By now you must know that Netroots Nation 2011 starts Thursday in Minneapolis.
You probably also know there are over 70 amazing panels (shameless self promotion for http://bit.ly/...), keynote speakers galore and of course ....booze.
You may know that on Saturday afternoon at 2 pm the Speakout for Good Jobs Now Tour starts with the first stop right next door to the convention center in Minneapolis with Reps. Keith Ellison, Raul Grijalva and Jared Polis.
What you may have missed however is what I think (yes I am biased, it was my idea and I've done a lot of work on it but hey this is the blogosphere we're allowed to be biased occasionally right?) is a hidden gem on the schedule...
Friday at 1:30 pm in the lobby of the convention center we will be holding the first ever Meet the Staffers Event. Think of it as a kind of speed dating event...staffers sitting at tables, bloggers going over and introducing themselves and starting to build the kinds of relationships that lead to great things like interviews and blog posts!
the things staffers do to decorate their cubicles
Staffer RSVPs are still coming in but I'm told there will be staffers from many of the members of the Progressive Caucus along with others.
This is your chance to talk to the staffers...the ones who work their butts off so their bosses can do what they've been sent to DC to do. I've seen it from as close to the inside as one can get w/out being a staffer oneself- these people are the muscle behind the men and women. Know that cliche "behind every man there's an even more amazing woman"? That applies here too...
So stop by Friday afternoon...you never know... maybe next time you're in DC you'll get to meet a staffer pootie or two...