The Web on the Candidates

• The Real Democratic Convention: At the same time delegates and other party faithful assemble in Denver's Pepsi Center for next week's Democratic National Convention, hundreds of bloggers and new media-types will gather a few blocks away under the Big Tent, a sort of convention-away-from-the convention sponsored by Daily Kos, the Colorado-based Progress Now, and the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado. The Big Tent, reports PBS MediaShift's Simon Owens, will be a social haven and productive workplace for those coming to Denver without main hall credentials in hand. But with the "official" events inside the convention hall so carefully scripted, we're thinking the sessions, interviews, and informal tête-à-têtes that will happen under the Big Tent might spark as much -- if not more -- real news and compelling commentary. I'll be reporting from both the Pepsi Center and Big Tent next week, so stay tuned. #

• Just Who's Responsible for This Party?: In his inaugural VideoNation segment, The Nation's Ari Melber kicks off his DNC coverage with the idea that Barack Obama is shaping up to be the sort of historic presidential candidate who arrives at his nominating convention with more to sell than a sparkling resume. Obama, contends Ari, comes to Denver with a vision for what the American people can aspire to, a la FDR or JFK. That's a theme also recently hashed over by The American Prospect's Dana Goldstein and Ezra Klein, who focus on the Obama campaign's efforts to turn the Democratic Party into a powerhouse. Now, Obama's decisions to move DNC operations to Chicago and take the nomination before a stadium filled with 75,000 fans can be read as building the Democratic Party or bolstering the candidacy of one man. But the question is, which reading will come out ahead? We're thinking that how the online left reacts to next week's events will help to shape Obama's reputation as a party builder, so we'll be keeping a close eye on it. (On that point, I'll be serving as techPresident's correspondent on BBC Radio's Five Live program next week, covering the online reaction to the Dem convo. We'll pass along details as they become available.) #

The Candidates on the Web

• McCain's Tech Ties: From many on the left, the knock against John McCain's recently released technology policy plan was that it went too far in kowtowing to business interests. (For example, the reaction of high-profile technologist and Obama supporter David Isenberg: "[T]he McCain plan says, "What's good for AT&T and Comcast and Cisco and the RIAA is good for America.") Campaign Money Watch is out with its interpretation: McCain's tech vision is industry's tech vision because of how closely associated his campaign is to the industry. More than three dozen McCain staffers, says the non-partisan watchdog group, have served as lobbyists at firms representing the technology industry inside the Beltway, to the tune of $1 million or more. And McCain, reports Public Campaign, '08 has raised millions from those in the industry who stand to benefit from his policy solutions. #

• 62262, Is That You?: Virginia politicos were pwned yesterday by a fake text message containing the "news" that Governor Tim Kaine had gotten the Democratic vice presidential nod. We think somebody's been reading Wonkette. We also think that about, hmm, six seconds will elapse between the real VP SMS going out and the pick being worldwide news. So if it seems like you're the only one who knows who's Obama's number two, then there's a very good chance you don't really know who's Obama's number two. #

• McCain Blogger's Dwindling Charisma Points: Having spent no more than two or three childhood afternoons playing Dungeons & Dragons with my big brother, I can't really make too much sense of the battle over McCain blogger Michael Goldfarb's slamming of D&D players. But here's what I know: in a post on the McCain Report, Michael unleashed some snark on the role-playing contingent. That prompted a heated reaction amongst D&D players -- who seem to include a fair number of military types and other folks McCain doesn't really want to anger. Hey, when you hire a wiseacre campaign blogger, you roll the dice...#

In Case You Missed It...

Alan Rosenblatt asks why the official websites of the Republican and Democratic parties aren't doing more to promote their respective upcoming conventions.

Daily Kos | Democratic Convention | McCain tech policy | the Big Tent
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