I am pleased to announce that Senator Dick Durbin, General Wesley Clark, and DNC Chair Howard Dean will all be speaking to the assembled blogger masses at the YearlyKos convention in Chicago, August 2-5. Oh, and some loser named Markos Moulitsas will be speaking as well. :-)
Yee-hah!!!!
More details below the fold:
Here's the official YearlyKos Convention Press Release.
JUNE 5, 2007—YearlyKos Convention organizers announced today that Sen. Richard Durbin, Gov. Howard Dean, and Gen. Wesley Clark confirmed their participation in the second annual event, to be held in Chicago this August.
Dean, chairman of the Democratic National Committee and governor of Vermont from 1991 to 2003, will kick off the convention as Thursday's evening keynote speaker. Dean addressed the Netroots community at the 2006 YearlyKos Convention in Las Vegas.
"Gov. Dean has been one of the most influential forces in the new progressive movement," said Gina Cooper, YearlyKos Convention executive director. "His belief that every citizen matters, from California to Connecticut, from Alaska to Mississippi, matches our belief that the voices of regular Americans deserve to be heard. It's an honor for Gov. Dean to return to our venue and present the opening keynote."
Dean will follow opening remarks from Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas Zúniga and a warm Chicago welcome from Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) the Senate's assistant majority leader.
"The citizen forum Markos created at Daily Kos has been the launching point for many of the progressive projects that are strengthening our movement. We are greatful for the community he has nurtured and empowered," Cooper said. "And Sen. Durbin is one of our true progressive leaders in Congress. We are thrilled that he will join us to welcome YearlyKos attendees to his home state of Illinois."
On Friday, Gen. Wesley Clark, the retired four-star general and a vocal critic of the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war, will speak to conference attendees as the morning's keynote speaker.
"Over the last few decades, Gen. Clark has distinguished himself as a both a scholar and a statesman," Cooper said. "He's well-respected in the progressive community, and we're pleased to have him be a part of our movement."
Organizers expect to announce more than 100 speakers, panelists, and workshop presenters between now and August. Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Barack Obama, and Gov. Bill Richardson have already confirmed their participation in a Presidential Leadership Forum set for August 4.
YearlyKos Convention 2007 will take place August 2–5, 2007 at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to the forum, the conference will include panels and caucuses led by national and international experts; prominent nationally recognized political, issue and policy-oriented speakers; a progressive film screening series; and the most concentrated gathering of high-profile progressive bloggers to date.
Thursday's keynote is set for 7 p.m., and Friday's gathering will begin at 8 a.m. Both events are open to the media.
For more information about the YearlyKos Convention or for credentials, visit www.yearlykosconvention.org/press.
ABOUT YEARLYKOS CONVENTION
The YearlyKos Convention is an annual convention gathering people from all walks of life who belong to the Netroots community, the US-based (but globally focused and inclusive) non-partisan grassroots community that uses the internet and blogs as primary tools for expressing viewpoints; building consensus; acting to change the status quo; mobilizing huge numbers of people and informing each other and the world about current events, grassroots actions, networks, meetings, policy and more.
Is this enough fun for you guys? Can you all just give up and register now? If not, what do you want from us? The Ghost of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.? Meh.
Seriously, register now. Prices are likely to go up again soon. Raising money has been hard, and if we don't raise more, prices are going to go up significantly very very soon. Which is why I am going to ask those of you who have financial means to please please donate today. Your donations will make it financially feasible for a more financially diverse group of Kossacks and bloggers to attend the YearlyKos Convention, and to: (1) see the above-referenced superstar speakers; (2) attend the important panel discussions (to be announced soon); (3) participate in the training sessions (also to be announced soon); and (4) go to all the PARTIES!!!! [Note: so far, there are no confirmed chocolate fountains or aircraft-carrier-sized sushi boats at any of the parties]. So please donate to help out those less financially able Kossacks. We want them to be at YearlyKos along with the rest of us. They are a critical part of the Netroots Nation.
And, while you're at it, please recommend!