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Here is my report on Netroots Nation 2011 - much of which you've read before, and some which will be new.
Minneapolis has a light-rail system that went into operation in 2004 and does go to the airport. So for $1.75 ($2.25 in rush hour) I was able to get to downtown easily (and you pass by the Metrodome indoor football stadium along the way).
From there, it was about 6 blocks – and you could ride a free bus along the Nicolette Mall (closed to automobiles) much of that distance - to the Hilton, one of our host hotels.
That Wednesday night saw the annual Cheers & Jeers dinner (that Bill in Portland, Maine organizes). It was held at the Hell’s Kitchen restaurant, and a short distance from the Hilton. About 65 people crowded into a (separate) bar area, and in an adjoining private room we saw people getting table service, but a good time had by all. We watched the Stanley Cup final game there; very apropos that we were in Minnesota, a hockey hotbed. And we finished up with drinks in the hotel lobby – sharing space with attendees at a United Health insurance company convention, but they were OK. Moreso than those who came later … who were not.
Here are some personal vignettes of the long weekend:
Thursday at noon brought me to see a baseball game. Target Field is on the west end of downtown, at the end of the light rail line. Nice weather, nice park, nice game. The Twins got a leadoff homer in the bottom of the 2nd … and that is how it ended, 1-0. Many batters swung at the first pitch; no endless fouling-off of pitches, the starting pitchers lasted until the 7th-8th inning, lasted just over two hours.
After the ballgame I returned to the hotel and – since my room was being cleaned – I stopped off at the bar for a drink. The woman behind the bar told me that – compared to many groups staying there – she observed how someone would walk into the lobby looking for the registration desk … and then hear someone call out their name, and walk over to shake hands or offer a hug. I think that speaks volumes.
On Friday, I got on an elevator that had in it a bellman using one of those luggage racks, and an elderly woman. He said to her, “Yes, we see many politicians … and you really learn a lot about them by seeing how they treat the hotel staff”. The woman’s response went like this: “Grumble ....politicians …..grumble …spending … grumble” … and when I saw she had a red-white-and-blue scarf on … well, I knew she had to be attending RightOnLine (ROL). More on them later.
Local beers I liked included Summit EPA as well as Schell’s Firebrick lager. And every place we went to had a good selection of potent potables - as Alex Trebek might say.
And finally, on the walk over to the convention ending party (with a 2-hour open bar, no less) at Fine Line - we passed by this statue of Mary Tyler Moore … yes, throwing her hat into the air.
Now, I did not have any bad encounters with ROL people and - were it not for my orange NN badge – visually, I look like I should belong with them. I am from a Republican family, so I do not mind individual Republicans. But when I go to this event, I want to be able to relax and not be worried about trouble. I did see the last ½ of L’Affaire Breitbart (and visually he looks like he should be at Netroots Nation more than myself). The second photo shows (at left) the Wall Street Journal editor John Fund; the only other notable ROL celebrity I saw. And fittingly, it turned out that the group with the private room for dinner (at that past Wednesday’s Cheers & Jeers gathering) were none other than …. ROL.
You'll like Providence; the Rhode Island Convention Center - which I have attended conferences at - is directly in-between the two union hotels (the Biltmore and the Westin) in the very heart of downtown. The Biltmore is an older, individualistic grand-dame style of hotel, while the Westin is a more modern style – but having stayed at both, either will meet your needs. With the non-compete clause, we should feel secure - there are no shortage of hotels in downtown Providence, and so ROL will have a non-union hotel to call their own – so you won’t see this juxtaposition of competing banners next year.
The convention center/hotels are a not-long walk from the Amtrak station (if you have just a wheeled suitcase) or a very short cab ride otherwise. And those sites are literally just steps from the (outdoor) Kennedy Plaza bus station. You can fly to either Providence or Boston and take the bus from the airport – just be sure to ask for “Kennedy Plaza” (downtown) as the regular Providence terminal is on the western outskirts of town. With frequent Amtrak Northeast Corridor or bus service, you can get there from here.
Besides the row-after row of Italian restaurants on Federal Hill (a cab or local bus ride away) there are two brewpubs in downtown – Union Station as well as Trinity Brewhouse – within easy walking distance, and I highly recommend both.
The photo section below includes just a few of the friendly faces I saw at the convention, along with several of the speakers we heard in the main convention center space. One in particular was former Phoenix Police Chief Jack Harris - who was pushed out of his job after taking a hard stance against Arizona's anti-immigrant law and told his officers they had more important things to do than try and enforce it.
In addition I had a chance to chat with two congressmen: Raul Grivalja (AZ) and Brad Miller (NC) - who is in the photo right.
Another person I spoke briefly to (but didn't have my camera then) was Wendell Potter - who has turned not state’s evidence but citizen’s evidence against the insurance industry he was an executive of in the past. I told him that very little of what he said on Keith or Rachel’s programs was surprising – but that he articulated them concisely and with authority given his background. And given next year’s gathering location, I have no doubt you’ll see numerous people you’d like to have a chat with – the names above are only a small sample.
In short: NN 2012 in Providence is a convention site that will work.
kj of the rock, cedwyn and shockwave.
jlms qkw, jnhobbs, land of enchantment
Common Sense Mainer, Bill in Portland Maine
San Diego Dem, Simple
The omnipresent navajo ... who knows everyone
San Diego Dem, vicki, norm
Spedwybabs, Cara
Tex Mex, Ed in Montana, mayim
Mik, Brillig, Schwede
Russ Feingold .. no announcement of future plans, alas
Minnesota congressman Keith Ellison
Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar
Van Jones .. challenging the Beckmeister to a debate
This really is the Al Franken Decade after all!
New DNC chairwoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz
Rhode Island senator Sheldon Whitehouse invites us to Providence
Closing singer Jill Sobule sings out loud and clear
Now, on to Top Comments:
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From Julie Gulden:
From my NN11 photo diary - maggiejean starts this thread - and it veers off to the niftiest look alike....
From Dragon5616:
I really liked what sewaneepat had to say about the President in angelajean's diary Our Whole Lives Changed
Y'all know I really love words. Dave the Wave coined one that should enter the lexicon in slippytoad's diary Dear Georgia Farmers -- Us Dirty Hippies Were Right, and You Got Just What You Deserved.
From kestrel9000
In the diary by Keori about Gates' pusillanimity on DADT (oh noez! My LEGACY and teh GHEY!!11!1!!) .... musing85 just nails it.
From Nurse Kelley
In today's Cranky User's diary by belinda ridgewood .... it seems arizonablue got more sad than cranky about what an eye-opener it's been to join Daily Kos, become a Trusted User, and discover the world of ... Hidden Comments.
From trashablanca
Vetwife put up a powerful diary last night. In it, Wayward Wind tells a powerful true story - do yourselves a favor and read the diary and the comments. Both are quite illuminating.
From brillig:
He may call himself a Moody Loner but the outpouring of support in his diary today shows the community we are. FakeNews evokes the Thirties and farleftloon comments on site differences.
And from Ed Tracey, your faithful correspondent this evening:
It didn't take long in Cheers & Jeers today for the snarky jokes about the FBI arrest of fugitive James 'Whitey' Bulger - not about the arrest, but his name - and fritzrth as well as dalfireplug got the crazy train rolling.
Lastly: we expect Top Mojo to return tomorrow, next week, next month .... soon.