by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

I'm super-duper proud to announce that Calitics will be the official state blog for California at the DNC Convention in Denver this August!  We'll be covering all of the action from the floor of the convention, actually seated within the California delegation. We actually only have one press pass to share amongst the Calitics Crew that will be attending, but we'll work to maximize the efficacy of said press pass. (Also, shout out to DNC folks. California has 10% of the delegates, why only slightly greater than 1% of the state blogger passes?)

We'll be giving out some more details as we get closer to the convention (the end of August).  These things are always more about the presentation than any actual stuff that happens there. While this year isn't all that likely to be different, there does exist a remote possibility of some drama.  Either way, it should be an interesting experience for those of us that will be attending.

Pretty fancy video, huh? Howard Dean went all out for our (state or territory).

by Dante Atkins (hekebolos) [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Jerry McNerney is among the superdelegates who are meeting with Hillary Clinton today.

According to this DailyKos diary, the Congressman's office is keeping track of who calls and what they have to say, so if you're a California blogger--especially one who helped McNerney--feel free to make your opinion known (whatever that opinion is).

Here's the number:

925-833-0643

Now that there are more undecided superdelegates than pledged delegates, I guess that calling Congressional offices is now more important than calling voters...

by Susan Rowe [courtesy of Blog for America]

BLOGGER CREDENTIALING
AND THE 2008 DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION

DNCC Expands Credentialed Blogger Pool,
Launches DemConvention State Blogger Corps for 2008

The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) will soon be accepting applications for bloggers interested in being part of the credentialed blogger pool at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado from August 25th-28, 2008.

While the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston was the first to credential bloggers, the DNCC aims to significantly expand access for the blogger community in 2008. In line with the DNCC’s goal to engage more people in the 2008 Convention experience than ever before as well as Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean’s 50-State Strategy, the DNCC will both expand the size of the credentialed blogger pool and also offer for the first time a state blogger credentialing program in 2008. Under this program, the DNCC will offer the opportunity for one blog to be credentialed from each of the 56 states and territories. The DNCC will also credential national bloggers for the 2008 Convention, to include both political and niche bloggers as well as video bloggers from across the country.

The following two-part blogger credentialing process was developed with the
consultation of members of the political blogosphere:

read more »

by Dante Atkins (hekebolos) [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

mcjoan has a post up on DailyKos about the DNC granting 56 media credentials for the DNC convention to state and local bloggers.

I think Calitics deserves to be represented.  The applications will open on December 10th.

by Dante Atkins (hekebolos) [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

op-ed last week in Slate, I chronicled how the text of the U.S. Constitution and Supreme Court precedent render "patently unconstitutional" a ploy by California Republicans to use a ballot initiative to change the method of appointing the state’s 55 electors. The case is strong, and I appear to have convinced many readers in California and elsewhere. Perhaps, in a way, I was too convincing.

Some Californians appear to have concluded from my piece that defeating the Presidential Election Reform Act ("the Act") can safely be left to the Courts. One blogger has even argued that opponents of the initiative should not "spend a dime" opposing the measure and should instead simply challenge the measure in court. That’s a really bad idea. 

First and foremost, no one in this country should want the courts decide another presidential election. While I think the Court’s decision in Bush v. Gore would actually hem the Court’s conservatives in here, Democrats, in particular, have reason to be leery of any strategy that could leave the outcome of the 2008 election in the hands of the U.S Supreme Court -- more conservative now than it was in 2000.

by Lucas O'Connor [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Bill Clinton is in San Diego tonight hosting a fundraiser and I won't be there.  Can't afford it. $500 to get in the door.  Unless I suddenly don't need to pay rent next month, it ain't gonna happen.  Maybe you're like me, and you constantly wish that someone would hold a kickass fundraiser that you can afford?  Well now somebody is.  If you're in driving distance of San Diego, we expect to see you at the Calitics Quarterly Fundraiser.

We've got office seekers and holders at the federal, state and local level.  We've got the beloved local blogger Terry Williams (terryfaceplace) and notoriously non-prolific blogging gadfly Lucas O'Connor.  We've got the San Diego Drinking Liberally crew led by founder Jesse Rubin, so you know it'll be a party.  And most importantly, we have tireless, brilliant and criminally underappreciated activists from throughout the San Diego area.

We don't have Slick Willie, but we have a chance for you to pitch in and have a great night for $20, $40, or whatever it is you can afford.  We don't quibble over pennies.  What we're after is the passion.  See you Wednesday.