In the scheme of things, Netroots Nation is turning out to be one of the more genteel events that the Austin Convention Center has hosted: Think the quiet attentiveness of the SXSW Interactive Festival, mixed with the affable bumper-sticker-vending of the Texas Democratic Party State Convention.
Aside from the high-profile keynote speeches and plethora of special-interest caucuses, much of the event is specialized panel discussions. What’s fascinating is that there’s surprisingly little live-blogging going on: Instead, the supposedly ADD-riddled political blogging community is paying attention to the speakers. More than a few panels have spoken to the ability of bloggers to challenge the standard political paradigm. Take Alex Horton of Austin-based blog Army of Dude, noting that while spending $170 billion a year on an unpopular war is just shrugged off as if it were small change, proposing similar expenditure for public housing or pre-K education is public finance heresy.
Why is this of note? Because more than one reporter, attending from one of Newsdesk’s fellow traditional media outlets to cover the convention, sighed heavily after being forced to eschew the more serious issues because someone in their editorial hierarchy told them it was terribly important that they skip a discussion of some heft in favor of getting a few words with Obama Girl.
This article appears in July 18 • 2008.