And Here's Who The Democrats Will Let In (Joe Gandelman)
Joe Gandelman
A list of the bloggers so far who have been issued credentials (that haven't been revoked) to the Democratic convention.
UPDATE: And here's ANOTHER blogger who was told she could go — then told she can't. (Question: Is a GOP mole in charge of issuing the Demmies convention credentials? No one that incompetent could be working for a major political party on a Bigtime event such as a convention...or could they????? These mistakes are a huge disappointment influential bloggers on all ends of the political spectrum. Terrible p.r.)
UPDATE: And here's ANOTHER blogger who was told she could go — then told she can't. (Question: Is a GOP mole in charge of issuing the Demmies convention credentials? No one that incompetent could be working for a major political party on a Bigtime event such as a convention...or could they????? These mistakes are a huge disappointment influential bloggers on all ends of the political spectrum. Terrible p.r.)
Where do you get the idea that the Democrat Party even ought to let anybody into their national convention, unless they have a serious expectation that you will use your presence there to act as a useful tool for their campaign?
This is not the first time I have taken exception, not necessarily with one of your arguments, but with the very premise on which you based that argument.
I get the idea that you truly believe in such a notion as a free press. But having worked for a major wire service once, along with a local daily newspaper, I can assure you of the truth of what A J Liebling once commented, that freedom of the press is guaranteed only for those who own one. It truly is the news business, not the journalism profession. Nothing more or less.
Same with politics. Being a local operative for the Republican Party and an election volunteer coordinator for the National Rifle Association, I can understand the point of view of politicians who put the whole system together and maintain it. So you ought not to imagine someone like me would go out of their way to assist some blogger to attend a Republican newsmaking event unless I were certain he or she could and would deliver for my friends.
If this were the old days and I were living in New York, I would have been just as happy as a ward heeler for Tammany Hall. Or in Chicago, as a functionary for the Daley machine. Partly because I could so clearly understand their motives and not get nervous about them.
And one thing I've always liked about myself is that I can freely admit all this, and feel good about it.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI
There is also a tradition at the conventions of inviting opposition reporters; you can be assured that people from The National Review and The Weekly Standard will be at the DNC and that people from Slate and The New Republic and such will be at the RNC.
I think Joe's got a good point here: is it conceivable that the DNC would not allow reporters from the Washington Times to attend? Or that the Republicans would not allow someone from the New York Times? No, it's not. At least not at this time.
Should it be otherwise? Perhaps.
Yes...I am disappointed, indeed.
I was packing my bags for Beantown.
I enjoyed your wry GOP-mole comment.
As always, a spin must be applied to an otherwise boring story of a simple administrative f-up.
If we didn't have spin, we would be left with the matte-flat dreadfully boring world of the inefficient.
Tops spin...dull stories spin...as spins the world. The need for glossed-up stories keep us all in motion. So, even the Convention blogger shut-out story has its own built-in conspiracy theory...right? ;)
Keep up the great blogging here at Dean and beyond, my friend.
The tradition of inviting opposition reporters to political party conventions, in my judgement, is a foolish one. So is the tradition of giving interviews to non-friendly journalists.
In addition, Republicans ought to stop complaining about the liberal-dominated new media, then use their money to take control of the levers of power in the media, fire the liberal reporters (or confine them to covering dog shows) and replace them with politically reliable people. With few exceptions, my values are totally partisan.
I think party conventions should be totally partisan events, and that the only guests permitted should be those whose ideology or connections to idelogically oriented groups friendly to the party should be allowed into the convention. All others should be excluded.
And of course we could get away with all of this, if we chose. There is no law guaranteeing fairness of access to any newswriters to any political event. Freedom of the press, where taken seriously, means only that you can write and publish whatever you want without being prosecuted. It doesn't mean anyone has to grant you access to information of any kind at all.
Remember, Dean, I have never attempted to hide from you or anyone on Dean's World my general contempt for "democracy". In any case, most newswriters do not involve themselves in politics simply to uphold democracy; but mostly as career chasers trying to line up better jobs for themselves in the news business.
That's what I saw when I worked the news business. It was all about money, power, and who would hire you to write about whatevr. If Joe saw something different, then all the better for him.
Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb
If you are asking for all 20 of us to be reinstated, we have a different story. After reading this blogger's story and reading about Oxblog's post-credential-rescinding invitation, I think I see your point.
The conspiracy theory of which I spoke was any notion put forward that the DNC was only kicking Conservatives to the curb. We know that's not true.
I would have hoped that, as one of the few female political bloggers, they may have kept me in mind as a "keeper" when making their cuts.
I do feel your pain, though, Bill. I've been parked on the curb along with you. And I agree that we would hardly be a bother while getting some marvelous stories. I was hoping to cover the convention from the Kucinich camp.
Jude
Essentially, it looks like the ONLY two conservative bloggers who applied were booted. Just because you are liberal (or whatever) and booted doesn't disprove the theory that ideology had something to do with ME getting rejected.
I'm sure they had an admin snafu, but
A. It's incredibly poor form to invite then drop; I'm a bit flabbergasted by the arrogance that believes it's simply a matter of sending out quick rejections and everyone will be fine with it. BS.
B. It's worse form to cut loose the bloggers with the wrong ideology
And before you say, "well what about Oxblog," Belton is pretty darn moderate and a registered Dem, and he was invited by phone AFTER we were cut and questions were being raised about the ideological diversity of the bloggers in attendance.
Of course the DNCC could clear much of this up with transparency, but ... we are supposed to "take" them at their "word." they could also clear things up by doing the right thing and reinstating the credentials.
I do think, if the DNCC were to take on conservative bloggers, however, that they may wish to choose the ones with wider readership.
As far as the liberal bloggers chosen are concerned, I think the criteria should be more varied. An important and promising difference in the very concept of blogging vs. mainstream media is power of the smallest voice reaching out to the world-at-large. It flows perfectly with the ideals of democracy and equality.
I do not purport to understand the DNCC blogger-credential process. This is all new to the political parties as well as to us bloggers.
I do agree that, out of 15,000 credentialed journalists, adding 20 more bloggers wouldn't have caused anyone serious discomfort. I agree the way we were informed was quite unprofessional and I understand your feelings about Oxblog (as stated in my prior message).
If my credentials were not reinstated, I guess I would have to accept it gracefully and be appreciative of having been considered. Yet..hope springs eternal ;)
My blessings go out to you. I wish you the best of luck in getting us all reinstated....I hope it works!
I look forward to reading your blog in the future.
Of course we all lose our tempers now and then. Dean freely admits to being imperfect in this regard, which is why regulars to this establishment will generally be cut more slack than people who we don't know very well.
Still: behave like an adult, or go find somewhere else to play. Thanks.