SATURDAY MORNING:
We're back on the floor and listening to speakers. Right now Barbara Ann Radnofsky is speaking. Damon at Burnt Orange Report has her text on line at this page. It's well done, and her personal tales of her family are moving. In fact she started with one that brought tears to my eyes. Read it all.
What happened to me last night? After we broke for the Senate District caucusses for the roll call for permanent convention chair, the battery on the laptop, despite claiming it had an hour left, dropped dead. Unfortunately, there were no electrical outlets available for any of us. The state party says the convention center would not let them put in any more because they were already drawing too much power for the lights on the stage. I quite believe it, and charged this machine up at the hotel room last night. I probably won't be as constantly online today, to conserve it. Except for that, I repeat that the state party has been absolutely great to the bloggers.
Barbara Ann just finished, winding up as she entered to a tape of the Beach Boys singing her namesake song.
Back to last night: when the roll call was finally made, Slagle stomped all over the challenger, who got no votes at all in some districts (though he carried 3 of them). One person voting against Slagle said she did so only because he, according to her, lied when he denied that floor mikes were cut during debate at a convention several years ago. Some 14 or so made a point of abstaining. Leaving aside the question of mikes, Slagle will preside competently. I think many were frightened by the prospect of a missionary parliamentarian. Far more scary than mere Jehovah's Witnesses at the door.
Slagle took the gavel and went on from there. State Senator Letitia Van der Putte then spoke. The big splash of the rest of the evening was Chris Bell's speech, following another feelgood video about him. Several bloggers whose batteries had not died covered it live. Check out the sidebar at the Blogger's Caucus.
Then it was off to parties and receptions. I stuck a nose in at the Blogger's Caucus party at the Flying Saucer. Literally. That was about all you could squeeze in, without acting like a very rude football player. I did see Radnofsky there, but couldn't get through to her or the other bloggers -- who frankly seemed to be in a small minority of those there, so I guess the overcrowding came when lots of other folk heard about it and decided to show up. I had to pass elsewhere. (And later started getting quite sick at a late dinner, and went to bed ill and exhausted, without posting from the hotel.)
Back live Saturday morning, they just had my Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson introduce the other Texas Democrats in Congress, then all the candidates running against Republicans this year. Applause seemed loudest for John Courage (deservedly so) and for Nick Lampson (after Johnson built him up well for his role in helping drive Tom Delay to resignation). Then she turned it over to Chet Edwards, and led the others off the stage.
Edwards is now speaking, mentioning how he carried Bush's own home of Crawford in the last election. He's saying too many have been led to believe Democrats have no religious faith, they're weak on defense, etc. Chet has been given this spot to help dispel that straw man. Well, his voting record probably won't scare any liberal-haters out there, which is why he keeps carrying places like Crawford. Despite which he, like Joe Lieberman, actually has a better record than any Republican who has or will run against him would. He's to my right, but he probably does represent the views of his central Texas district pretty well. And he's speaking well.
I'm going to sign off this post and save power. There are a lot of other speakers scheduled (see the party web site for a list) while the committees are meeting, before they bring us reports on platform and resolutions. Slagle has announced that, following an agreement with the candidates, the contest for state chair will take place about one PM. Be back later.
We're back on the floor and listening to speakers. Right now Barbara Ann Radnofsky is speaking. Damon at Burnt Orange Report has her text on line at this page. It's well done, and her personal tales of her family are moving. In fact she started with one that brought tears to my eyes. Read it all.
What happened to me last night? After we broke for the Senate District caucusses for the roll call for permanent convention chair, the battery on the laptop, despite claiming it had an hour left, dropped dead. Unfortunately, there were no electrical outlets available for any of us. The state party says the convention center would not let them put in any more because they were already drawing too much power for the lights on the stage. I quite believe it, and charged this machine up at the hotel room last night. I probably won't be as constantly online today, to conserve it. Except for that, I repeat that the state party has been absolutely great to the bloggers.
Barbara Ann just finished, winding up as she entered to a tape of the Beach Boys singing her namesake song.
Back to last night: when the roll call was finally made, Slagle stomped all over the challenger, who got no votes at all in some districts (though he carried 3 of them). One person voting against Slagle said she did so only because he, according to her, lied when he denied that floor mikes were cut during debate at a convention several years ago. Some 14 or so made a point of abstaining. Leaving aside the question of mikes, Slagle will preside competently. I think many were frightened by the prospect of a missionary parliamentarian. Far more scary than mere Jehovah's Witnesses at the door.
Slagle took the gavel and went on from there. State Senator Letitia Van der Putte then spoke. The big splash of the rest of the evening was Chris Bell's speech, following another feelgood video about him. Several bloggers whose batteries had not died covered it live. Check out the sidebar at the Blogger's Caucus.
Then it was off to parties and receptions. I stuck a nose in at the Blogger's Caucus party at the Flying Saucer. Literally. That was about all you could squeeze in, without acting like a very rude football player. I did see Radnofsky there, but couldn't get through to her or the other bloggers -- who frankly seemed to be in a small minority of those there, so I guess the overcrowding came when lots of other folk heard about it and decided to show up. I had to pass elsewhere. (And later started getting quite sick at a late dinner, and went to bed ill and exhausted, without posting from the hotel.)
Back live Saturday morning, they just had my Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson introduce the other Texas Democrats in Congress, then all the candidates running against Republicans this year. Applause seemed loudest for John Courage (deservedly so) and for Nick Lampson (after Johnson built him up well for his role in helping drive Tom Delay to resignation). Then she turned it over to Chet Edwards, and led the others off the stage.
Edwards is now speaking, mentioning how he carried Bush's own home of Crawford in the last election. He's saying too many have been led to believe Democrats have no religious faith, they're weak on defense, etc. Chet has been given this spot to help dispel that straw man. Well, his voting record probably won't scare any liberal-haters out there, which is why he keeps carrying places like Crawford. Despite which he, like Joe Lieberman, actually has a better record than any Republican who has or will run against him would. He's to my right, but he probably does represent the views of his central Texas district pretty well. And he's speaking well.
I'm going to sign off this post and save power. There are a lot of other speakers scheduled (see the party web site for a list) while the committees are meeting, before they bring us reports on platform and resolutions. Slagle has announced that, following an agreement with the candidates, the contest for state chair will take place about one PM. Be back later.
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