Democracy For NYC's 4th Annual Benefit

Last night in Tribeca the local Democracy for America chapter, DfNYC, held its 4th annual fund-raiser and it was another success in their relatively short but sweet stand on New York City's political stage. Air America Radio's President (and former Public Advocate) Mark Green and Democracy for America chairman Jim Dean were the honored speakers of the evening. Baratunde Thurston of Laughing Liberally provided the laughs and politicos abounded throughout the beautiful lounge.

As an organizer with the event, I was pleased to see an impressive turnout last night. Members schmoozed with elected officials such as David Yassky, Tony Avella and Eric Gioia. Plenty of candidates for various offices around the state were in the room as well. Jimmy Dahroug, Luke Henry, Norman Siegel, Josh Skaller and Don Barber all made their case to the astute voters that belong to Democracy for NYC.

Pictured above from left to right is State Senate candidate Don Barber, Air America's Mark Green, DfNYC Executive Director Tracey Denton and Finance Chair Lewis Cohen. More pictures of the event can be found here.

Democracy for NYC Party Tonight!

(Note: I am on the host committee for this event)

Tonight Democracy for New York City is holding its 4th annual benefit in Tribeca. The group that emerged from the Dean for America campaign in NYC is still going strong and doing so much in our city as well as the state. So to celebrate its fourth anniversary, DfNYC has Democracy for America chairman Jim Dean and Air America Radio President Mark Green as our special guests. Comedian Baratunde Thurston will be doing his shtick as well, I saw him at Netroots Nation this past weekend, and I guarantee you, he's funny.

Here are the details:

Wednesday, July 23, 2008
6:30pm - 9:00pm
M1-5 at 52 Walker Street

Between Church Street & Broadway
6, J, M, N, Q, or W train to Canal Street
This venue is completely wheelchair and disabled accessible.

Please RSVP at rsvp.dfnyc.org

Please join Democracy for NYC for our 4th Annual Summer Cocktail Reception - Unity '08 - as we prepare to take back the White House in November and celebrate Democratic victories in the House and Senate.

Special Guest Speakers
Mark Green, Chairman of Air America Radio
Jim Dean, Chairman of Democracy for America

Political comedy by Laughing Liberally's Baratunde Thurston

Contribution levels:
DFNYC Benefactor - $2,500
DFNYC Patron - $1,000
DFNYC Loyalist - $500
DFNYC Enthusiast - $250
DFNYC Supporter - $100
DFNYC Friend - $50

Plus there will be plenty of elected officials in attendance so come on down and enjoy some drinks and a few hors d'ourves with New York City's progressive community tonight!

Matthews Shreds Kevin James For Not Knowing What He's Talking About

I have to hand it to Chris Matthews for his steadfastness with idiot-winger Kevin James yesterday. James was yelling at the top of his lungs to spout off the newest right wing talking point that George Bush was right in taking a swipe at Obama. This time Matthews isn't having any of it because James has no idea what 'appeasement' means.

The beautiful part starts after 4:00min:

One Last Thing About CNN's Nevada Debate

I seriously do not understand how the traditional media gets to spin their circus show debate any which way they please. Everyone with a mic and a camera are saying that Hillary won the debate, especially CNN. At least the chief MSNBC political hack Chris Matthews had a couple of progressive viewpoints told on his show that refute the unconventional wisdom.

From Crooks and Liars:

Download (125) | Play (140) Download (136) | Play (71) (h/t Heather)

Tweety had progressive radio giants Mark Green and Ed Schultz on to talk about Hillary’s big win at the debate in Las Vegas Thursday night and apparently Schultz didn’t get the memo.

Schultz: “I think all this postmortem of this debate about how wonderful Hillary is a bridge too far. I think it’s a sad day when a candidate has to start saying well its mud-slinging if you point out what my voting record is.” … “CNN, and especially Wolf, I think they were bending over for Hillary big-time last night.”

Ed also went on to make several other good points too that went against what’s become conventional wisdom regarding who “won” the debate. I’m not saying Hillary did poorly, because it surely was an improvement over her last debate in Philly and clearly she owned the audience all night who were quick to come to her defense to boo Edwards and Obama when each tried to attack her record, but she had a lot of help from CNN too. Not only was the network completely unfair in the amount of time they gave to most of the other candidates, they also were caught planting a softball question from the audience specifically for her to end the night that they had to admit to and then they followed that by having James Carville and David Gergen featured on their post-debate show, both of whom had previously held positions in her husband’s administration and Carville is currently listed as an “informal advisor” to her campaign. That’s quite a coup for any campaign to pull off and should be cause for anyone to re-evaluate the entire evening. Quite frankly, if Hillary won the debate, then any record of the win deserves an asterisk beside it.

So I’m wondering. Who do you think won the debate?

I personally think we all lost. No one really won the debate, because it wasn't a debate. Our democracy is being pulled asunder by the cable news networks so that they can create a narrative that sells their "product." Hillary may have won some points in the horse race, but that is exactly what it is, a horse race. This is not a public forum where voters can choose a candidate based on real issues.

Air America Radio Revival

No, the progressive/liberal talk network isn't switching to a religious format (like NYC's 1150AM did). Instead today is the day when Mark Green takes over Air America Radio after purchasing the company for $4.25 million a few weeks ago. AAR has seen many problems in nearly three years since its inception and has been marked by the right for collapse. Well wingnuts, in the illustrious words of Vice President Cheney, GO *uck yourselves!

Some of the inspirational words from the new chief, Mark Green:

Air America was a large, smart idea to counter the near-monopoly on talk radio by the far (f)right. But like most start-ups, the business plan collided with reality. Six CEOs over its first three years - and various missteps and misspending - sent it into Chapter 11.

It's now ready to go from The Perils of Pauline to The Little Engine that Could. How? First, by focusing on the radio fundamentals of making a strong line-up even stronger; second, by connecting to other progressive membership organizations to be mutually fortifying; and third, by being a multi-media content company involving other distribution platforms - Internet, blogging, audio and video streaming, mobile, social networks, and more. It's time to think outside the (radio) box.

The twin goals are to make it profitable and influential. One without the other won't work. If it's not a business, it'll go out of business.

But it'll be a business with a sharp point of view. The era of on-the-one-hand-on-the-other-hand liberalism is over -- or as Robert Frost once wrote, "a liberal man is too broad-minded to take his own side in a quarrel." For all those who worry about messianic misleaders governing on a right wing and a prayer, Air America 2.0 will be an answer. For all those fearful of plutocracy and theocracy, the pro-democracy hosts of AAR's programs will be an answer. If the conservative media continue to spout propaganda and call it news, there's now the alternative of truth, justice and the Air American way.

So do not fear liberal truth-seekers, Air America is here to stay and be better than ever. Hopefully Green will stay true to these sweet words and deliver for all of us who crave truth on the airwaves with the mass of delusion that is spun up by the right on a daily basis.