Newsviners To Cover National Conventions

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Oops. Ignore my requests. I made premature group requests as soon as I saw the link then was embarrassed when I read the links.

Wow. Congrats you guys. What an opportunity!

Congratulations to those attending indeed. It's a blast! When I was a journalist I did the Republican in NY and the Democratic in Boston in '04. The rallies and protestors outside were energetic and passionate. I hope Newsviners cover not only what's up inside, but outside as well.

@Dolores -

I know that we are going to be covering every angle possible. I'm especially curious about the goings-on outside since those will have the biggest impact on my city... but also because the convention itself will be streamed on TV and the Internet... and people may not be as aware of what's going on around the convention.

Thanks for the ideas!

Miss Dev --

Thanks for your response! Look forward to what you write about. Best of luck.

Well done, Chris "Killfile" Thomas,
Viki "Babbles" Gonia,
Miss Dev ! you all derserve this opportunity...

Barry, I've been meaning to get in touch with you all week. Let's please plan to get together while we're there.

Anyone know the group for the Rally for the Republic?

To my knowledge, there isn't one.

Barry, I've been meaning to get in touch with you all week. Let's please plan to get together while we're there.

Hi Vicky it is going to be a last minute decision now if I go. Will keep you posted !

Barry -

If you do end up coming, I would love to join you and Viki in a meeting, if possible.

I just put up a Denver mini-meet invitation to any and all in the Denver area.

Barry, I was certain you had an article about a possible Denver meet, but I can't find it. Please leave a link to it in the comments of my above article. Thanks!

Some reporter you are Viki: Vinemeet planned for the Democratic Convention. Denver Aug 08

Jeeps. I didn't go back that far. I was certain it was just last month. Thanks, Ben.

Time flies, especially when you have 10 jobs.

Oh please. It's only five.

Then you or someone will have plenty of time to investigate this story:

Who will save the hookers at the DNC?
Actually this blog seems to have lots of great material for whoever goes to Denver.

Thanks for the tip, Scott.

Have a better tip that's
good news to viners and others covering the conventions:
Google Will Offer Services for Bloggers at the Conventions

Maybe they'll help you do the vinecasts, you know charging cell phones and such?
:)

story excerpt:" Google Inc. will help set up a two-story, 8,000 square-foot headquarters for hundreds of bloggers descending on the Democratic convention in Denver next week, and it will offer similar services at the Republican convention in September, as new media gain influence in politics.

Four years ago, Google wasn't a significant presence at the Democratic and Republican conventions. Its high-profile presence at both conventions this year mirrors the growth of new media, which will provide their takes on events and compete with established media companies via Google's YouTube video site and other social-media outlets.

With its financial support for the "Big Tent" blogger facility at the Democratic convention, Google stands to gain exposure and goodwill from 500 or so bloggers who paid $100 for access to the facility, run by a coalition of bloggers. Google's software and services will be featured, including a kiosk in the public area of the tent where anyone can post videos on YouTube.

With the potential for a blogger around almost every corner and delegates with cellphone cameras everywhere, including private parties that shut out journalists and bloggers, privacy will be hard to come by.

Big Tent is full, unfortunately, so we won't be able to get in there.

Here is the link Vicki but the site is needing a spring clean !

I'm hoping they can do some kind of report via vinecast. Maybe if nothing else they can do an odds and end type - as NPR sometimes does - where they mention things that didn't make it into their articles.

Yeah, those Vinecast "Live From" reports have worked wonderfully so far...

=P

Yeah, those Vinecast "Live From" reports have worked wonderfully so far...

=P

Uh oh. What happened when you tried to do it from Lolla?

Uh, we forgot to call in from Lolla?

Uh, we forgot to call in from Lolla?

Yeah, and today viki turned her cell off after telling me to call her back to do a Vinecast spot on the DNC. What am I paying you people for???????

Wait...don't answer that...... ;)

Yeah, so it's not a technical problem so much as a user issue. I think you need to increase their pay to, hmm, $1 per vinecast?

Imagine this at a national network level.

Brian Williams: "We've been waiting all evening for Andrea Mitchell to phone in her report."

the next day "oh I forgot to calll in."
Brian: you turned off your phone too, didn't you?
andrea: you know me so well

music swells

etc

I think you need to increase their pay to, hmm, $1 per vinecast?

There will definitely be incentives to coming on the Vinecast in the future once it's paying for itself...I'm not paying you weirdos out of my own pocket :P...that will have to wait a little while yet. Right now the incentive is essentially "you get to be on the Vinecast, which is awesome, so...yeah" :)

oh, sorry. yeah. my battery died.

oh, sorry. yeah. my battery died.

If memory serves Watergate almost didn't get covered right because Woodwards's cell phone battery died.

But I may be misremembering:)

Watergate....cell phone...did they look like this one????

And good luck to all going to cover the conventions.

Yes, good luck

Damn it! Damn it damn it damn it damn it!

Calvin, we're going to need a new story for Thursday night.

Was that a problem before??? lol

Hmmm. I hope that doesn't include carrying them within one's body cavities.

Hmmm. I hope that doesn't include carrying them within one's body cavities.

I dunno, you can be arrested for smuggling all sorts of things up your rear....try to avoid cavity searches ;)

Well, if it happens (to Killfile), I'll get video and photos. ;)

Hmmm. I hope that doesn't include carrying them within one's body cavities.

Yea, I kept thinking of a clever way to make a joke about that, but I failed.

My original was far wordier, and then I edited it down to be a little more, ahem, acceptable.

Well, if it happens (to Killfile), I'll get video and photos. ;)

Won't be the first time I've been accused of pulling something out of my ass on this site....

Bwahahahahahaha!!!! Thanks for the laugh, I really really needed it today.

Me, too! (that's what she said).

That sound you hear is the sound of MSNBC executives frantically dialing Calvin's number. ;-)

followed by the sound of me laughing like Ernie from Sesame Street.

Chris "Killfile" Thomas
Viki "Babbles" Gonia
Miss Dev

I can hardly wait to see the whole thing through your eyes. Congratulations and enjoy.

Viki, your job is to drink some of the politicians under the table and get some real good dish.

Viki, your job is to drink some of the politicians under the table and get some real good dish.

Would it be possible to drink Ted Kennedy under the table? ;)

He just had brain surgery. I sure hope so. ;)

Viki, your job is to drink some of the politicians under the table and get some real good dish.

If she can handle the altitude I think, between the two of us, we have it covered.

I didn't want to guess on your drinking abilities.

I think Miss Dev and I are going to be a good match. I'm so looking forward to meeting her!

Very exciting news. I figured something like this was going to happen.

I'll offer (if there's interest) to covering the conventions from a media analysis perspective.

This piece is clipped to Newsviner's Picks

Bill, you are a genius, I didn't even think of that angle. Considering that Calvin will be acting as photographer, I'm sure he'll like that angle as well ;-)

Somebody tell Stacy, Ben and azsky to be careful covering those RNC protests.

Yeah, well, unfortunately it was advised that we don't carry weapons for defense. I have a night stick that I've been wanting an excuse to use.

Adam

We're countin' on ya' buddy. Tell Calvin to let loose some of them MSNBC bucks from his wallet and go for it!! Maybe you guys can call up Joe Francis and set up a Girls Gone Wild: Republican National Convention Edition.

I have a night stick that I've been wanting an excuse to use.

Hey, I do too!

This can add a whole new exciting angle to our coverage. Screw the convention. Let's just walk around and hit stuff.

It could be our lead story, "Newsviner's wreak havoc with night sticks to see how long it would take to get tased by police".

Or, if any of you know martial arts, you don't even need to use sticks.

Can you imagine the ruckus you'd cause if you ran onto the stage while Obama was announcing his next VP and karate chopped him to death???

oh good lord. Now I'm going to fail my secret service background check. Thanks a lot Andrew.

PS everyone - that's my mom. ;-)

WHAT? Mom's aren't allowed on Newsvine, you know that!

Oh wait....nvm, I was thinking of something else, mom's are alright ;)

Ooh! Mom! I hope we get to meet!

Hug the big blue bear.

That's all I'm saying.

Tour of the brewery?

@Corey -

Of course! And maybe handle some balls, too.

@Behind My Screen -

If only I still worked at a brewery. But I may be able to arrange something...

Of course! And maybe handle some balls, too.

mm sounds like quite a gig....(lol)

No you won't. Everyone will be coming into town the week before :-P.

Maybe we'll manage to inspire your interest...

Consider it a goal of mine.

And welcome to Denver where the local temperature is colder than basically everywhere else in the country. We've got a heck of a day ahead of us. We'll probably see some "holy crap the air is thin up here" in the afternoon with a 60% chance of partisan angst in the evening. Slim chance of "the race card" on Tuesday and Wednesday. Have a great week folks!

@oldfogey -

I'm planning on that part. I'm hopefully getting an iTouch before then, so I can mobile Vine that sort of stuff. But, a rundown:

"It's hot. Damn hot! Real hot! Hottest thing is my shorts. I could cook things in it. A little crotch pot cooking.

Well, can you tell me what it feels like?

"Fool, it's hot! I told you again! Were you born on the sun? It's damn hot! I saw... It's so damn hot, I saw little guys, their orange robes burst into flames. It's that hot! Do you know what I'm talking about?"

What do you think it's going to be like tonight?

"It's gonna be hot and wet! That's nice if you're with a lady, but it ain't no good if you're in the jungle.

I'm already working on my first article which is to prepare those coming to Denver as to what they'll expect (and how to pretend you're a local). Including the concept of layering.

Well now you've gone and done it Miss Dev...I have to pull out my copy of Good Morning Vietnam!....been a longass time since I've watched it :)

"Good Morning Vietnam" is one of my all time favorite flicks. One of Forest Whitaker's (Garlic) best roles too.

Favorite Line(s): "We've realized that we're having a very difficult time finding the enemy. It isn't easy to find a Vietnamese man named "Charlie." They're all named Nguyen, or Tran, or...

"Well, how are you going about it?"

"Well, we walk up to someone and say, 'Are you the enemy? And, if they say yes, then we shoot them."

Good Morning, Vietnam is my go to when I feel like crap. When I'd stay home from school sick - I'd watch it. When we got snowed in - we'd watch it. When my boyfriend dumped me, what did we do? - Yep, watched it.