I'm always fascinated with the business dynamics of conventions, having been a convention organizer. The situation at Netroots Nation immediately struck me as unusual. The attendance was clearly intended to be small, with the whole conference specifically designed not for the broad grassroots of the left, but for the most influential elites of the left and especially the progressive blogosphere. The idea was clearly to bring together the most influential bloggers and organizers with party leaders and trendsetters like Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, Harold Ford and Wesley Clark.
With a registration fee of about $500 it was clear that no riff-raff need apply. Discussions with attendees put that in context and explained the need for so much big-money sponsorship. The attendees were largely hand-picked, with their entry and expenses underwritten by various groups in the form of paid 'scholarships' to enable them to attend. Naturally, that meant that there was a selection process in play where scholarships were directed to the most influential and most loyal partisans, giving them the opportunity to make contacts and take advantage of the extensive learning opportunities offered at the conference.
Netroots Nation also functions as a social gathering for insiders or "Trusted Users" of DailyKos, a close-knit group of enthusiastic online activists for whom DailyKos has become the basis of a lifestyle. They have little clubs and interest groups within the larger community and clearly share common interests and a jovial camaraderie. Politics aside, they seemed like pretty nice, outgoing folks. Once again demonstrating that the impression people make in person is often much more positive than the one they would create online. These are the same folks who would delete my comments for political incorrectness on DailyKos, but in person they seemed pretty amiable.
In the Belly of the Beast
The exhibit hall is the heart of any convention, and that's certainly true here. It's the place where you can see exactly what groups are involved and be sure to find one of their representatives who is eager to tell you all about their beliefs and agenda. After stopping to take a quick look in on a couple of the ongoing 'caucus' meetings, I headed for the exhibit hall to take the pulse of the Netroots. Visiting it on Thursday, before the crowds arrive, is a good way to make sure you can actually get the attention of booth staff, but in this case it also meant that about a third of the booths had not arrived yet or were still setting up, so I'll make another visit on Saturday.
Article comments
1 - zingzing
oh, dave... i see you falling apart at some point. you? at a daily kos event?
i'm rubbing my crystal balls! there! i see something... coming out! there is something in the mist! oh, damn, man... i'm sorry. no, that's not mystical spit. not at all.
2 - Gaheris
I heard that they were issuing two different media badges at Netroots Nation, one for those who agreed with the organizers politically and a special one labelled "Opinion Media" for people who weren't left enough for them. Which one did you get?
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
"Blogcritic's Dave Nalle files his first spy report. As he acknowledges right off the bat, he is there undercover to see what the other side is doing. He demonstrates his complete ignorance of the left blogosphere in his description of the attendees and the dkos blogging community. Beware who you're talking to at the conference." Kos
Got your BC-issued cyanide pill, Dave?
4 - Andy Marsh
They're on to you Dave...be careful out there...keep your head down!
maybe you need to commute between these events in something really green. You can borrow my e-bike, that might make them happy!
5 - bliffle
The Wobblies? The IWW? Didn't they officialy go extinct when U. Utah Phillips died a couple weeks ago? Oh well, no more of those great concerts. And exotic foods celebrated in song like "Moose Turd Pie". He was good, though.
I'm only surprised that you went to the convention dressed in shorts, thus risking derision for exposing your varicose veined lily-white gams to public view. Why, after witnessing that display some louts might conclude that your writing is equally shameless.
6 - Dave Nalle
Bliff, I'm from Texas. I wear shorts 300 days a year, so my legs are nice and tanned. No need to fear.
Dave
7 - troll
...do you wear your chaps over the shorts cowboy - ?
8 - Dan Miller
Troll,
Cowboy chaps and shorts, while useful, do not protect the part of the anatomy which The Reverend Mr. Jackson graciously offered to remove from
The Reverend Mr.Senator Obama.Dan
9 - troll
'Blogcritic's Dave Nalle'...sounds pretty good -
those boys and girls over at the Kos take themselves awful serious-like don'cha know
10 - Clavos
"those boys and girls over at the Kos take themselves awful serious-like don'cha know"
And for no discernible reason...
11 - Dave Nalle
Got your BC-issued cyanide pill, Dave?
Dang, Matt. Mine is past the expiration date. I hope I'm not in trouble.
maybe you need to commute between these events in something really green. You can borrow my e-bike, that might make them happy!
Sadly, my BigAss Ecotruck is in the shop.
The comment on my first report over at DailyKos would be a lot more useful if it actually explained HOW I had failed to understand the left bloggers. I suspect that my failure is that I haven't bought into the concept that they speak with the voice of god.
Dave
12 - bliffle
I didn't think a guy hunched over his computer 12 hours a day pounding out fonts and columns could get enough of the blue rays of his CRTs onto his legs to give them any color. And I can't imagine sun exposure.
13 - Matthew T. Sussman
Someone's wi-fi router doesn't reach their back patio.
14 - Dave Nalle
My wifi reaches all the way to the pool, where I sometimes do my writing. Plus I've been known to frequent sidewalk cafes which have wifi when I get stuck in downtown Austin. I also type with amazing speed, leaving me time for some outdoor activities.
So, with my natural tanning ability, I'm remarkably dark.
Dave
15 - Dale
Hi,
Can anyone confirm that postcards for my anti-war satire "Military Intelligence and You" were included in the registration bags? Thanks.
16 - Dave Nalle
I have so much junk in my bag now that I'm not sure, but I'll check and get backl to you later, Dale.
dave
17 - Dave Nalle
BTW, my second report, which gives some time to the other side's alternative to Netroots Nation is posted now. Look for A Tale of Two Netroots.
More later today.
Dave
18 - Dale
Just hoping that my postcard is part of that junk...Thanks for checking.
Dale