Marc's Miscellany (via Mowser)

Monday, August 11, 2008

TPA Blog Roundup - Aug. 11

Here is the Texas Progressive Alliance blog roundup for the past week.

The Truth About Texas Republicans, a new blogger-powered website designed to expose the real truth about GOP Texas legislators, looks at the stuff State Reps. Dwayne Bohac, Betty Brown, John Davis, Bill Zedler and State Sen. Mike Jackson don't want you to see.

refinish69 was happy to introduce a real progressive Democrat to the readers of Doing My Part For The Left a few weeks ago but has to wonder how to describe Mike Skelly: Democrat or Republican Lite?

Vince at Capitol Annex takes a look at the Texas State Teacher's Association lawsuit against the Texas Education Agency for giving public funds to private institutions.

Irony Alert: Mary McDaniels, Manager - Pipeline Safety, Texas Railroad Commission, who lied on camera about the Atmos Energy gas pipeline couplings, spoke in Ft Worth about pipeline safety, inspections and regulations, for Chesapeake Energy's Barnett Shale pipeline, says TXsharon at Bluedaze.

Julie Pippert at MOMocrats asked, "Offshore drilling---whose issue is it anyway? The people's? Or the politician's?"

Women who enter the military know they may encounter danger along the way, just as their male counterparts do. Diarist Liberal Texas at Texas Kaos highlights an additional danger they face in Assault on Women in the Military, and calls on all of us to ensure that our fighting women are protected from sexual assault from the companions they should be able to trust.

WhosPlayin used to think John McCain was worthy of respect, even if wrong on issues. But mocking conservation and lying about Obama raising taxes show who John McCain really is.

jobsanger thinks Democrats should let Clinton's backers have their vote at the convention, and believes Barack Obama has a chance to win Texas this November.

Neil at Texas Liberal talks about AIDS and African Americans.

Due to purchase of McBlogger by a rival blogging firm, the regular writers are on strike. This week, we'd like to introduce you to a new McBlogger, Rose Petal.

North Texas Liberal remarks on John McCain's anti-Obama ad comparing the Democratic nominee to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears, and also includes Hilton's response ad. Still waiting on Britney's energy policy...

Off the Kuff takes a look at The Queue behind KBH for her maybe-to-be-abandoned Senate seat.

YaGottaLoveIt of South Texas Chisme urges Barack Obama to have a fundraiser for money that stays in Texas while urging Hillary Clinton to campaign for Rick Noriega in South Texas.

WCNews at Eye On Williamson posts on the Williamson County DA's unwillingness to test DNA evidence in a almost 30 year old unsolved murder, Lawsuit Filed Against County For New DNA, Fingerprint Tests.

Tropical Storm Edouard was more like a decent rainstorm, but that didn't stop the media -- old as well as new, including madcap reporter/Congressman John Culberson -- from building it up to a height it could no more sustain than its winds. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs has the roundup of the hyperventilating in Houston.

BossKitty at TruthHugger is concerned about the economy in "Purses Tighten, Small Business Suffers, Families Budget"

nytexan at BlueBloggin points out, as the Gerogia Russia war continues and Bush plays with U.S. athletes at the Olympics, Could The U.S. Get Pulled Into Georgiaâ€™s War?

XicanoPwr discusses the immigration survey that was sent presidential candidates Obama and McCain put together by The Sanctuary, a web base grassroots community of pro-migrant, human rights, and civil-rights bloggers.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Olympic Spirit

During Fridayâ€™s Olympic opening ceremonies in Beijing, an inspirational young track athlete led his U.S. teammates during the Parade of Nations. There is usually a compelling story behind the selection of the U.S. flag bearer, but it would be wholly inadequate to simply say that this year was no exception.

Lopez Lomong, who will compete in the 1500, became a U.S. citizen just over a year ago. He is a native of Sudan, and he came to the United States after spending 10 years in a refugee camp in Kenya. It is difficult to comprehend the level of hardship he endured. A recent Thomas Boswell piece contains some of the details:

During a Sunday morning Mass 17 years ago, the 6-year-old Lomong, along with about 100 other children, was taken at gunpoint from his parents, driven away blindfolded in a truck and dumped in a cramped, windowless, one-room prison full of boys. There, they were fed millet full of barely visible sand, which prevented proper digestion, and, within days, gradually led to the death of boy after boy.

â€¦â€œBut I had three angels.â€ They were slightly older boys who told him to eat just enough of the death gruel to stay alive, but not enough to kill himself. After three weeks, the older trio discovered a hole in a fence. At midnight, crawling while guards talked, stopping when they fell silent, then crawling until they were outside the compound, the four boys began to run. â€œThat is where my race started,â€ Lomong said.

Lomong eventually made it to the Kenyan border. Ten years later he made it to the U.S. as part of a program that placed young refugees with foster families. There is, of course, much more to his amazing tale of survival, and Boswellâ€™s article is well worth a read.

But electing Lomong to carry the U.S. flag did more than honor his life story. Lomong is a member of Team Darfur, a group of athletes who seek to raise awareness of the crisis in the Darfur region of Sudan. Team Darfur members (and many others) have criticized the Chinese government for its economic support of the Sudanese regime. Hereâ€™s more from Boswell:

Just hours before U.S. team captains met to decide on the flag carrier, Chinese officials rescinded the visa of Joey Cheek, a speedskating gold medalist who carried the U.S. flag at the Closing Ceremonies at the 2006 Winter Games and later co-founded Team Darfur. After that slap at Cheek, U.S. athletes here had almost nothing to say on the topic. One even referred to the subject as â€œthe question they warned us about.â€

Perhaps they didnâ€™t answer individually. But the entire U.S. team gave its answerâ€”as a group and in capital lettersâ€”with Lomongâ€™s selection. You jerk Cheekâ€™s visa. We put Lomong in your face. And do it proudly.

â€¦When Cheek was denied his visa, the idea of Lomong carrying the flag had already been making the rounds among U.S. athletes. Weâ€™ll no doubt learn the details of his election eventually. For now, nobody is giving details for fear of politicizing the Olympics even more. And Lomong, wisely, only says he wants to inspire other children, including those with challenges to overcome in China, while being a â€œgood ambassadorâ€ for the United States.

Thus, our U.S. athletes began these games with a powerful statement, as noted in a press release from Cheek and Team Darfur.

To see Lopez Lomong carry the flag into the opening ceremonies makes me proud to be an Olympian, and that the American team captains selected him reflects so much of what I love about the Olympic Spirit and Olympians. The Olympic Spirit is about coming together to set new records and achieve the impossible, about resolving our conflicts and celebrating our common humanity, and Lopez embodies that spirit. All of us at Team Darfur offer him our hearty congratulations.

Appropriately, Cheekâ€™s statement also reminds us that the Darfur crisis is far from over.

Lopez, of course, is the one who made it. There are hundreds of thousands of children in Sudan now whose lives have been torn apart by violence and who continue to be terrorized by militias. They are urgently in need of the aid of the international community, and those countries that have the ability to help bring an end the conflictâ€”including China, which has significant financial ties to the Sudanese governmentâ€”must do so. No one should have to go through what Lopez went through.

The Lead has more.

Friday, August 08, 2008

Edwards' Stupid Actions

The rumors were well known, but it is still shocking to hear him admit it. John Edwards has acknowledged having an affair with Rielle Hunter.

Edwards says he is not the father of Hunterâ€™s child. He also claims the affair ended before the recurrence of Elizabeth Edwardsâ€™ cancer in March of 2007. However, Edwards admits that he visited Hunter last month in California. Why would he do this if the relationship ended months ago and he isnâ€™t the babyâ€™s father? That part of the story isnâ€™t clear at this point.

I donâ€™t know what to say. All of us are fallible, and Edwards and his family should be allowed to deal with this situation outside the media spotlight. Yet, when I hear or read someone assert that this is no big deal and none of our business, it doesnâ€™t quite sit well with me.

Edwardsâ€™ seemingly solid marriage was part of his appeal as a candidate. Edwards engaged in this affair while running for President. He knew his actions would be scrutinized. This is not only an act of infidelity; it is an act of utter stupidity.

Yes, other politicians have done worse. But I expected better of Edwards. And is it really unrealistic to hope for a candidate who has the discipline and judgment to resist that kind of temptation?

Edwardâ€™s has released a statement, and TPM has a copy here.

I probably would have voted for Edwards in the primary had he still been in the running. There was and is much I admire about the guy. I feel bad for him and especially his wife and children. Maybe this shouldn't bother me, but I am disappointed. At this moment, I have no desire to see him speak at the convention or be part of an Obama cabinet.

UPDATE: It appears that Edwards claims to have ended the affair before officially announcing his 2008 candidacy. Thus, it may be technically incorrect to say that he engaged in this affair while running for President. However, this means that Edwards announced his candidacy knowing full well that this landmine was out there--still piss poor judgment. And I think it's likely he knew he would be running for President well before the official announcement.

Flip-Floppin' Maverick

I wasnâ€™t going to vote for McCain anyway, but Iâ€™m nonetheless disappointed by his campaign. It appears that his grasp of foreign policyâ€”a supposed area of expertiseâ€”isnâ€™t quite so firm. See, e.g., here and here. And he has now resorted to spreading lies and distortions about Obama. See, e.g., here and here. And then we have the matter of McCainâ€™s expanding list of position flip-flops.

Steve Benen of The Carpetbagger Report has been documenting McCainâ€™s various policy reversals. Benen has now organized the results by category and produced The Official John McCain Flip-Flop List. This is impressive flip-floppery.

To be sure, there is nothing inherently wrong with a politician changing his or her position on a particular issueâ€”especially when the change results from further research and analysis. But Benen has documented no less than 72 McCain flip-flops (and the list may continue to grow). The timing and number of McCainâ€™s flip-flops portray a politician guided more by political expediency than principle. This certainly doesnâ€™t jibe with the straight-talking, maverick reputation that McCain enjoys.

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Brimer v. Davis

State Sen. Kim Brimer faces a tough reelection battle against Democrat Wendy Davis. Brimer is now hoping for some assistance from the Texas court system. In an attempt to get Davis removed from the general election ballot, Brimer filed a lawsuit on Thursday in state district court. Davis should prevail, and Iâ€™ll attempt to explain why below.

First, you may recall that three Fort Worth firefighters filed a similar suit several months ago. In January, the Fort Worth court of appeals ruled that the firefighters lacked standing to bring the suit. In other words, if Brimer wanted a court to rule on the question of Davisâ€™ eligibility, he had to file suit himself. He has now done so.

Hereâ€™s the factual background (for those who are not familiar with the case). Davis previously served several terms on the Fort Worth City Council. In May 2007, she won reelection to another term. Fort Worth city council terms are two years, so Davisâ€™ most recent term would not end until May 2009. However, last August, Davis announced her intention to resign her city council seat and run for the state senate. By law, she was required to continue to serve as a council member until her successor was duly elected and sworn in.

On December 18, 2007, Joel Burns won a runoff election to succeed Davis. Burns was to be sworn in on January 8, 2008. For reasons that Iâ€™ll explain shortly, a swearing in ceremony of sorts was held on January 1, 2008. On January 8, 2008, Burns was administered the oath of office during the regular city council meeting.

In early December, Davis filed her paperwork to run in the Democratic primary for State Senate District 10. The filing deadline for the primary was January 2, 2008. When a question arose about Davisâ€™ eligibility, she tried to withdraw her paperwork, then re-file it just before the deadline on January 2.

Brimer argues that Article III, Section 19, of the Texas Constitution prohibits Davis from running. Section 19 states that a person holding a â€œlucrative officeâ€ is not eligible to serve in the Legislature â€œduring the term for which he is elected or appointedâ€ to the lucrative office. A city council position is considered a lucrative office.

Brimer takes the position that a person holding a lucrative office must resign before filing to run for the Legislature. Brimer says that Davisâ€™ resignation wasnâ€™t official until January 8, and that she is therefore ineligible to run for the state senate since the filing deadline was January 2. This is why Burns was sort of sworn in on January 1 and Davis re-filed her paperwork on January 2. However, Brimerâ€™s reading of the law is, in my opinion, incorrect.

In a 1992 case, Wentworth v. Meyer, the Supreme Court of Texas held that, for purposes of Article III, Section 19, â€œthe term for which he is elected or appointedâ€ ends with a resignation. Thus, it doesnâ€™t matter that Davis was elected to a city council term that ended in May 2009. For purposes of Article III, Section 19, the term for which she was elected ended when her resignation became effective.

Wentworth is not, as us lawyers like to say, directly on point; but it is instructive. The opinion discusses the underlying purpose of Article III, Section 19, which is to protect the Legislature from â€œundue influence by certain officeholders.â€ Article III, Section 19, in other words, is designed to prevent a person from simultaneously holding a lucrative office and a seat in the Legislature.

Thus, Wentworth supports the view that the key date is the day Davisâ€™ state senate term would begin, and not the day she filed her primary paperwork. It shouldnâ€™t matter if her resignation became effective January 8 instead of January 1. Her senate term wouldnâ€™t begin until January 13, 2009, more than a year after her service on the Fort Worth City Council officially ended.

However, although this seems clear to me, this case may not be a slam-dunk for Davis. I believe (but I havenâ€™t fully researched this) that the Attorney General issued an opinion several years after Wentworth that concluded a person holding lucrative office was eligible to run for the Legislature when the person resigned his or her office prior to filing to run for the Legislature. I donâ€™t believe this opinion (which is not binding legal authority anyway) says a person holding lucrative office must resign prior to filing to run for the Legislature. But apparently, many people believe this to be the rule.

The key question in Davisâ€™ case is whether a person holding lucrative office may run for the Legislature if he or she resigns the lucrative office after filing to run but before the legislative term would begin. It appears that many consider this an unsettled question (which is why Davisâ€™ lawyers may have some work to do). But the answer seems clear, even if there isnâ€™t any case law directly on point.

Wentworth also acknowledges a policy of strictly construing election laws against ineligibility. This policy obviously supports keeping Davis on the ballot. Further, I donâ€™t see how the policy underlying Article III, Section 19, would be served by removing Davis from the ballot. It has now been six months since she served on the city council. The reading of Article III, Section 19, most consistent with the provisionâ€™s plain language and purpose (not to mention common sense) is that a holder of a lucrative office is simply prohibited from serving in the Legislature while still holding his or her lucrative office. The date of the resignation shouldnâ€™t matter, so long as it is before the person is sworn in as a legislator.

This is going to be interesting to watch. As with all litigation, there is some uncertainty about how it will turn out. But I wouldnâ€™t wage any money that Brimer will ultimately succeed.

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Strengths and Weaknesses

The State Board of Education will soon begin a review of science curriculum standards. The resulting debate is sure to be heated. The New York Times recently published an interesting article that discusses a new strategy adopted by evolution opponents. Watch for the phrase "strengths and weaknesses."

Now a battle looms in Texas over science textbooks that teach evolution, and the wrestle for control seizes on three words. None of them are â€œcreationismâ€ or â€œintelligent designâ€ or even â€œcreator.â€

The words are â€œstrengths and weaknesses.â€

Starting this summer, the state education board will determine the curriculum for the next decade and decide whether the â€œstrengths and weaknessesâ€ of evolution should be taught. The benign-sounding phrase, some argue, is a reasonable effort at balance. But critics say it is a new strategy taking shape across the nation to undermine the teaching of evolution, a way for students to hear religious objections under the heading of scientific discourse.

...The â€œstrengths and weaknessesâ€ language was slipped into the curriculum standards in Texas to appease creationists when the State Board of Education first mandated the teaching of evolution in the late 1980s. It has had little effect because evolution skeptics have not had enough power on the education board to win the argument that textbooks do not adequately cover the weaknesses of evolution.

Yet even as courts steadily prohibited the outright teaching of creationism and intelligent design, creationists on the Texas board grew to a near majority. Seven of 15 members subscribe to the notion of intelligent design, and they have the blessings of Gov. Rick Perry, a Republican.

...â€œâ€˜Strengths and weaknessesâ€™ are regular words that have now been drafted into the rhetorical arsenal of creationists,â€ said Kathy Miller, director of the Texas Freedom Network, a group that promotes religious freedom.

The chairman of the state education board, Dr. Don McLeroy, a dentist in Central Texas, denies that the phrase â€œis subterfuge for bringing in creationism.â€

In the evolution debate, of course, different meanings have been attached to the word "theory." Scientists do not use the word "theory" lightly. Scientific theories must be supported by observation and experiment. To a scientist, a theory is much, much more than pure conjecture. Similarly, the word "weakness" is also open to interpretation.

Evolution as a principle is not disputed in the scientific mainstream, where the term â€œtheoryâ€ does not mean a hunch, but an explanation backed by abundant observation, and where gaps in knowledge are not seen as grounds for doubt but points for future understanding. Over time, research has strengthened the basic tenets of evolution, especially as advances in molecular genetics have allowed biologists to read the history recorded in the DNA of animals and plants.

Yet playing to the American sense of fairness, lawmakers across the country have tried to require that classrooms be open to all views.

...â€œWhen you consider evolution, there are certainly questions that have yet to be answered,â€ said Mr. [Kevin] Fisher, science coordinator for the Lewisville Independent School District in North Texas.

But, he added, â€œa question that has yet to be answered is certainly different from an alleged weakness.â€

The SBOE Chair holds a different view.

Dr. McLeroy believes that Earthâ€™s appearance is a recent geologic event--thousands of years old, not 4.5 billion.

...But Dr. McLeroy says his rejection of evolution--â€œI just donâ€™t think itâ€™s true or itâ€™s ever happenedâ€--is not based on religious grounds.

Ponder that for a moment. The Chairman of our State Board of Education believes that Earth is only thousands of years old, and he flatly rejects evolution.

Why does this matter?

Views like these not only make biology teachers nervous, they also alarm those who have a stake in the stateâ€™s reputation for scientific exploration. â€œSerious students will not come to study in our universities if Texas is labeled scientifically backward,â€ said Dr. Dan Foster, former chairman of the department of medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

â€œIâ€™m an orthodox Christian,â€ Dr. Foster said, â€œand I donâ€™t want to say that Christianity is crazy.â€ But science, not scripture, belongs in a classroom, he said. To allow views that undermine evolution, he said, â€œputs belief on the same level as scientific evidence.â€

And there would be economic consequences. Certain industries, particularly biotechnology, require a scientifically literate work force. Personally, I wouldn't want these industries to get the idea that such a work force cannot be found in Texas.

Because Texas is a large market for textbook publishers, our standards impact other states. Publishers aren't likely to publish multiple versions of textbooks. Thus, this debate will be widely followed.

Saturday, June 07, 2008

Liveblogging the TDP Convention - Saturday

Once again there is much talk of unity. State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte actually used the phrase "make up sex."

Van de Putte was about to introduce her fellow Democratic state senators when she paused so we could watch a feed of Sen. Clinton's concession speech on the big screens. We joined the feed just after Clinton was introduced. Many people on the convention floor stood and cheered. About ten minutes into the speech, however, the feed was lost. But we heard Clinton endorse Obama and pledge her full support, and this drew an even bigger ovation here in Austin.

12:33 p.m. This unity stuff is getting out of hand. Sen. Royce West just had all delegates hold hands and pledge to help elect Obama. Thankfully, I haven't been kicked out of the press section, where there was, of course, no hand-holding.

1:51 p.m. We've been hearing from various elected officials and candidates, with much emphasis on judicial races. I'm back in the press room, so I'm not sure how the talk about judicial races is being received on the convention floor. But these races are extremely important, and most voters overlook them.

One humorous note. They usually play music while a speaker walks to the podium after being introduced. When Susan Strawn, who is running for Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3, was introduced, we heard Liz Phair singing "I am just your ordinary average everyday sane psycho supergoddess." She's got my vote.

2:35 p.m. We saw a video that addressed the GOP's failed attempt to pass a voter ID law last session. We also heard from State Sen. Gallegos who, you might recall, remained in Austin against medical advice in order to prevent the Senate from voting on the bill. We also heard from Willie Ray of Texarkana, who sued the state and AG Greg Abbott after being prosecuted by Abbott (along with other Democratic voters) for helping elderly citizens mail ballots.

Convention Chair Kirk Watson just read the names of those persons who have been elected delegates to the national convention. For the record, Obama ended up with 24 delegates, and Clinton earned 18. Each candidate gets three alternates as well.

2:58 p.m. Now it's time to elect a party chairperson. The Nominations Committee recommended another term for Boyd Richie. Roy LaVerne Brooks and David Van Os have been nominated from the floor. The three candidates will address the convention shortly, to be followed by a roll call vote by senate district.

3:30 p.m. Each candidate for chair has 10 minutes to address the convention. Van Os is up first, then Brooks and Richie.

3:57 p.m. and the chair speeches have concluded. There is also a contested race for a DNC position (at large female). The two candidates--Rosalyn "Rozzy" Shorter and Sue Lovell--are speaking now. Then each SD will caucus and vote in both races. Watson hopes this process will take no longer than 10 minutes.

For more on the chair speeches, check out PDiddie's liveblog.

4:25 p.m. The roll call vote begins.

4:46 p.m. The roll call ends. Richie wins on the first ballot, getting 63.24% of the vote. The vote totals were: Richie 4823.9; Brooks 1283.9; Van Os 1520.2.

I've decided not to stick around for the remaining convention business. I've got a three hour drive in front of me.

Other Convention Coverage

I'm back on the convention floor. Other blogs covering the convention include: Texas Kaos, Capitol Annex (you can see a shot of my backside in this video), BOR, musings, Brains and Eggs, Mean Rachel, jobsanger , and Panhandle Truth Squad. In addition, John Moritz is down here blogging for the FWST's PoliTex blog. Most, if not all, of these blogs have pictures. (I'm the idiot who forgot to bring a camera.) Check them out.

Oh, and if you're in Austin, beware of rabies.

UPDATE: Also check out MOMocrats and The Texas Blue.

Friday, June 06, 2008

Liveblogging the TDP Convention

6:32 p.m. Chairman Richie calls the convention to order. I decided to move to the convention floor, and I'm sitting in the press area. As I was walking toward the convention floor, I saw an attorney I know from Fort Worth who is here as a delegate. He has no idea that I blog. He saw my press credential and said "press?" I just put my index finger to my lips and said "ssshhh." I can't escape the fear that I will be ordered to leave the press area.

We just experienced the longest invocation I've ever heard (and I was raised Southern Baptist). I don't mind a public prayer (despite the fact that I'm one of those wacky, liberal Episcopalians), but please keep it under five minutes. I've heard shorter sermons.

6:58 p.m. Boyd Richie has concluded his opening remarks. I have no idea what he said because I was typing my previous entry. (I'm just not skilled at liveblogging.) Boyd did actually utter the phrase "lean, mean campaign-winning machine." He drew cheers after asserting that us Dems will take over the Texas House this election, and that Harris County will turn blue. Then we watched a video designed to fire up the troops. Now, State Sen. Kirk Watson, the temporary convention chair, is speaking. More rah rah stuff.

7:25 p.m. Lt. Col. and State Rep. Rick Noriega is now speaking. Noriega, of course, is running to unseat U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. He isn't shy about criticizing Cornyn. Noriega and Cornyn have different views about government's responsibility to the young and the old. Noriega states that the nation should be judged by how it treats its most vulnerable citizens. Amen! He references Cornyn's votes against S-CHIP and raising the minimum wage.

Noriega also touches on education, saying we need to have better teacher pay. He also desires to make college more affordable, and he further criticizes Cornyn for voting against the new G.I. Bill. He also calls for our troops to be brought home from Iraq as quickly and safely as possible.

I know he has an impressive resume, but he also said some things that really resonated with me. And he seemed sincere. Now I'm getting fired up.

7:52 p.m. We are now hearing from none other than Chelsea Clinton, who has traveled to Austin on behalf of her mother. She was warmly greeted. She says her mom wanted her to make clear that we are all going to unite the party and take back the White House. She also says her mom will be making a speech tomorrow supporting Sen. Obama. I don't know what this says about me, but seeing Chelsea in person is seriously cool.

8:49 p.m. Gov. Tim Kaine of Virginia takes the stage. Kaine is the national co-chairman of the Obama campaign. He compliments Sen. Clinton. Unity is a big theme tonight. I don't know much about Kaine. He seems to be a decent speaker, but the interest level in the convention center has definitely dropped since Chelsea spoke. Kaine does manage to elicit a "yes we can" cheer from the crowd.

Well, that's my liveblogging for the evening. Not necessarily a thorough account, but I think I hit the highlights.

In Austin

I made it to Austin. The first thing I wanted to find out, of course, was how the Blogger's Caucus turned out. Not surprisingly, it was a huge success. Old Jobsanger, who was the first person I bumped into at the convention center, enjoyed himself. Same for boadicea.

Now I'm trying to decide whether to stay in the media room, where tonight's proceedings will be shown on a television screen, or move to the convention floor. Apparently, there are no tables on the convention floor, so I would have to type with my laptop on my, well, lap.

Convention Time

Iâ€™ll soon be on my way to Austin for the Texas Democratic Party Convention. As a result, Iâ€™m having another go at blogging, especially since the TDP inexplicably issued a media credential to me. Actually, the TDP has issued credentials to many bloggers, so the convention will be well-covered in the blogosphere. Check out the Bloggerâ€™s Caucus website throughout the weekend for current information.

Iâ€™m going to attempt some liveblogging tonight. My one and only prior attempt at liveblogging occurred at the 2006 TDP convention (see here and here). Liveblogging is not easy, so donâ€™t expect the results to be any better this time around.

I was not able to get away until today, so Iâ€™ve already missed the Conventionâ€™s highlight: last night's Bloggerâ€™s Caucus at the Cedar Door. In addition, I hear that some Obama and Clinton supporters joined together for a â€œUnity Pub Crawl.â€ I guess nothing buries the hatchet quite like collective bar-hopping.

Iâ€™m really interested to see how Sen. Clintonâ€™s decision to endorse Obama affects the proceedings in Austin. Stay tuned.

Marc's Miscellany