As you know, the three of us are off to Denver tomorrow as the Massachusetts member of the DNC's State Blogger Corps. We will keep you updated on the goings-on at the convention in (at least) two ways: of course we'll be writing regular posts when we've got something to say.
Also, there's a new box in the right-hand sidebar called “BMG in Denver.” We've got Twitter feeds hooked into that box, and we'll use Twitter to post frequent, brief updates of where we are and what we're up to.
Thanks to all of you for ideas about what we should cover (keep 'em coming!), and also to those of you who kicked in a few bucks to help cover the costs. Going to Denver is an extraordinary opportunity for us, and we're honored to represent the Massachusetts blogosphere at this historic convention. We'll try to do you proud.
UPDATE: From Bob. There's also a calendar of upcoming events, under the Twitter feed. We'll update it as we go along. Check it out and tell us what you'd like us to report about.
UPDATE: From Charley. If the Twitter feeds at the upper right don't work for you (they don't for me), just try these …
Bob's Twitter
Charley's Twitter
David's Twitter
and then explain that you have a dedicated group of conservatives on your blog and it was from them.
We all couldn’t be there in Denver, but knowing BMG is makes me confident that we will get great overall coverage and detailed reporting on the goings on of the Massachusetts delegation.
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p>The Massachusetts delegation’s make up and the concerns we represent will be good for the party.
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p>It really says something that Arthur Powell is an At-Large delegate and Tim Cahill, a constitutional officer, is back in the Bay State cooling his jets and trying to make the best of it. He’s already put out spin that he’s happy to be back here holding down the fort. Maybe he could sell some scratch tickets while he is at it?
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p>We are breaking ground in so many ways this year. From shelving egos (e.g. Cahill) to the nomination process to the platform.
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p>BMG reps you have tremendous responsibilities. Keep us up to date!
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p>
you are able to leave on Sunday and be in Massachusetts on Monday? I thought you had to be there on Saturday. Or at least that’s what Jamie Eldridge did. You mean you didn’t canvass for Obama in Colorado on Saturday, I thought that’s what all the cool kids and Jamie Eldridge were doing? You mean you could have chosen to spend time at home campaigning for the office you are running for if you so chose? That’s not what Jamie Eldridge was doing.
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p>P.S. Have fun.
from the clip of the Democratic debate when GS was asking Biden if he still believed Obama was not ready for the job of President. Obama had that annoying “Yo, I’m gonna kill someone look” on his face. Priceless comment, priceless face and all caught on film. Thanks BO and JoeB.
I would like you to report on the feeling among pledged Clinton delegates. Are they really outraged, as CNN reports, on Obama’s supposed failure to go through the motions of giving her serious consideration for the VP nomination? Or is this just top-down, manufactured outrage from high-level Clinton people aimed at asserting the Clintons’ continued relevance in the party or at some other goal?
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p>If it’s the former, that’s okay. People feel how they feel, though personally I don’t see how the typical party member can be “outraged” by the stuff mentioned in the CNN article, e.g., failing to send the VP vetters to talk with Clinton, or failing to consult with Bill Clinton about how to go about choosing a VP–unless, that is, people from the top tell them they should be outraged.
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p>If it’s the latter, then in the words of the inimitable Judge Kozinski, the Clinton camp “is advised to chill.” They need to work for the good of the party, which means electing Obama in November. Manufacturing “outrage” among the rank and file is as good a way as I know of demobilizing Clinton’s voters–how can this be in the party’s interest?
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p>TedF
inimitable indeed! đŸ™‚
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p>Excellent idea about the Clinton delegates.
how prevalent is the prickish behavior noted in this Denver anecdote?
The Clinton people are prickish and the Obama people are prickish, unless you think the Obama people should continue to stroke the bruised vanity of the Clinton people until the dawning of the next millennium.
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p>This whole, “Oh my, those Obama people are rude. I was going to vote for him but now I don’t know…. bla bla bla” is getting a little old.
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p>It’s a campaign, people. Either you’re on this train or you’re not, and if not, get out of the way. The limelight-hugging identity “integrity” voters are the concrete overshoes of this election cycle.
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p>/rant
There is prickishness on both sides — people who can’t accept losing, and people who can’t win gracefully. I mentioned that report because I was looking to make the point you just did.
Perhaps they should all stop being pricks. Just over half the delegates are with Obama, just under half the delegates are with Hillary. That’s life in the mile high city…get over it all of you.
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p>(If they had made Biden the nominee (the most qualified to BE president) back in Iowa, we wouldn’t have these problems!)
I can’t say I really missed the Obama/Clinton sniping these last few weeks on BMG, but I guess we’re going to have to go through it one more time.
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p>For what it’s worth, my wife, who both serves on my town’s Democratic Committee, and who was really, really annoyed by a few actions of the Clinton campaign, co-hosted an event this summer for Clinton supporters. It really was a “reach-out” event, and I’m proud of her for doing it.
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p>So while there are certainly less-than-graceful Obama supporters around, please don’t think or pretend that many of us haven’t been reaching out.
Clinton herself appears to be doing everything possible to show support for the ticket, though I suppose it will never be enough for some. For me “outraged” is too strong a word, but I am disappointed Obama didn’t even pretend to consider her.
when a politician fails to “pretend” to do something.
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p>Visit Denver’s La Boheme to confirm or dispel the rubric that Democrats go to strip clubs, lament the objectification of women and are lousy tippers; Republican go, lament the fall of family values and are great tippers; Libertarians go, could care less about the implication of values, and pay what the market will bare.
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p>”Did you just grab me”?
“Er, no, it was the invisible hand.”
of the Twitter account? Can I follow you directly on Twitter?
David_at_BMG, CharleyontheMTA, and bobneer.
Do us proud!
of whether delegates are
a) happy with
b) ambivalent to
c) upset with
the removal of LGBT people by name form the platform, and the anti-equality stance of the presumptive nominee(s), that would be great. Not sure how to get a sense of a room that large, but I’ll leave it to you 3 brains to figure that out. đŸ™‚
That’s news to me.
use the terms “gay and lesbian”. now those terms have been scrubbed, never ming anything about gender identity/expression. and, there are still mentions in there about repealing dadt, etc, but there is no one LGBT section. LGBT issues are scattered across several sections. iirc, however, we are not mentioned in the “family” section. it all makes me feel very warm and fuzzy. well, maybe just fuzzy – i think that was the point.
i was mistaken in that there is at least one mention of sexual orientation and gender identity
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p>sorry – i’m poor on links today – dealing with a hurt hand makes me cranky and needing to type minimally.
my question still stands, since “gay and lesbian” was part of the platorm since the early to mid 90s, and lgbt issues were easy to identify as such.
Outside of Montreal, Denver is my favorite city in North America. If only time for one thing, hit the amazing “Tattered Cover” bookstore, near Coors Park.