So the Democrats National Convention Committee selected Room Eight New York Politics to send two bloggers to Denver -to cover the party’s convention: whoop-dee-damn-doo. Don’t get me wrong: I am honored to be selected. It is a privilege. It is also a once in a lifetime kinda thing that hopefully -if I do have grandkids- I could tell them about it. And when the editors (Ben Smith and Gur Tsbar) purchased my plane tickets, I felt I have won a small bingo in a catholic senior center. So now I have to find some seed money for accommodations and greasy-spoons, but there are worse things I could be doing in the dog days of August. Of course I wish it was Sade Bederinwa or Darlene Rodriguez or Liza Sabater (instead of Gatemouth) accompanying me on this run: but c’est la vie. Don’t worry folks; I will put a mark on my underwear, soft things and toiletries, etc/lol. And I will hide my rap music collection and my reefer stash (you never know with these wannabee black guys).
Before you get riled up: I am only kidding (Gatemouth is one-fifth black, four-fifths Jewish and usually full of Scotch).
Anyway; when the news was heralded in the media there were objections and protests from various other blogging entities, whose applications were unsuccessful. One of them was the Daily Gotham. I was a bit taken aback. When I read the rationale for the protests and objections, I did find them relatively reasonable, but I was still disappointed nonetheless. You see I have always felt camaraderie towards DG, Politicker, Daily News Blog, and others in the network of this relatively new political art-form. I felt that they should have been happy for us; especially since the two people selected to go (Gatemouth and I), have submitted many columns to the Daily Gotham site, for publication or rejection. I consider myself a team player. I send them my columns for editing and/or selection and I wait; just as I do on Room Eight. If they publish them; fine. If they don’t make it to their pages; I am okay with that too.
When Gatemouth went up with an article taking a swing at Michael Bouldin, Liza Sabater, Mole and others over at Daily Gotham, I sent Bouldin an e-mail. I told him that I was willing to share my press credentials with someone from DG; once the DNCC approved. That’s how much camaraderie (and respect) I have towards DG’s core crew. He never called to take me up on the offer; although he did respond, saying that he does owe me a phone call. I do consider Michael Bouldin a political/blogging friend. I do appreciate the fact that he does take time to engage me intellectually sometimes; I know how difficult I can be on that plain.
Look, I have always felt that the hard-core readers of the Daily Gotham blog are latte-drinking Park-slopers, who balance their lap-tops on their knees, as they sip on sidewalk cafes. My hard-core readers (not the same as readers of other contributors here on R8) are probably people who drink rum without chaser, in places where the tables are chained to the floor/lol. I think that’s why Bouldin finds my pieces “too sharp”. But everyday folks have every right to be selected, and that’s why I found the palpable resentment of our selection, quite disturbing. It was somewhat elitist and suggestive of some sort of entitlement. Is this how “progressives” are when we take an X-ray of their souls?
I have said here many times, that there are few people who display the moral courage to support the success of others without envy. In the future I hope and expect that our comrades in the blogging trenches will show more solidarity with those of us who pull off miraculous plays. Maybe that’s why I have found few commendations from fellow bloggers, for my call of this year’s presidential primary. I nailed this like I was a carpenter; and I started nailing it way back in the spring of 2006. One student said that reading my many columns on this presidential cycle was like watching someone peering into the azimuth with a crystal ball; even talking heads on the networks started using my metaphors. You would think that those who assiduously struggle in blogdom would be proud; but I am not sure. Anyway, life goes on; and in the bigger scheme of things: this isn’t much.
Then there was the implication that Ben Smith had put in the “fix” so that his blog site would be selected. The fact that my selection (and to some extent Gatemouth’s also) would be rigged, was too absurd for comment; so I refrained from writing a column going upside the heads of those DG grumblers. I offered the olive branch instead. I took the high road. Who in their right fucking mind would pick me for something like this? I don’t take shit from too many people, far less haughty officials; and near everyone in NYC politics know this.
Anyway, fate had it that both Culture Kitchen and Albany Project – I believe they are two blogs administered by Liza and Michael- were selected as add-ons to the convention: so now they are going. I am happy about that. The first rounds of drinks are on me; once it is something I can pronounce, or once it’s a name I can remember. Can’t we all get along?
Stay tuned-in folks.