Creating a Google Maps Mash-up for VAN data?

What does that mean, Jellybean?

Recap video of CT delegation in Denver

Jen Just has put together a brief glimpse for us, to show what it was like to experience Denver with the CT delegation. Check it out:



This is a great song, too -- it's from John Legend and was created for the Obama campaign. Excellent!

We've been looking
for the world to change
if you feel the same
then go on and say it...

If you're out there
stand up and say it loud
if you're out there
tomorrow's starting now

Give 'Em Truth, Joe!

Joe Biden has a few words about the GOP's myopic view of America, "On jobs, on healthcare, on the environment -- on all the things that matter to the people in the neighborhoods I grew up in... they see something different than I see!"

Yup, "That's not stock photo keyword searching we can believe in"

This seems too unbelievable to be true. But. What else explains McCain's use of a backdrop image not of Walter Reed Army Medical Center, but Walter Reed Middle School in California?

From Talking Points Memo very early this morning/late last night:

...several readers have suggested that perhaps one of the tech geeks charged with setting up the audio/visual bells and whistles for the evening was tasked with getting pictures of Walter Reed Army Medical Center but goofed and got this instead. At first I thought, No, that's ridiculous. This is a major political party with big time professionals putting this together. Nothing is left to chance. I mean, is this the RNC or a scene out Spinal Tap...

Late update also from TPM:

Meanwhile, here's another fun wrinkle: It turns out that the building behind McCain was also used as the backdrop for Matt Santos' announcement of his presidential candidacy on The West Wing.

Check it out (and what? what? is he saying "there's no such thing as false hope" for real?):

Yes, but clearly Jimmy Smits knew it was a school, not an army hospital!

That about says it all, eh?

Really, do we need to read any further, when we wake up to a headline like this from #rnc08 in the New York Times?

Paper of record and all that. Heeeeeeeeee!

PS> Oh, but wait. There's more!


That one's the headline from Talking Points Memo this morning. They've got a fond look back at our Long Gone Joe, too. Gee, gosh golly!

Obama's Mile High acceptance speech

Here's a remarkable photo from last night, from the NY Times coverage of Obama's speech -- beautiful imagery to match the sparkling oratory...



And, once again, for your listening and viewing pleasure:

Follow the convention commentary by Tweet

Just thought I would share with you what I think is really a neat way to watch the convention coverage -- and keep running tabs on what people are saying about it at the same time.

I sat at home last night with my iPhone in hand, open to the Twitteriffic App, and my TV set to C-Span (no commercials/no pundits) with picture-in-picture tuned to CNN (commercials and wall-to-wall punditry by people I'm getting just a tad sick of listening to/shouting back at). I can say that I only rarely switched to CNN to catch reaction from the usual suspects -- cause I sure do prefer the 2 cents of my peeps as they tweet in real time.

But I think I'll try this tonight...


My sense is, this TwitScoop concept would let me see a lot more people tweeting about the convention (you simply add the text "#dnc08" to the message you send to Twitter, and then this site will scoop it up with all the other messages tagged with this ad hoc code for Democratic National Convention 2008). Now of course, this may become annoying if trolls start to invade (like what happened with the #dontgo tag a while back -- poor GOP/Astroturfers!). But why not give it a try?

At a minimum, this will be a good way to find people I'd like to follow. I have a feeling a few people found me this way last night, as I received some new followers since those 2-3 hours I spent contributing my (IMHO) brilliant running commentary last night.

Hooking you up with Jen-feed from Denver!

OK, here are some connections now:

Join the JenGoesToDenver Facebook group

Check out Jen's Flickr photostream

See video's from Jen's channel posted to YouTube

Best of all (IMHO), follow Jen on Twitter -- and get your own account so you can tweet back to her while you watch convention coverage on TV in CT!

And here is Jen's first convention-related video:



Now, let's see if I can get Jen's latest photos from the convention to appear right here in this post....

www.flickr.com

Woodbridge represents in Den-Vah!

Yes, our little town is well represented at the Democratic National Convention in Denver this week, with two members of the Woodbridge Democratic Town Committee serving as Obama delegates from the CT-3rd Congressional District. Here's a snapshot of Jen Just (front row, wearing tan skirt) and Jerry Weiner (back row, far right) along with the rest of the state delegation.


I'll try to post some links to more material from Denver as it rolls in. In the meantime, remember you can contribute to help defray travel costs by using the ChipIn link, below.

Help send Jen to Denver - an easy way to pitch-in

Okay, everyone who would like a piece of the action as Woodbridge's own Jen Just takes off for her trek to Denver as a delegate from CT's 3rd Congressional District -- here's your chance!

"Friends of Jen" have set up an official 'Chip In' to help defray Jen's hotel costs. We're aiming to raise $500 dollars and EVERYONE is invited to chip in whatever you can. Really, even $5 will help build the fund, and get you in on the ground floor of this Excellent Adventure in Participatory Democracy:



Who is Jen -- and Who Are These Friends of Hers? Well, we wrote about her nomination to represent the CT 3rd CD in a post here earlier this year... Look for more details, coming soon (hint; video interview with Jen? Hhhmmmm...).

Or, you can visit Jen's own LiveJournal: Jen on the Obama Trail to read more, in the first person vein.

Obama's "never gonna tell a lie and hurt you"

Yeah, OK. I'm feeling a bit disheartened by the whole Edwards revelation news...

On the other hand, in his latest speech, Obama says:

We're no strangers to love
You know the rules and so do I
A full commitment is what I'm thinking of
You wouldn't get this from any other guy

I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling
Gotta make you understand

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you

Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

That's right -- you been Barack-Rick-Rolled!

NY Times gets it all wrong on poor ol' Joe (surprising?)

Today's New York Times carries an article about the Joe Lieberman backlash (and the Joe Must Go movement), but manages to neglect THE most salient fact -- namely the broken promise Joe made during his Lieberman For Lieberman campaign in 2006. Let's go to the videotape of his debate with Ned Lamont for review:



Takeaway is simple here; when he endorsed McCain for President he broke a promise made to voters during the campaign, namely that he wanted to see the Democrat win the 2008 Presidential election.

Plain and simple.

That being said (of course not in today's NY Times), it seems fair that people should ask questions along the lines of "Did he make that promise just to get votes from Democrats?"

Perhaps more importantly, "Is Joe Lieberman a man of his word, or not?"

I'd say the answer to that question might be fundamental to answering the question "Why are CT voters mad at poor ol' Joe?"

Now why can't the NY Times manage to mention this aspect of the story?

Yes, Let's End the Woe -- Joe Must Go!

You may have heard the story on WSHU radio, or read about it on the techPresident blog -- here's a quote:

Lieberman Must Go is an online effort pressing the Senate Democratic Steering Committee to relieve Joe Lieberman of his gavel as the head of the chamber's Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee.

Now here's the video highlight real of just a portion of the litany of woes for True Blue Dems here in Connecticut:



If that leaves you shaking your head in disgust, there is one small thing you can do about it -- click through to the LiebermanMustGo website and sign the petition today!

Indeed, Hope Is Coming...

Yeah, just playing with Photoshop there... but that IS what I think every time I pass this spray-painted message at a construction site on Park Street in New Haven!

Mapping Political Tweets

Check out this mega-nifty GoogleMaps & Twitter mashup:



Ain't it 'Tweet!

Say No to Joe!

Isn't it nice of Joe Lieberman to implore us all to support the man he believes should be President? (Never mind that slur "Democrat Party" -- he still aims to convert us apparently.) Perhaps we should all let him know how we would like to help him out with this new work of his? Well, here's one idea -- take a look.


Wonder if his minders will add us to the mailing list when they see our write-in sentiment? Hhhmmm... maybe they'll have to write a programming macro to get us out of the database? (Democracy can be messy, eh?)

Getting right up there

Interesting (dare I say, "enlightening"?) weird little blog out there, Is Obama the Messiah? Can't tell if this is serious, sarcastic, literal, figurative, or what -- maybe all of the above?

But interesting, yes.

“...a light will shine through that window, a beam of light will come down upon you, you will experience an epiphany ... and you will suddenly realize that you must go to the polls and vote for Obama"
-- Barack Obama in Lebanon, New Hampshire on January 7, 2008

Obama - The Transfiguration
Obama at fund-raiser at Steven and Judy Gluckstern's home, April 9, 2007. George Soros is seated to the right of the stairs. (Published in "How Barack Obama Struck Fund-Raising Gold, New York Magazine April 16, 2007; Photo-credit: Michael Edwards (note that this is the actual photo as published by New York Magazine, and contrary to the claim of William Lowther @ Telegraph, has not been doctored by this blog; (via "Daily Speculations" | What is the "Transfiguration"?)

Interesting blog, interesting (from an iconography standpoint anyway) set of images. Like this one:

Obama deals with attacks by former Democrat from the fair state of Connecticut

You may have seen tell of some of the statements Joe Lieberman has been making, trashing the Democrat's presumptive nominee for President on behalf of the candidate he has endorsed (photo at left, if you need the reminder). Well, just have to quote (and link) to Talking Points Memo today on "the Conversation" between Barack Obama and the Senator from the CT For Lieberman Party:

06.04.08 -- 3:18PM

From Roll Call ...

Furthermore, during a Senate vote Wednesday, Obama dragged Lieberman by the hand to a far corner of the Senate chamber and engaged in what appeared to reporters in the gallery as an intense, three-minute conversation.

While it was unclear what the two were discussing, the body language suggested that Obama was trying to convince Lieberman of something and his stance appeared slightly intimidating.

Using forceful, but not angry, hand gestures, Obama literally backed up Lieberman against the wall, leaned in very close at times, and appeared to be trying to dominate the conversation, as the two talked over each other in a few instances.

Still, Obama and Lieberman seemed to be trying to keep the back-and-forth congenial as they both patted each other on the back during and after the exchange.

Afterwards, Obama smiled and pointed up at reporters peering over the edge of the press gallery for a better glimpse of their interaction.

Obama loyalists were quick to express their frustration with Lieberman's decision and warned that if he continues to take a lead role in attacking Obama it could complicate his professional relationship with the Caucus.

--Josh Marshall

Gotta love that -- GObama!


PS> OK, now there's video of the "dragged Lieberman by the hand" portion of this encounter, as caught by CSPAN no doubt. What a riot! Check it out:

LWV-Amity holds "State of Our Towns" event

The local chapter of the League of Women Voters sponsored an event held in the Woodbridge Senior Center tonight, where representatives of Bethany, Orange and Woodbridge spoke to the "State of Our Towns" and answered questions posed by an audience of a dozen interested citizens.

On hand were our own Ed Sheehy, First Selectmen of Woodbridge, as well as Jim Zeoli, First Selectman of Orange and Janet Brunwin, Chairman of the Bethany Board of Finace. Questions ranged from budget referendums, attendance at Annual Town meetings, the status of District Animal Control, tax relief for seniors, support of local education budgets, and even some more fiery questions about Stew Leonards (Orange), use of town property for community farming or ball fields (Woodbridge), and changing to a full-time salary for First Selectman position (in Bethany).

You will be able to read more about the event in both local papers next week or by tuning-in to WGATV to see the entire evening's program, on Cablevision channel 79, or by visiting the WGATV blog for a link to Google video (I'll post that as soon as it's up).

Democratic candidates