Netroots Rising

On Tuesday I wrote about D.C.'s "favored quarter," the north and west part of the area with the better jobs and retail.   This is also where a lot of the author events take place. 

Yesterday provided me with the chance to go somewhere new and different.   Political consultants Lowell Feld and Nate Wilcox, authors of Netroots Rising: How a Citizen Army of Bloggers and Online Activists Is Changing American Politics were at Busboys and Poets in D.C.  
 
I took Metro to the U Street Station, walked the two blocks west to the corner of 14th and U Street, and then one block north on 14th to V.   This was my first time hitting these once mean streets.   We had read about the remarkable comeback of this part of the District, once a haven for the pusherman and about as far from favored as you can get. 

In his book, Who's Your City,? Richard Florida calls these type areas "hipster havens," with "just the right combination of city grit and posh".   What caught my whitebread suburban eyes was the gentrification and infusion of young people.  The focus was sharp too, on a few still gutted-out buildings, serving as a reminder of the anger that once burned here.    

With the Veepstakes at a fever pitch, (Breaking News, We're Still Standing By!!), and Senator Obama campaigning here in the Old Dominion with Senator Webb and Governor Kaine, this particular author event had some added juice.   A crowd of 30 half-filled the speaker/performance room with an elevated stage and tables.   The help was very friendly and energetic, but their constant in and out with the food orders was distracting.  Then again, this was more of a laid back situation and as the toastmaster noted, Busboys and Poets is a genuine community gathering place.  This made for a perfect fit for the bottom up, activist nature of Netroots Rising.  

With all that was going on in, I told myself, don't be surprised if Feld doesn't show up.   I had started reading his blog Raising Kaine, and thought he might be tied up with Obama's visit.   But he was there early, talking with his colleagues.  

Reading their book, I had been drawn to Feld's background.  He notes how he became interested in politics at an early age.   As a teenager looking on in fascination, Watergate cemented the bonds.  He worked for Uncle Sam, studied the Middle East and majored in psychology.   All those things are part of my story as well.

The comparison ends, however, with Feld getting active in politics.   In 2005, he quit his job as an analyst with the Department of Energy and co-founded the Draft James Webb movement.   He also launched Raising Kaine that year, a "Virginia-focused Democratic political blog" that is getting a lot of attention lately, to say the least.   If you read their book, you will see how important Feld's contributions were for both Webb and Kaine getting elected. 

Feld and Wilcox make for a formidable tandem.    Feld knows people and is more out-going.  During the talk, he worked in getting his colleagues take on some of the things that happened during the campaigns.   Wilcox knows the technologies and was well-versed on those issues and what might happen in the future for bloggers.   (Stay tuned.)   

Feld spoke most passionately about the Webb-Allen race in 2006.   History has recorded Macaca-gate as Allen's undoing.  Feld takes exception, noting that it wasn't a collapse as portrayed in the media.   Credit should also be given to the changing demographics in Virginia, the mistakes Allen made afterward including blowing up at a reporter who asked him about his Jewish heritage, and the "rag-tag army" of netroots activist.

That last part sounds like bragging.   But as Yogi once said, it ain't bragging if you do it.   Feld and Wilcox did it, but are humble enough to say, we, the grass-root citizens who love our country, helped change American politics.