Forget the journalists. Bloggers can best be compared to what I once heard Garry Trudeau refer to as “opinionists” — a category which encompasses everyone from Trudeau (and myself) to Robert Novak. And opinionsts of every stripe can be found at the conventions of either party. No one denies Novak a credential to the Democratic convention because he is a right winger. And if I didn’t have some family stuff keeping me close to home next week, I could most likely have scrounged up some credentials for the Republican convention (though as an “opinionist” — not as a blogger). Lord knows Trudeau could, easily.
When bloggers can get credentialed for either convention, or any other damn thing, regardless of their personal ideologies, then blogging will have grown up. Until then, getting credentialed as a blogger is about as impressive as getting credentialed for the Weekly Reader.
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(A small note: Though I do have obligations next week which mostly preclude any blogging from New York, I have some interesting stuff lined up the week after. Stay tuned.)