Yearly Kos 5, DLC 0!

Posted by Don Hazen at 1:00 PM on July 30, 2007.

An overwhelming indication of how the world of U.S, domestic politics has changed in the past decade is the fact that 5 of the leading presidential candidates including Edwards, Obama and Clinton will all be stopping in at the 2nd Yearly Kos bloggers gathering in Chicago at the end of the week, while none of these same candidates showed up at the Democratic Leadership Conference (DLC) gathering this past weekend in Tennessee. Bill Clinton, off course headed the DLC for two years before running for the Presidency in 1992.

San Francisco Chronicle political writer Joe Garofoli quotes Markos Moulitsas Zúniga, blogs: "It's hilarious that (Hillary Clinton's) is not even attending her own group,"

Even though she is headed to the Kos gathering, the blog world, as Garifoli points out, is tough terrain for Hillary. "Most liberal bloggers detest Clinton for her 2002 vote authorizing President Bush to pursue military action in Iraq. In Daily Kos' monthly presidential straw polls, "No Freaking Clue" frequently has drawn more votes than Clinton," writes Garofoli. Nevertheless, Hillary is trying to earn some points with the bloggers and sent her spokesperson to defend the Chicago Yearly Kos gathering (which is independent of the Daily Kos blog) when Jet Blue had some second thoughts about being a corporate sponsor, after Fox New's right wing demagogue attacked them viciously for having the temerity to support the blog gathering, for, as the Jet Blue spokesperson explained, " wanting to have our logo in front of 1400 influential people. "

By the way, for bloggers and media in Chicago, AlterNet will be represented by our Blog and Video editor Adam Howard. Anyone wanting to touch base with Adam in Chicago should e mail him at adam@alternet.org.

Don Hazen is executive director of the Independent Media Institute and executive editor of AlterNet.