeting. Special guests include:
Bill White
John Sharp
Jack McDonald
...and more
This is the party of the night -- a chance to get away from stuffy rooms and fancy drinks and come out and have a rockin' good time with your friends at Burnt Orange Report.
P.S. As a special bonus, exclusive to Burnt Orange Report readers, we are giving away 2 FREE tickets to the DNC's Friday Night reception courtesy of State Senator Leticia Van de Putte. Click here for details- the deadline to enter is midnight tonight!
This is posted on behalf of SDEC member and frequent commentor at BOR John Robert Behrman, who is traveling in the Northeast after having attended Netroots Nation. John Robert asked me to post his following comments:
I agree w/ recent open letters by SDEC member Dennis TEAL and DNC member John PATRICK that there is no point to negative campaigning in a "Louisiana Primary" today, given that (a) there will be a highly partisan run-off and (b) there are both real primary elections as well as an important general election - a decisive general election in Harris County -- next year.
I would add that, in any event, there are much more important matters than battle of the bitch-lists immediately at hand. And, the credibility of every single Democratic elected party or public official is on the line over one of them right now:
Journalism is an important piece of our democracy: the fourth estate. However, over the last several years both the economy and the rise of technology have had a negative effect on the backbone of journalism: newspapers. Around the country more and more newspapers are in danger of shutting down, even in large markets such as San Francisco. It is also possible that a large city could be without a newspaper in the coming years. Newspapers in major cities have been able to switch to an online only format, such as the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. However, in medium and smaller cities, it could prove difficult for a newspaper to move to an online only format.
According to the Burnt Orange Report, newspaper publishers in Texas are considering sharing their content; this is the possible outcome of editors under pressure to produce news with less and less staff. Local media outlets have covered state and local politics less and less over the years; instead newspapers and television stations have focused on crime. In turn there are less and less journalist covering state politics in Austin, which means that politicians, lobbyist, and influential citizens will be questioned less and less.
This week our friends at Democracy For America are announcing another round of winners for their Netroots Nation scholarship contest. If you weren't on the list of winners and you can't find the money/time/energy to get to Pittsburgh August 13 to 16 for the convention, don't despair...there is another way!
For the third year in a row we'll be taking advantage of the rich multimedia capabilities of Second Life to bring you live streaming audio and video from Netroots Nation right to your own computer monitor. Through Second Life we're able to bring you not only streaming video, but also real time discussion and participation in the panels from the comfort of your own home, exclusive online panels and information displays from nonprofit organizations, online retailers and great progressive companies. Oh, and did we mention it's free?
Join us over the fold and we'll walk you through the particulars of how to participate and how to support our work with sponsorships.
I wanted to put in a brief plug for the ongoing Netroots Nation Auction. There are some great items ... big-ticket stuff like coffee with Wes Clark, lunch with Lawrence Lessig and Wagyu beef from Scott Kleeb's ranch and some great community-donated items too. You can check out all the items here.
All the money raised helps keep the registration fees as low as possible.
Bob Barr is pulling conservative votes away from McCain. In TX, this difference could put Obama over McCain!
Go Bob Barr!! :)
The Zogby poll of 46,274 likely voters released July 6th, 2008:
- Obama 44 percent - McCain at 38 percent - Barr at 6 percent (a combination that hands Obama a handsome electoral college majority).
According to Declan McCullagh, CNET News, CA (7/17/08,
"Bob Barr could really hurt McCain's chances," pollster John Zogby said. "McCain can't afford the level of slippage to Barr we found among conservatives in this polling...Bob Barr has some juice among conservatives and is hurting him in several states."
I interviewed Barr at Netroots Nation. Here were some of the key take-aways:
Q: Are you in it to win?
A: YES!
Q: How are you polling in TX?
A: About 6%-8%, and we're polling in double digits in states like NH.
Q: Did you vote for George Bush?
A: Yes, in 2000, but not 2004.
Q: What is your platform:
A: Less big government, fight for rights to privacy under 4th amendment, stop our government from spying on our US Citizens, civil liberties, individual freedom, separation of powers "the Bush adm is only interested in increasing power of Exec Branch".
A direct quote from Barr:
"Unlike John McCain who said he hates bloggers, I love bloggers" (Per Barr, McCain made this statement at a town hall meeting".
Latest electoral college voting:
Obama 273
McCain 160
Undecided 105
During my interview with Barr, it was clear his mission was to get into at least one debate to help cause a 3-way race. Barr also pointed out that he's on the ballot in every state except OK.
