Some notes on the last day of the 2007 Take Back America conference.
- Bill Scher has the details of the booing Sen. Hillary Clinton received during her speech. Yes, she was booed (somewhat deservedly) but it wasn't for the reason the right is pushing. They are, as usual, making things up.
- In defense of the MSM: At the panel on the media's "fair and balanced" habit, Richard Wolffe of Newsweek begged for mercy by noting that his publication did in fact produce a cover article skeptical of Colin Powell's U.N. presentation in 2003. David Shuster lamely tried to explain away the rantings of his boss Chris Matthews, who was noted for recently rhapsodizing about the musk of Hollywood actor turned presidential candidate Fred Thompson.
- Related to those panels, the folks at Take Back America would be well regarded if they gave up on the idea of introductory speeches for their panels. You're just giving people a license to drone on and on. Just tell the audience who they are and get to questions.
- Jesse Jackson spoke at the closing lunch and sort of flopped. Everybody knows Rev. Jackson's reputation as an orator but he just sort of rambled on about unity and rainbows. He did loudly rhyme though, which was what everyone was waiting for anyway.
- Howard Dean put a capper on the whole deal, and though he may be the chairman of the Democratic party most of the bad vibes from the cowardly manner in which the House and Senate caved into the administration did not affect Dean. He's still very much the "man on the inside" for progressives, and he knows it.
- Quite a few bloggers on "Blogger Boulevard" flatly turned down video interviews with The Politico, mostly in response to their propensity to flog Republican memes and talking points. They did, however, run the straw poll in which Obama was the winner to no real surprise. Al Gore, however, as a write-in candidate won 8% which was just a notch below Bill Richardson, Dennis Kucinich and Mike Gravel.
It's as if the crowd is saying "Run, Goracle, Run".