Chicago SunTimes on the Yearly Kos Convention. Dean spoke to 1,500 cheering liberal bloggers.

[flpoljunkie]

1,500 bloggers flex here

August 3, 2007

BY ABDON M. PALLASCH

"What you have done in the last six years is restore ... the democracy that George Bush and the Republicans have tried to undermine," Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean told 1,500 cheering liberal bloggers meeting in Chicago Thursday night.

Many of these bloggers were the "Deaniacs" that nearly propelled the former Vermont governor to the Democratic nomination for president four years ago.

The mushrooming political power of Internet users is the most important development to America's political process "since the invention of the printing press" Dean said. "It has redemocratized America. There has been a tremendous shift in power."

Such is the clout of these Internet-savvy bloggers holding their annual convention in Chicago that all of the current major Democratic candidates for president will address them Saturday. The message will reverberate exponentially as the bloggers post selections online.

The "Yearly Kos" convention at McCormick Place is an outgrowth of the DailyKos weblog, which started just five years ago but has already become a potent force in Democratic politics.

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), addressing the crowd from Washington, thanked them for pushing all senators on the war in Iraq, saying, "You gave my Democratic colleagues and me the support to stand up and fight this war."

<>Why do liberals thrive in the blogosphere but not on talk radio, where the right wing reigns? "It takes a lot of money" to start a broadcast, said DailyKos founder Markos Moulitsas Zuniga. "People like me were able to start the DailyKos with $50."

http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/495903,CST-NWS-kos03.article

[Adelante]

1. I read that Dean's speech was a barn burner

Chairman Dean :toast:

[flpoljunkie]

2. I heard that, too. Wes Clark was also very well received.

Sounds like the place to be. Would love to be there for the presidential forum on Saturday afternoon. Biden and one other candidate will not attend, and Hillary will not staying for the breakout sessions afterward due to some sort of misunderstanding. Actually, read somewhere she is scheduled to be at a big fundraiser in the Hamptons this weekend.

[Adelante]

3. The latest is that Hillary will attend the breakout session

I read it not more than a half hour ago someplace.

It was nice that Wes able to get a big crowd so early in the morning. I was worried.

[flpoljunkie]

6. Interesting. I had not heard that.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

4. When is

DU going to have it's convention ???

[Totally Committed]

5. Dean deserves a round of applause from every Democrat for his 50-State Strategy.

Without that strategy, we would never have taken back the majority in both Houses. Now if he could only figure out a brilliant strategy to get rid of all the DINO's there in one fell-swoop.... ;)

Thank you Dr. Dean! :yourock:

TC

[Cameron27]

7. Yea for the good doctor,

we have great Dems, I'm so proud of my party!

[defendandprotect]

8. Dean for VP -- Dean for President -- !!! When are liberals going to knock down the DLC?

[Adelante]

9. Check out this pic

A giant among men. :)