Candidate Noshows at BlogHer: Obama, Giuliani, Richardson, McCain, Thompson, Romney...
By Zephyr Teachout, 07/28/2007 - 1:11pm

As Gina Kooper (of YearlyKos) just said, "I'm stunned." I'm at the one of the largest blogging conference by bloggers for bloggers in the world (at the Navy Pier in Chicago), the largest conference of women bloggers in the world, and only two candidates have sent representatives: Edwards and Clinton. "You can see who cares about you," Kooper said.

No other candidate sent a representative. I'm in the very active politics track (a hundred or so in the room right now), and the candidates who aren't here are foolish. Its like walking past an oil field. I'm stunned, too.

Amen

Zephyr-

Thank you for your comment. I could not agree more! I just wrote about it on my blog, Women and Work.

I do want to stress that all campaigns received an invitation, and that the Romney campaign (in the body of TechPresident's own Mindy Finn) was confirmed to attend until last week.

Maybe most campaigns only had bandwidth or energy for only one of those unruly "blogger" conferences. Too bad BlogHer's not in Iowa.

Stun guns, ditto in Second Life

I agree. The campaigns missed out on a huge opportunity to get their message out to women bloggers and important subgroups, particularly mommybloggers, representing entire communities of swing voters.

I also want to note that we had an online politics panel in Second Life and the only Second Life HQ present, although none are officially affiliated with any of the campaign organizations, was the Clinton organization. I don't know whether other invitations went out in Second Life, but I'm sure they would have been welcome.

The major buzz around the conference is "where is Obama?" It is Chicago, after all. Five minute cab ride for someone from his organization to attend. Everyone has noticed that, not just political bloggers.

Now we're watching the keynote interview-style panel from Elizabeth Edwards. She just received a standing ovation as she entered.

Psst, it is Gina Cooper. :)

Psst, it is Gina Cooper. :)



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