Siegelman Speaks At Netroots Nation

Don Siegelman knows what Karl Rove did (illegally) to him and isn't afraid to talk about the abuse of power used by Rove and the White House to go after the former Governor.

Steve Behar At Netroots Nation

Most of the netroots candidates are running in elections that will occur this year. However, Steve Behar is not most candidates...he is running in 2009 for New York City Council in 2009 out in NE Queens. Here he is at the candidate's mixer on this past Friday night, video care of yours truly:

Netroots Nation Day 3...And Into 4

So here I am, sitting two tables from the podium of the main stage here at Netroots Nation on a beautiful (and not so hot yet) morning. People are filing in for the Van Jones Keynote speech, the last of many great speakers over the course of four days. Like last year, the convention was an incredible experience for me. Perhaps not so much in the way of learning new things about the netroots, but certainly getting more in touch with the people that make up our wonderful progressive web. As I type, Mayor Gavin Newsom is walking by with his entourage (he'll be speaking this morning as well), pictures are filing by on the monitors, showing politicians, activists and friends (certainly not separate entities) from the course of the last few days.

That is really what this place is all about. There is such a wealth of information online and many of us are voracious readers, both online and in print. The online part is self-explanatory, but the incredible amount of progressive authors with books on a diverse array of issues is a testament to the growing power and spread of information that we are putting out there to counter the spin and lies of the right.

Sure, it is far from where we need to be to overcome the many obstacles that Republicans (and some Democrats) throw in our way with the mighty power that corporate money affords them. But as I munch on my scone and drink my coffee at my table for the morning, I see tremendous hope for our progressive and yes, 'liberal' quest. It is time to put an end to the free reign of the conservative message machine and the way words like 'liberal' are co-opted. After the speeches and 'blogger brunch' this morning, we will fan out to our respective cities, towns and rural locales and continue to fight for what we believe in. So much has been accomplished in the last few years...and the potential we have to effect the change we desire is ready to be converted into pure, raw, activist energy.

Nancy Pelosi At Netroots Nation LIVE! Al Gore Too!!!!

Break out the popcorn!



Honestly though, despite everything she's done, I give her props for coming out to talk to us this morning.

Thank god Al Gore showed up to save Pelosi from her bloviating!

Netroots Nation Day 2

O.k. so this is coming from the morning of day 3, but honestly I was too tired last night to type. Yesterday started out bright and early, meeting friends for breakfast at eight and (gasp) actually working out beforehand. The first event I attended was the much talked about "Law and the Next President" with John Dean, Cass Sunstein, Michael Waldman and Adam B. The topic went smoothly until it went to Q & A and all hell broke loose. People were attacking the panelists for not wanting to go after Bush et al for their crimes and it got quite personal (from the commenters). So once the dialogue broke down, I was off to the next event.

"Middle class isn't middle of the road" featured David Sirota among others from across the country to discuss populism and the uprising throughout the country. The people discussing the issue knew their stuff, but as for spreading the message to the audience and coming up with a plan.....eh, not so much. Sirota was twenty minutes late on top of everything, claiming traffic problems coming down from Dallas.

Then the big event of the day was Harold Ford and our very own Markos going head to head. It wasn't so much a rumble, but a discussion between two leaders under the Democratic tent that come from two very different places. At first it went well, but when the debate headed into the realm of FISA, Ford went off into his own delusional world where committing crimes is ok if the President told you to. Obviously he forgot that the rule of law covers everyone, including George Bush.

Quickly after it was over, I was off to the volunteer's table to do my part here at Netroots Nation. For an hour and half, I helped sell t-shirts for the convention in the exhibit hall and at the end, got one myself. It has the flag of Texas with an orange tinge, its simple, but cool and I highly suggest everyone here get one before they're all gone.

I skipped the blog money panel since I was late and one attendee who was walking out told me it didn't teach him anything and if you know the basics, then it isn't worth your time. So I relaxed for a bit and ended the day by watching the screening of "Trouble the Water," concerning the terrible tragedy that befell New Orleans during and after Katrina. There is nothing else like it out there, so this is another thing I highly recommend.

Then it was party time. The candidate's mixer was fantastic. Seeing netroots and grassroots people stepping up to run for office was spectacular. I knew most of the candidates from New York, but getting to meet those from other states was a true honor. Before I knew it, the time was 8:30 and several hundred of us paraded through the streets of Austin to Maggie Mae's. Free drinks, free food, a chocolate fountain (so glad I did that workout in the morning) and great music had the crowd going strong late into the night. I though, was getting tired around 10:30, so it was time to chill back in the hotel. Now it is a little after 9am and time for Nancy Pelosi to grace us with our presence.

Markos Versus Ford: LIVE!!!!!

I'm here in the room, about a hundred feet from the stage. However, everyone should watch this debate between the founder of DailyKos and the leader of the centrist DLC, Harold Ford, Jr.:

Wes Clark Sits Down With TPM At Netroots Nation

General Wesley Clark is an icon (albeit for only a few years) in the Democratic Party. Yet he reaches out to the netroots community in a way that few politicians do. Not only did he give a keynote speech on the first night here in Austin, but sat down for a one-on-one with TPMtv:

Netroots Nation Day 1

So we are a little bit into day two here in Austin, Texas and I can't wait to wake up for it. Day one was technically a half day, as I had landed at the airport just as Howard Dean gave his big voter registration drive speech outside. After being slightly confused in the airport by the Waterloo station store, I headed out into the hot, humid air and took the 50 cent bus downtown.

Once I got down to the convention center, things were already humming there and at the hotel across the street. After getting my credential and bag of goodies, I was off to check out the grounds (thankfully much smaller and more central to the city, unlike last year in Chicago) and meet people from last year and the newbies to the Yearly Kos convention.

Before I knew it was 5:30 and the authors mixer was underway and I found myself talking to some of my favorite personalities from both the blogosphere and/or the progressive literary world. At first I thought the sculpted trees of fruit were cool, but the people were far better. Then after a quick bite in the hotel, it was time to go back across to the convention center for the Keynote speakers, Wes Clark and Howard Dean (take 2). As expected, both men had the crowd of 2,000 on their feet and hands a clappin. Their introducers and the emcee of the evening were also top notch.

Then all of sudden it was 9:30 CDT and time to drop the laptop off. Browsing the famous 6th Street was phenomenal, I couldn't believe all there was to browse in terms of music and Texas outdoor 'theatre,' even if it was only a Thursday night. But that is where it ends, at least for the first day. I caught an early flight and left the house at 6:30 this morning, so time for some sleep to get ready for a full day number two.

YearlyKos Is No More!

Yes, sadly there will not be a third YearlyKos next year. But the good news is that there will be the first Netroots Nation at an undisclosed (or undetermined) location in 2008. Here's Gina Cooper telling us all about it this past weekend: