Hi. Just so you don’t read it anywhere else first. It seems that I may have “blogger press credentials” for the Democratic National Convention in Boston in a few weeks. This is exciting but quite unexpected and I still don’t have the piece of paper in my hand that says “You’re in!”
Here’s how it happened. Back in May I read over at Eclectic Librarian that bloggers were able to get press passes for the DNC. The Boston Globe – normally an okay source for good information – stated that “This summer, [the DNC will] grant some of their 15,000 coveted credentials to blogs, the online diaries that link to news reports, post comments from readers, and critique the political process with unrestrained abandon.” Somehow I got it in my head that a whole lot of bloggers would be going, and despite the fact that I’m not reallly in the thick of blogger goings on, I decided to try my luck at getting credentials. I tend to be a lucky sort with this type of thing.
On this past Monday, I got a letter saying “Thanks but no thanks.” turning down my application, which I didn’t find too surprising. On Thursday, I got a call from someone at DNCC saying “Call me back,” which I did. After a bit of phone tag, I got Francesca on the phone who told me they were giving me credentials, to ignore the previous letter, and to look for a letter this week explaining it all. Later in the day I heard that there had been a bit of a dust-up earlier in the week when the credentialling bloggers started announcing themselves and it became clear they were mostly [all? I have no idea] men. So, I figure I got in on an affirmative action plan, though really I have no idea. Maybe I’ll get a letter on Monday, perhaps I won’t.
In the meantime, I’m boning up on the convention process, adding blog feeds like crazy to my RSS reader, and writing lists of Democrats that I would like to have a word with, if given the chance [Zoe Lofgren for example]. My boyfriend Greg who is a local intern for Senator Jeffords is schooling me on what happens at conventions, and I’m debating if I can get through it all without a cell phone, blackberry device, or heels. I may set up a separate page for DNC news, I may not. And, just in case you’re curious, I am not a Democrat, registered or otherwise.