BlogHer’s DNC team is exhausted after days of blogging and endless events. All of it culminated tonight at Mile High Stadium where Senator Barack Obama accepted the Democratic nomination for president.
I’ve compiled some of the moments from inside Invesco below in video and photos.
The Democrats are having a party, and far be it from me to miss a party.
You can catch most of my coverage here and at BlogHer– but keep your eye close on BlogHer, we’ve got some amazing things in store.
I have an N95 and will be live streaming on Qik.com.
Katy Chen will be shooting the video as Maria NIles and I talk to those attending, those covering, those speaking, and those partying at the Democratic National Convention.
My twitter stream will keep you up to date on my whereabouts, and – as always – there will be some surprises.
Will Erin get to Hug It Out, with Hillary?
Meet BlogHer’s latest contributor?
Freak out in conversation with other Moms as her son adjusts to Kindergarten while she’s away?
Give a #suckit laptop sticker to Joe Lieberman? Oh..that will have to wait for the following week when she travels to Minneapolis – Saint Paul…
Let’s not forget the parties either.
Who doesn’t want to see a live stream of Queen of Spain and Mayor McHottie & Sarah Silverman, at a Google-Vanity Fair party, or hanging with T. Boone Pickens??? At a DEMOCRATIC EVENT. Dude, he’s in the BIG TENT.
Did I mention I’m speaking in the Big Tent just before these guys? Yeah, DiggNation Townhall can try and follow MOI.
All that and more!
…and hopefully I’ll stop talking in the third person, too.
update: I will OF COURSE be at the Rocky Mountain Blogger Bash too! (thanks for the reminder to the coughing woman in my comments. tee hee hee)
update II: PLEASE come see me at MOMocrats today. It’s IMPORTANT!
I’m off the market.
No more freelance. No more contract work. No more consulting.
It started in 2005 when I agreed to write at a community based blog.
For free.
While I typed with one-hand and breastfed at the computer.
I grew my own blog. I grew my readers. I worked very, very hard and eventually made enough money monthly to pay my internet bill.
I was up late reading blogs, I was up late writing blogs, I was up late trying to figure out how all this online stuff gets monetized.
But I had faith. Something I don’t come by very easily.
I continued to work hard, I continued to grow my readers. And I started pitching projects and pitching panels at conferences and signing on to help start-ups, fellow bloggers, additional communities.
All with children under foot.
Usually typing one-handed and breastfeeding.
Always on my terms.
When I wanted. How I wanted.
All with nothing but faith.
It was not long before I became part of the fastest and largest growing population online and I was determined to see my friends and colleagues benefit right along with me. I hope that has been evident.
I still am very detrimined to see those benefits for my community. It’s not a job or work. It is a passion.
Which is why I am pleased to announce I’ve joined BlogHer as their Producer of Special Projects.
BlogHer CEO Lisa Stone told me years ago, her goal-BlogHer’s goal- was to empower women online. Not just in voice and reach, but also financially.
BlogHer has since met much of that goal with many of it’s members, myself just one.
I’m officially able to take care of my family, as a work-at-home mother.
That’s huge. And I hope many of you see how important that is…so I’m going to repeat it:
I’m officially able to take care of my family, as a work-at-home mother.
I can raise my children, and continue to raise some hell-online and off.
Next week I will travel with BlogHer to the Democratic National Convention and the following week to the Republican National Convention.
I will do my best to continue to make a difference for the now thousands of women I’ve gotten to know personally and those I hope to meet soon.
I’m excited about this new opportunity, and I hope you will follow my coverage from Denver, St. Paul, and beyond.
Erin Kotecki Vest
aka Queen of Spain
Virginia Governor Tim Kaine says he has a “faith-based opposition” to abortion and it’s got women voters buzzing. As a speculated VP nominee, the buzz is growing into a loud roar.
I’d like to squish the bees creating the noise, maybe not with my entire shoe but at least with a nice rolled-up newspaper.
Gloria Feldt writes, “But mostly, Obama should not choose Kaine because Kaine opposes a woman’s most fundamental human right to decide her own destiny by making her own childbearing decisions. Kaine opposes a long-standing central tenet of the Democratic party platform; in fact, the platform committee just adopted its strongest pro-choice language yet. I mean, how do the Democrats think they attracted all those women they are now taking for granted in the first place?
Kaine’s statement that abortion shouldn’t be criminalized, as in this Meet the Press interview is a step in the right direction, but not nearly sufficient. Women are too close to losing reproductive justice overall, as illustrated by the Bush administration’s move to redefine contraception as abortion. We’re not talking a minor policy issue over which there can be legitimate disputes. As Linda Hirshman wrote so compellingly in Slate, we need to consider the value of a woman’s life.”
A bunch of that is BS. Normally I would completely discount anyone lauding Hirshman (the woman who compared herself to Socrates and dissed stay-at-home-moms because “the tasks of housekeeping and child rearing were not worthy of the full time and talents of intelligent and educated human beings” ) but gaffe aside, let’s go ahead and tackle the idea that Obama’s running mate is less than pro-choice.
We could go through and talk about Kaine’s repeated his position supporting Roe and what he’s done as Governor…however, let’s just put all that aside too.
Let’s deal with the realities of this country. The reality of government. The reality of America in 2008.
The abortion issue is never going to be resolved. The abortion issue is never going to go away. The abortion issue is one of the many, many issues that splits this country right down the middle.
I think we can all agree extreme viewpoints in politics, religion, and American life have led to stalemates, ugly campaigning, inaction of government, special interest, and even death, destruction, and wars.
So why is it bad to have a VP who WILL NOT vote to overturn Roe v Wade, yet does express concern with abortion?
That makes him like many of my neighbors. Like many in my family. Like many of my friends and like half of this country. I certainly will not be agreeing with them anytime soon, but I would like Thanksgiving to be more civil.
Senator Obama keeps talking about change. The biggest, single change our country could see is unity. Ending the divisive, nasty way of life we currently lead.
Are you really willing to hear all sides of an argument and bring everyone to the table? Are you really willing to respect all voices in this country? Even the ones you TOTALLY disagree with? Will you at least listen?
Or will you stay set in your extreme ways, and sit and wait for your knight to rescue you?
BlogHer Contributing Editor PunditMom writes, “But if Obama really wants to end up in the White House, he and his campaign need to help shake the feeling that he’s not making the ‘ask’ in a way that connects with the groups he needs.
Barack, Mama Ann and PunditMom’s mom want to vote for you. You just need to be a little more “into” them.”
I would argue that not only is the Senator “into” you, but he’s rising above your divisiveness. He’s into pro-choice you, and anti-choice you, and Christian-you, and atheist-you, and even blow-hard Republican-you.
Senator Obama is listening. He’s also making good on all that talk about real change.
A Kaine VP pick means he’s walking the walk.
The question becomes, can you walk it too? Or will you remain in one corner, while the rest of us-all of us– have our voices heard at the table.
Cross posted at BlogHer
Crossposted at blogher.com
I have yet to see an election without some low blows, and this one will be no exception.
Today marked the un-official start of mudslinging season. The McCain campaign accused the Obama campaign of playing the race card and the next thing I knew I was reading a press release from the Obama campaign about their new site, the “Low Road Express.”
Julie at MOMocrats explains, “The site offers links to op eds and fact checks, much of which is written by journalists and citizen journalists not employed by the campaign. The idea is to clear up misconceptions that the McCain campaign has been spreading with abandon recently.
After you look at the site, tell me what you think, friends: is this fair play, setting the record straight? Or is it sinking down to play in the gutter with the Rovian campaigning strategies?”
She has a point. The first thing I thought was “Awesome! Fight back and tell the truth!” and then, the name of the site “Low Road Express” got to me. Too snarky maybe?
But my mind was changed a bit with a quick quote from Myrna at Reno and It’s Discontents,
“Attack the attack, not the man. McCain and his campaign could learn something from Obama and his campaign. First there was Fight the Smears, and now there is the Low Road Express. Obama’s crew is FAST.”
Betsy at BeThink might have the most reasonable take I’ve read thus far though,
“Some might describe political advertisements as disgraceful, disreputable, discreditable, or just dreadful. Certainly, well-crafted candidate infomercials may be more hype than helpful. Rancorous rumors about a rival are meant to pass for truth in propaganda pieces. In a sixty-second sound bite, during a spirited campaign, vengeful voices, can expertly spew vile so sweetly. When a candidate is intent on victory venom flows freely…Reticence is frequently relinquished when much is at stake. Perhaps, when the prize is as preeminent as the Presidency, a person once thought of as admirable can turn ugly. Too frequently, when a someone feels threatened, when a win seems less than certain, aggressive slurs are common. They often come from one thought to be innocent and decent, and when they do, those of us who hear the antagonistic words must decide. What will we advocate for or accept?
This year Americans might ask themselves, must we endure another series of slights. Perchance, it is time to take a stand before the momentum builds. Currently, a petition offers the possibility of hope. We, the people can express our desire to end the avalanche of assault advertisements that now fill the air. If we express our discontent, we might be able to eliminate further folly. Let us address our concerns to the campaign that now stands by statements that are discredited by reputable sources.”
Honestly? The rhetoric is getting so thick and nasty I am tried of shaking my head and correcting every single little thing that gets throw into the public arena. It started with “Obama is a Muslim” and it just keeps on going.
The definition of what, exactly, constitutes as negative campaigning seems to vary from side to side too here. I might be screaming “HOW DARE THEY SAY THAT!” while the other side discusses the legitimacy of bringing up Obama mentioning how he looks different than past presidents as “playing the race card.”
I’m too much of a cynic to think we can avoid negative campaigning- but I can hope.
Contributing Editor Erin Kotecki Vest also blogs at Queen of Spain blog
Instead of going on and on and around and around, I’m just going to present to you-loyal readers and asshats just passing by- a list.
Yes.
A List.
Sessions at SXSW Interactive 2008:
Sex, Intimacy & Online Relationships
Why Sewing and Knitting Still Matter
Diaper Diarists
Pet Blogging: Not a Fluffy Puppy Story
Sexual Ethics, Interactivity and Virtual World
Pro Gridiron on the Web
Gossip
Make Your Art Work For You!
Virtual Mentoring for Real Life Success in Music
Your MOM 2.0
The Internet and the Olympics
CLOSING KEYNOTE Gary Vaynerchuck Wine Library TV
How Blogging is Changing the Way We Live Our Lives For the Better
GODBLOGCON: The Missional Church in the Internet Age
Sports Blogging
Marketing to MommyBloggers
DIY Content Syndication and Promotion
Why Bloggers (Even Non-Programmers) Benefit from Participating in Open Source Projects
How To Take Names and Be Taken Seriously as a Political Blogger
Blogging with a Global Perspective
Two Concurrent Sessions: Progressives & Conservatives
How We Communicate: Video Blogging
Funding & Incubation Opportunities and Women Entrepreneurs
Building Traffic via Content and Community
Talking About War & Peace/Who Better Serves Women Like You: Obama or McCain?
There’s More to Monetization than Advertising
Tools for Online Fundraising and Activism
Open Source Participation: How to advance to the next level
Top-notch Political Opinion Commentary
FAQs for Beginning Bloggers
Green/Social Change
Race and Gender: What are the lessons of 2008
What? You didn’t know? Obviously you missed it in the New York Times Fashion and Style section. Maybe write them an Op-Ed or a Letter to the Editor or something.
I’m done now.
Apparently I can push political agendas, but I’ll always be seen as an Oprah-watching, bon-bon eating, Katie Couric-esq, shoe-shopping, GIRL.
Even the New York Times will write about how powerful I am, and how I’m not getting my props-yet they will publish the article in the ‘Fashion and Style‘ section.
Sure they will write about about heart attacks and blogging and place it in “Technology.” But WOMEN bloggers? Oh, they belong next to “It’s Botox for You, Dear Bridesmaids” and “The BreakUps That Got Under My Skin.”
Perhaps, with all the talk of us being “…a corporate-sponsored Oprah-inflected version of a ’60s consciousness-raising group” they missed the part about 36 million of us taking over as power-users of the web while raising our children and supporting our families.
Perhaps, I need to remind or at the very least provide some additional information that may or may not affect the future placement of a piece on women bloggers.
Women are outnumbering men on the web.
Women control .83cents of every household dollar spent. That means from buying a lawnmower to buying laundry detergent, women hold the purse strings.
Women have been turning off DayTime television and canceling their subscriptions to ‘female’ based magazines in favor of going online.
Yet when we get together yearly to learn from one another on the business and practices of blogging, the NYT sees fit to discuss us in the same breath as “what women are wearing on their feet this summer.”
Maybe they missed the part where we discussed open source with 2008 Google-O’Reilly Open Source Award Winner Angela Byron? Or where we met to create a position paper to be submitted to the Democratic National Committee for inclusion in the party platform? Or what about the BlogHer/NBC Universal deal worth 5 million?
I am thrilled the New York Times sees fit to cover a women’s blogging conference. I look at it as a step in the right direction.
But you surely don’t see stories about men bloggers in the Sports section or an article on the latest strategic partnership laced with phrases like “And though women and men are creating blogs in roughly equal numbers, many women at the conference were becoming very Katie Couric about their belief that they are not taken as seriously as their male counterparts…”
Is Michael Arrington of TechCrunch very Rupert Murdoch? Is Jason Calacanis of Mahalo very Matt Lauer?
Are the men in tech and blogging consistently being compared to their male, traditional media counterparts?
Not so much.
For every article on women and tech and blogging, you will see the words “Oprah” and “Couric” and “Fashion.”
New York Times…thanks for coming out to BlogHer ’08. Thanks for taking some photos. Thanks for raising awareness.
Next time I’m hoping you’re over our lactation station and daycare and “nurturing messages,” because if that is all you see…you’re missing out on a tour de force, online and off.
Crossposted at the Huffington Post
Erin Kotecki Vest is the Political Director at BlogHer.com and writes a !gasp! MommyBlog at Queen of Spain blog.
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