Monday, July 21, 2008
NetRoots Nation - Thank you, Al Gore, for inventing the internet.
NetRoots Nation, a convention of progressive bloggers, came to Austin last week. Because I have been messing with this little POS blog for a couple of years and because the pioneers of progressive blogging were coming to a venue just down the street from me, I jumped at the chance to attend.
And, Wow!, am I glad I did.
It was a totally refreshing experience to be immersed in a sea (yes, sea, compared to the puddle or droplet of the opposing conservative gathering happening during the same time) of people whose ideals and goals are very altruistic. These people are truly concerned with the world and our nation and what the current administration has done to subvert both. Of course there were grumpy people there who had an axe to grind and who challenged the less liberal participants at every opportunity. There was the guy who kept hollering at Nancy Pelosi: "Hey Nancy, where's our goddamned impeachment?" Bad manners, yes, but a sentiment that many (including myself) shared.
I had the opportunity to listen to, inter alia, Richard Clarke, John Dean, Wesley Clark, Howard Dean, Markos Moulitsas, Harold Ford, Jr., Paul Krugman, Digby Parton, Rick Perstein, Duncan Black, Nancy Pelosi and Al Gore. There were so many good choices and times that overlapped, it was impossible to go to all the discussions presented.
The "surprise" visit of Al Gore on Saturday morning during Nancy Pelosi's session was very dramatic and the first time I had the opportunity to witness Al Gore in action in person. Very impressive. Others who blew away the audience were Wesley Clark and Howard Dean. Everybody was good but not everybody had the setting to have the dramatic impact that these had.
Thanks to the organizers of NetRoots Nation for giving me this opportunity. I feel better about the world.
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