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July 26, 2004Send MeI am not sure if it is because I am tired, got off to a bad start, or if there is something else going on, but if feels like there is a curious disconnect. This morning was interesting and exciting. Getting the press pass was complicated, but once I got it, I went to two blogger breakfasts. There was the breakfast with Rep. Waxman discussing ideas about getting people more involved in congressional races. At the next network was more focused on the bloggers. There was a little bit of a feeling that the bloggers where part of the exhibit for the traditional press report on. Barack Obama was the first surprise guest. As has been noted elsewhere, Obama is the current wunderkind of the convention. Rod O’Connor, CEO of the convention, spoke about how we are here to tell John Kerry’s story. It is a made for television special. As I sit here this evening, it feels a little bit like a Hallmark special. The story isn’t resonating. It is a story without suspense or plot. Walter Mears spoke a bit about this and talked about the importance of speaking with people at the State Delegations. He spoke about how conventions are an old form, from when they were a decision making process. It is an interesting question, how should conventions be changed? The next speaker talked a bit about this. It was Gov. Howard Dean. He spoke about what blogs are doing is not reporting, but creating community. This is the message about blogs that I believe in. Yet it doesn’t seem to be happening here in Boston. Perhaps it is happening on other blogs. I’ll take a look later on. He spoke about the importance of creating two way communications, about how we haven’t had a campaign truly using two way communications in 150 years. He had an interesting comment about how difficult cognitive change really is. Everyone wants to do things the old familiar way, how campaigns are busy fighting the last war, not the next war. He observed that 50% of the people under 25 report getting their news from The Daily Show and the Internet. In twenty five years, they will be the fifty year olds. People need to prepare for the coming change in media. So, here we are in the evening, and we are finding the convention is still just a broadcast. One speaker after another comes up on the stage and delivers a prepared message. They only feedback is the applause. Some speakers, like Bill Clinton, are getting great applause. It is useful to listen to what Clinton has to say. He speaks very well. But beyond that, what can we learn here tonight? Seth at From the Roots has some great questions that we should be asking delegates. I am writing this as Bill Clinton came on. I was feeling frustrated at the nexus of broadcast politics and two way politics. It feels like it isn’t working. But, Clinton has gotten the whole hall chanting, ‘send me’. To put it in the historical context, I think about, “ask not what your country can do for you; send me.” Now, we need the blogs to figure out how everyone who has chanted ‘send me’ can be sent back to their states empowered to act upon being sent. We need to find ways for people to share their experiences. We need to restore two way communications in politics so we can send everyone effectively. Howard Dean did a good job empowering people. Bill Clinton’s speech is very moving, and hopefully people will take it as a chance to be empowered. We need to provide the tools. Posted by Aldon Hynes at July 26, 2004 10:06 PM | TrackBackComments
Aldon It was a wonderful lifetime memory experience. But at some point I had to realize that all the hustle and bustle was part of the event too. Enjoy yourself. TELL US WHAT DEAN DELEGATES ARE THINKING! Perhaps don't try to transmit all the Fleet energy right now, but make sure to record key points for future reference. DNC is a message crafted by too many hands. It all boils down to that one-way bus ticket back to Crawford TX. I will be at Camille's House Party in Guilford tomorrow for the Gov's remarks and call. Best, Hi Alden -- Be not discouraged. Your work has encouraged and connected me. How many others feel the same? Two thoughts come to mind while reading your comments: scale and time. On Scale: Two way communication can be very effective (most effective?) when it happens one on one. There may not be anything newsworthy about one person sharing their thoughts with one other person but that is the core of what it takes to effect change. If everyone who chanted, "send me" last night (including me as I sat on my couch) has the courage to share their impressions with those closest to them we have two-way communciation -- and democracy-- in action. If we define "making a difference" as moving mountains wholesale we will fail. Small scale efforts, in aggregate have the power. We musn't diminish them. And, it all takes time. Give it time. I can't tell you how invigorating it was for me to casually check out convention bloggers and find that you were there! Step back and appreciate just how significantly the ground has shifted. Where it goes from here is up to us -- just not overnight. Kathy Posted by: Kathy at July 27, 2004 8:58 AMAldon, your impressions of the convention from there are similar to the sense I get from here. It seems like one big Kerry campaign commercial. I suppose that's a function of the desperation so many feel to get what's-his-name out of office. But the music is good :) As someone more interested in ideas than personalities, what I'd like to hear about is any discussions that are going on about the Democratic platform. Are there any? I heard something disturbing last night about there being no interest in the platform from delegates. Maybe that's something you could follow up on. Posted by: Elissa at July 27, 2004 9:11 AMVarious quick comments. I am exhausted. I've written another entry this morning following up on the theme of Send Me, which I hope addresses some of the comments I've received. As to the platform, as far as I can tell, that is basically a done deal. The real work of the platform committee was done in Florida earlier this month. For more information about that, please check out http://platform.smartcampaigns.com Posted by: Aldon Hynes at July 27, 2004 9:25 AMAldon, what I'm wondering is what the delegates feel and think about the platform. Are they discussing it at all? Do they think it's important? Are the ideas and policies of the party getting as much attention as the personalities and desire to win? Like that. Get some rest. Posted by: Elissa at July 27, 2004 10:31 AMGenerally speaking I'm not running into delegates that are talking about the platform. I believe it has now been approved. Posted by: Aldon Hynes at July 27, 2004 3:36 PMYep, approved pro forma, no discussion. And from what you say, not much interest on the part of delegates. I think it matters what we say we stand for, and I don't think the discussion should end when the platform is approved. Maybe you could be a troublemaker and start asking people what they think of it :) Posted by: Elissa at July 27, 2004 11:12 PMIf you want to be effective in changing the party, you need to learn the way the party works and work within that context. That is part of the reason I set up http://platform.smartcampaigns.com It was a place to discuss the platform when it made sense to discuss the platform and when you could have an effect. Discussions about the platform after July 10th are about as effective and make about as much sense as discussions about if Dean should get the nomination after Super Tuesday Posted by: Aldon Hynes at July 27, 2004 11:45 PMHmmm... I don't think we're communicating on this one. Should we stop discussing the Constitution because it was already approved? Posted by: Elissa at July 28, 2004 10:07 AMWell, to make this a valid comparision, I think it is useful to look at what the goals are in such a discussion. If the goal is to change the document, then there is a very important difference. The platform can't be changed, the Constitution can be. So, what would the goals and benefits be in further discussion about the platform? There is a time and a place for everything. Right now, the focus is on getting Kerry elected. To the extent that a discussion about the platform can be beneficial in helping get Kerry elected, then it might make sense. However, personally, I doubt that a discussion about the platform with the delegates or with most people would help that goal. Posted by: Aldon Hynes at July 28, 2004 4:53 PMPost a comment
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