An evening with the Mat Su Democrats

While the Palin Administration was digging itself into a hole down the road (Thanks, Todd Palin!) I was invited to speak about being a credentialed blogger at the Democratic National Convention to the July Mat Su Democrats meeting. I was impressed; there were over 50 friendly, enthusiastic folks there who gave all of us a warm reception. They didn't even let the influx of a bunch of loud bus tourists stop their meeting. We even stopped clapping because it was "annoying the customers." I would have liked to have asked the management to make the tourists stop their incredibly rude stares.

This is a really bad (but the only one I took) picture of my friend and fellow "blogger-in-arms" Phil Munger, whose excellent idea to have a poetry contest about Ted Stevens on national blog Firedoglake called "Ted-fest" also netted him a contributor slot...congratulations!!!! Phil spread his contageous energy addressing the Dems about letters to the editor and then (of course) veering off to his favorite subject, using the Intertoobz wisely and effectively for Progressive issues and campaigning. He also explained the true significance of the poetry contest (millions of non-Alaskans learning about Ted's "issues") and read several of the poems. Here's one by commenter darkblack in the tradition of Robert Service's "The Cremation of Sam McGee":

There are odd things done in the midnight sun
By the men whom Oil has sold
Their fishy tales meet with hearty gales
from wise heads when they are told
The FBI’s knights have recited some rights
but the queerest they ever had read
was that night by the mouse of a Girdwood house
that belonged to Senator Ted.

Phil has also posted about this over at Progressive Alaska

Native Veteran and State Delegate Jay Cross with Erick Cordero, candidate for Lyda Green's seat--discussing the race while an audience watches from the wall. Erick spoke very eloquently about why he was running and impressed the crowd with his enthusiasm--especially since he just became a citizen in January.

Dennis Zaki and Shannyn Moore (pictured with Shannyn's boyfriend Kelly) along with me spoke about the Democratic Convention and Progressive media in general. Dennis's website, Alaska Report, is easily the most-read Progressive site in Alaska and possibly the most-read Alaska news site period


The irrepressible Katie Hurley, Chief Clerk to Alaska's Constitutional Convention, chats with her table. When she addressed the group, she reminded us that "Republicans don't know how to party." Woo Hoo!