I'm an old-timer now.
I've attended every single Netroots Nation. And before that, I attended every single YearlyKos. All two of them. I was in Las Vegas for that first magical nationwide in-person gathering of America's progressive netroots; and in subsequent summers I found myself in Chicago, Pittsburgh, Austin, and finally, Las Vegas again for our fifth anniversary. And in a few weeks, I will certainly find myself in Minneapolis for our sixth annual gathering. Maybe you'll be there already; awesome, and I'll see you there. Maybe you can't make it this year for whatever reason; I'll miss you, and hope to see you next year. But maybe you're on the fence. You've never been to one and can't decide if it's going to be worth it.
If that's you...then take the plunge and try it. It'll be worth it.
You already know the usual reasons that you should join us in Minneapolis, but in case you've forgotten, I'll remind you. Let's start with an absurd lineup of training sessions, panels and workshops. Factor in speakers such as Governor Howard Dean and Senators Russ Feingold and home-state host Al Franken. And as if that overwhelming amount of information and star power weren't enough, just think about what it would be like to see that many progressive bloggers and activists in one convention center. Think about the hallway conversations, the ambiance, the synergy that makes a gathering of thousands of net-savvy progressives so much better and more worthwhile than the sum of each individual attendee. Think about what it would have been like to hear an entire bar packed with progressives resonate with the sound of the Bill O'Reilly flipout dance remix. Add all that together, and you have the unpredictable awesomeness that is Netroots Nation.
If that's not enough, you just might get the chance to witness history: Those of us who were in Las Vegas last July will never forget the moment Joan McCarter gave Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid the West Point ring of Lieutenant Dan Choi, the face of the movement to repeal DADT and allow members of the LGBT community to serve openly in the military—only to have Choi himself came up on stage to share an embrace with Reid and promise to hold him accountable.
And while Netroots Nation may be all about the politically unexpected, you never know what else can happen while you're there. So I'd like to share a personal story.
This one begins at Netroots Nation 2008, when Markos Moulitsas was engaging in a tete-a-tete with the former head of the DLC and 2006 Senate candidate Harold Ford. It was a testy exchange, to be sure; and as happens after many of these keynote sessions, there were microphones set up for people to ask questions. As it turned out, I was the next-to-last in line. But admittedly, I took too long asking my question, and Rep. Ford took a bit too long in answering—and the young lady behind me wasn't allowed to ask hers.
This young lady, whom this community might know as GoldnI, was none too happy with me; she had been an intern for Ford's campaign back in Tennessee and had some poignant questions to ask him—and I had spoiled what could have been an exceptional moment for her. And yes, she let me know it. I came away from that experience with two lessons: 1) always keep your time short at the mic; and 2) lesson 1 applies a fortiori when said mic time is stolen from a young woman who is very passionate about her politics. The bottom line is...of all the ways for someone not to make a good first impression, that had to be at the top of the list.
So now, let's fast-forward two years to the fifth Netroots Nation in Las Vegas. I'm sitting with my California friends and a few others at the hotel bar Wednesday evening, when who should join our conversation but the same GoldnI. And while she does remember having gotten upset with someone two years ago, she was astonished to re-learn that it was me. We had a pleasant evening of conversation, but the problem with conventions is that it's hard to find people around and just act casual about it. Thankfully, technology has a cure for that problem: it's called Twitter. I followed her that night (which sounds really creepy unless you realize that I'm talking about Twitter!) in the hopes that she would tweet what panel she was going to the next day so I could just happen to attend the same one. And only at Netroots Nation will one politico use Twitter to find another politico at a panel about using Twitter to advance political goals.
I asked her to lunch, and she said yes for some reason. And one thing led to another...and then something unusual took place: what happened in Vegas didn't stay there. As a matter of fact, after several months of a long-distance relationship, the truck from Saint Louis that has all her furniture is arriving at the apartment we just signed a lease on in my home city of Los Angeles.
And that's part of why you should attend Netroots Nation. You'll see some of your favorite political luminaries. You'll learn a lot at the panels and attend some fun parties. And you never know...you just might meet someone who will move across the country just to be with you.
So sign up.