Blue Mass Group

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“How to screw up a really good idea.” By the Democratic Party

By

Governor Howard Dean

Democratic National Committee

430 S. Capitol St., SE

Washington, DC 20003

Monday, May 19, 2008

Governor Dean:

Let us begin by noting our respect for your position at the Democratic National Committee and the reforms you have made. Your efforts to rebuild the Democratic Party in all 50 states has reinvigorated the political debate across the country — and strengthened not just the party, but our country as well, in the process.

We write to you today out of concern that the same principles that have strengthened our party are today being ignored in the state blog credentialing process for the Democratic National Convention in Denver this summer.

As long-time progressive state bloggers, we have now witnessed many of our well-respected colleagues from crucial states be passed over. In many states, it appears that parochial politics and hurt egos played a role in these decisions. These concerns run counter to our shared goals of using programs like the state blogger pool to “tear down the walls” in Denver — and better connect the American people with the events on the ground.

The Democratic Party endangers its own long-term viability when it makes fealty a criterion for inclusion. Instead, the Party should act to ensure that it includes its ideological media allies, even if those allies are occasional tactical or strategic critics.

We, the undersigned, have been included in the state credentials pool, despite our own history of criticism of local Democratic actors. This speaks well to the character of our own local parties. But while our peers in other states are being excluded, we’d be remiss in staying silent.

We encourage you to review the selection process undertaken and reasons given by state parties for excluding some of America’s most respected state level progressive blogs. We believe a fair and thorough review is necessary to ensure success for this promising experiment in shining a light on the Democratic Convention.

Sincerely,

Dean Barker, Blue Hampshire (NH)

Charley Blandy, Blue Mass Group (MA)

Laura Clawson, Blue Hampshire (NH)

Robert Cruickshank, Calitics (CA)

Dave Dayen, Calitics (CA)

John Ehrhardt, SquareState (CO)

Lowell Feld, Raising Kaine (VA)

Jon Flack, Tondee’s Tavern (GA)

Matt Glazer, Burnt Orange Report (TX)

Steve Hanson, Uppity Wisconsin (WI)

Matt Jerzyk, Rhode Island’s Future (RI)

David Kravitz, Blue Mass Group (MA)

Brian Leubitz, Calitics (CA)

Phillip Martin, Burnt Orange Report (TX)

Ryan McLeod, Daily Kingfish (LA)

Kyle Michaelis, New Nebraska Network (NE)

Betsy Muse, BlueNC (NC)

Karl-Thomas Musselman, Burnt Orange Report (TX)

Bob Neer, Blue Mass Group (MA)

Chad Nodland, North Decoder (ND)

Lucas O’Connor, Calitics (CA)

John Odum, Green Mountain Daily (VT)

Kenneth Quinnell, Florida Progressive Coalition (FL)

Julia Rosen, Calitics (CA)

Matt Singer, Left in the West (MT)

Joe Sonka, BlueGrassRoots (KY)

Jay Stevens, Left in the West (MT)

Jeff Wegerson, Prairie State Blue (IL)

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Comments

  1. I can see the Dem Party not wanting to revoke the credentials to the blogs they’ve already offered… so since they obviously overlooked those four(ish) blogs, just add them and have a few extras.

    <

    p>Blogs are new-ish to national conventions.  It’s expected that there’ll be mistakes, and that’s OK.  Best easy fix: just add an extra four, and do a better job in 2012.

    <

    p>It ain’t that hard.

    <

    p>P.S. Getting it right 92% isn’t “screwing up a good idea.”  It’s implementing a good idea with a very high success rate.

    • I saw the headline, I figured that the Democrats had penciled in Lieberman to speak on the third night to show their ability to reach moderates…or they were going to ban cameras.

      <

      p>I’m sorry for these blogs…I read the Albany Project a fair bit and they do good stuff.  But I can’t help seeing this as the inside baseball stuff for which the traditional media is so often pilloried on the blogs — the online equivalent as who gets what seat on the campaign bus.

      • Having lived in Albany for school, I became fixated on the New York political culture. In some respects, its more corrupt and disfunctional then Mass. I followed the Albany Project but there are some way better blogs that cover NY Politics. Take a look at Liz Benjamin’s “Daily Politics” in the New York Daily News. Its unbiased, and the best thing is the way she gets readers inside information from the Capital. I wonder why Mass papers don’t utilize the same exact style political blog to get readers interested. One problem with independent blogs is the fact that they only appeal to people with the same political beliefs.

        <

        p>Take a look at Capital Confidential at the Albany Times Union also. Both of these blogs allow readers from all political spectrums to voice their opinions and seem to have the best information from the Capital. From my experience, these two blogs are the best form of political commentary due to the fact that its unbiased and reaches many more readers..  

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