FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Second Annual Convention Invites Candidates to
Answer Questions from the Blogosphere and
Engage Netroots Activists in Unscripted Citizen Dialogues
Forum Moderators include Daily Kos blogger, Joan McCarter,
With guest moderator Matt Bai, writer for the New York Times Magazine and author of a forthcoming book on Democratic politics.
Author and blogger, Jeffrey Feldman, will facilitate questions from the blogosphere and convention attendees.
February 27, 2007 - Today organizers of the YearlyKos Convention announced an unprecedented forum featuring potential 2008 presidential candidates during the second annual YearlyKos Convention on August 4th in Chicago. Organizers touted the forum as an opportunity to use technology to empower regular citizens and grassroots activists to engage, vet and evaluate America's potential leaders, both face-to-face and online.
"We are inviting the presidential candidates to join in a first of its kind dialogue with citizens and the netroots," said Gina Cooper, YearlyKos Convention Executive Director. "Successful candidates are learning to authentically engage citizens in an emerging, increasingly participatory society, and we want to ensure that technological progress brings about meaningful social change."
To foster a conversation that has the breadth, depth, and authenticity of a diverse voting public, this event, marking the first ever collaborative presidential forum with both a respected blogger and a leading member of the traditional media, will be moderated by Matt Bai, writer for The New York Times Magazine and author of a forthcoming book on Democratic politics, and Joan McCarter, contributing editor at Daily Kos. Dr. Jeffrey Feldman, author and blogger at Frameshopisopen.com, will ask questions submitted in advance from tens of thousands of blog readers and will facilitate questions from convention attendees.
Organizers are also asking the candidates to spend time in individual, unscripted "citizen dialogues" with convention attendees, encouraging substantive discussions that transcend the competitive nature of most joint appearances on the campaign trail. The events and conference are open to media and blog coverage.
"Participation in the presidential primary process was the privilege of party insiders until 1972 Democratic Party reforms empowered regular citizens to choose nominees," added Ms. Cooper. "But over the past few decades, the influence of ordinary voters has been increasingly overshadowed by interest groups, who often control the agenda and tone of campaigns, and specifically presidential debates. Our goal is to continue America's long tradition of democratization by giving citizens a greater voice in national politics."
Last year's convention featured Senators Harry Reid and Barbara Boxer; Governors Howard Dean, Tom Vilsack, Bill Richardson and Mark Warner; retired General Wesley Clark; journalists from the Washington Post and the New York Times; progressive leaders and activists from leading organizations like UNITE HERE and People for the American Way, leading progressive bloggers, and thousands of grassroots activists participating in-person and online.
To learn more about credentials and the YearlyKos convention, please visit: www.yearlykosconvention.org/press
Speakers, YKC 2007