Netroots Nation and RightOnline Activists Join Forces, Sort Of (VIDEO)

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Netroots Nation and RightOnline held competing conferences in Minneapolis this week, generating an unusual amount of ideological angst in a city renowned for its aggressively pleasant citizenry.

But one event tried to bring the two political perspectives together: A "Right Meets Left, Left Meets Right Happy Hour" held at a downtown rooftop bar, hosted by a opposing advocacy groups and a D.C. public relations outfit hungry for Republican and Democratic clients alike. As with most conference events, very little was accomplished. But everybody had a pretty good time. Have a look:

Comments

[MayaBeach]

05:08 PM on 06/18/2011

Rumor has it they discussed legalizing pot after the booze started flowing.

[sixletters]

12:57 PM on 06/18/2011

Can Liberals And Conservatives Get Along?
Less and less and less.
More and more the differences are not just political. Lately some of the ideas coming from the right offend me as a human being. I was in an argument with a conservative a couple of weeks ago and during the increasingly heated argument I lured him into the logical conclusion of his ideas. By the end of the exchange he was arguing that Chinese workers who make on average $1.84 per hour (highest in recent memory) and have no workers rights to speak of was ideal for America. I pointed out that today the average CEO makes more than 250 times the average worker and he had no problem with that. I then said something that I thought that even he couldn’t accept. I asked him if he would be ok with the average CEO making 1000 times the average worker and he screamed that that was ok too, because the CEO’s create the jobs.

[Totto]

03:34 PM on 06/18/2011

How do "conservatives" think that the fragile social fabric of this nation can remain intact with that philosophy? That no one outside the overpriviliged elite makes these absurd incomes, and that they, more often than not, do not even live here but on some Caribbean island or tax haven in Europe. They certainly don't care if our streets erupt in violence, that our children are malnurished and communicable diseases spread throughout the population. Their only investment is monetary, and they can move that at the stroke of a key.

[Karma2U]

12:41 PM on 06/18/2011

Boehner - early to the party.

[skeezius]

12:02 PM on 06/18/2011

Well, my experience is that at the highest levels, getting along is not an issue, they
(the professional right and left) play golf and eat together regularly, it's all about money.
The rancor comes into play at the lower levels, the "cheerleader" levels, where the
animosity is ideological.

[James Bridges]

11:20 AM on 06/18/2011

I am a liberal and I am always willing to discuss politics, economics, religion, history, philosophy, military tactics,etc. I find it difficult, however, to find a conservative that is similarly willing. I have found a few and engaged in some really good discussions. Too many form both sides, however, want to engage in a shouting match and I consider that counterproductive to both sides. That is part of today's problems. When either side is too hide bound in their thoughts to even talk about something else we all lose.

[jcolvin325]

11:12 AM on 06/18/2011

Another booze summit !!

[blawmtih]

11:09 AM on 06/18/2011

I actually agree with this a lot. I find if I am in a non-threatning arena with a beer and a cocktail I am willing to listen and debate without wearing my emotion on my sleave. The world needs more beer.

[James Bridges]

11:21 AM on 06/18/2011

I'll drink to that. Prost! See you in Munich for Oktoberfest!

[dsa1115]

10:36 AM on 06/18/2011

Both parties need to have a dialog despite the differences in ideology. Nobody is going to get anything done by not finding some common ground. It's not unusual for two political opposites to get along well in Washington, and there are plenty of friendships between Democrats and Republicans on Capital Hill. It works for James Carville and Marilyn Matalin doesn't it? I believe that 75% of Americans are more centerists, and the problem is with the rabid fringes on the right and left.

[stumanchu35]

10:21 AM on 06/18/2011

Guess what mass media, we get along just fine.

[The Notorious PDF]

07:40 AM on 06/18/2011

This was a pretty dumb video.

[Dog Whistle Translator]

10:59 PM on 06/17/2011

No, and don't want to. Let's get it on already.

[leftyirishwoman]

09:48 PM on 06/17/2011

Much as the young men and women needed alcohol to deal with their social anxiety, conservatives and liberals needed free booze to intermingle. Once enough of the frontal cortex had been inhibited, it was time to get down and talk about money and sex.

[onehenry]

08:20 PM on 06/17/2011

If this event happened the day Boehner and Obama played golf, Boehner is going to be very angry.

[Waiting for Something]

04:17 PM on 06/18/2011

lol. I'm sure the young women with the drink carts are stopping by The Boehnster frequently.

[1234j]

07:23 PM on 06/17/2011

(sigh) Wouldn't it be nice if we all figured this mess out together? I know. I'm dreaming.....(sigh)

[rlivingston10116]

06:59 PM on 06/17/2011

Conservatives and liberals have had a long history of more-or-less loyal opposition, but I have never seen the hatred that exists today. Extremism kills logic and engenders fear and hatred and violence.

[ie]

10:19 PM on 06/17/2011

Well, when millions of people are losing their homes, their savings, children are starving, people are dying for lack of health care.... makes me pretty angry.