September 2, 2008
Why We're Not Covering the Republican National Convention
Last week we brought you extensive coverage of the D.C. delegation's activities at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. Now that the Republican National Convention is underway in St. Paul, can you expect the same kind of reporting? No, but it's not for lack of trying.
DCist submitted a request to be credentialed for the RNC several months ago. On July 7, we received a reply from the RNC Special Press Credentials Office with the following message: "Unfortunately, due to the overwhelming interest in covering our convention, we are unable to accommodate your request for Special Press Credentials."
In early August, we got in touch with DC Republican Committee Executive Director Paul D. Craney to make one last try at it. We noted that we didn't want to leave D.C.'s Republican delegates out of our coverage. Craney got in touch with the RNC credentialing office, and he told us the answer he got was the same. They said they have a limited number of passes they can award, and they filled that number.
Considering the small size of D.C.'s Republican delegation, we suppose the RNC has a case to make for leaving us out -- though one single pass for a mobile blogger hardly seems like a burden. But in the interest of making sure our readers understand that it was our intention to cover both conventions, we wanted to let you know we tried.
| 
add to stumble upon
add to reddit
email this
add to facebook
add to del.icio.us
[ report this ]
But, I didn't get my fill of bullshit during the DNC and I was counting on... ah fuck it.
[ report this ]
Well, crap. I was looking forward to in-depth coverage of the Log Cabin Republicans' icecream social. They may be full of self-loathing, but they make a wicket banana parfait.
And you know about those sprinkles.
[ report this ]
Was wondering; thanks for the clarification. Shame it couldn't work out.
[ report this ]
No voting rights for DC, no good coverage on DCist. I know it wasn't intended that way, but it works out all the same :-)
[ report this ]
they say there's no such thing as bad press, and you could have certainly provided more press.
but maybe they just didn't want you digging something else up on ms. palin...
[ report this ]
I was wondering if you were going to cover Ron Paul's convention-lite.
[ report this ]
They're having trouble filling all the seats in the RNC Convention Hall. Bet they wish they'd taken you up on your offer. Guess they thought they were more popular than they really are. But then again, that's not the only thing they're delusional about.
[ report this ]
I definitely appreciate the efforts that went into this. But I also hope that just because DCist isn't physically sitting in the convention that were will be any less coverage. And I'm not talking about the live-blogging, who's shaking hands with who, nonsense. News events are still news worthy, even if you didn't get Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket. This is something that democrats are exceedingly good at, pandering to the media to garner more positive coverage than negative. I mean honestly, if they bent over backwards to allow in a wave of new media types, providing them unprecendented access to an event they never were able to attend before, you don't think they're going to be slightly beholden to them on the coverage? Obama's event was much larger, which was a precise calculation to capitalize on this sort of thing, as well as making it look like he has a huge following of devoted disciples (I mean, followers) so they had more space to give to bloggers. But quality of journalism aside, I'm not surprised in the least if bloggers are the first ones dropped from the list as space gets tighter.
[ report this ]
Oops. Not the convention. Dayton.
[ report this ]
LOL, seeing that logo reminds me of my mis-spent youth, reading HP Lovecraft and advocating for Cthulu as alternative to voting for the Lesser Evil.
http://crookedtimber.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/republican_cthulhu.jpg
[ report this ]
Republicans love them some message control and, if DCist didn't make the cut as friendly press, it's probably 'cause all the (R) lawyers are still up in AK.
[ report this ]
Seeing as the Elder Gods are all about strict constructionalism, intelligent design, the original intent of the Founding Fathers, and unspeakable nightmares, the Cthulhu mythos dovetails quite nicely with the current GOP platform.
Sometimes tentacles can be your best political asset.
[ report this ]
You're going to so wish you got press passes when the whole Manchurian Candidate thing goes down during the acceptance speech.
And you just know Angela Landsbury is waiting in the wings.
[ report this ]
"This is something that democrats are exceedingly good at, pandering to the media to garner more positive coverage than negative."
Indeed, let's not forget that nice BBQ they had for the media... oh.
[ report this ]
Don't feel too bad. I attended the 1996 GOP convention in San Diego with a "special press" credential (college newspaper), and it didn't allow for much access to the place. Ended up sitting behind the network booths, but next to G. Gordon Liddy.
[ report this ]
yep, the republicans would never pander to a media organization (coughcoughfoxnewscoughcough)
[ report this ]
It's ok, that horrible yellow dress last night would have blinded you, anyway!
[ report this ]
You could have tried harder - like sneek in with a Lincoln or an elephant costume.
[ report this ]
Oh Krisa, you are so adorable: "This is something that democrats are exceedingly good at, pandering to the media to garner more positive coverage than negative. "
Did someone say PANDER?
[ report this ]
we have enough pander bears around here as is... :)
[ report this ]
Maybe a Panderer Bear costume could have worked at the rnc?
[ report this ]
The philanderer bear would be more apropos of the "family values" crowd.