www.defendingthedream.org


I wish I'd been able to publish something about this, before we left, or at least last evening (the first day of this event), but that with all that took place over that 24-hour period [planes, trains, and automobiles, ferries, etc..., it was not possible.]

As some of you may have heard, we came yesterday to Washington, D.C., for the 2nd-Annual "Defending the American Dream" Summit, sponsored by Americans for Prosperity.

Special thanks to the Illinois chapter of Americans for Prosperity for covering our airfare costs, for this great event!! We were able to find affordable lodging (we're staying at a Holiday Inn Express in suburban D.C.), and left yesterday morning, for a 6:00 AM flight from Lambert International Airport in St. Louis [STL].

Yesterday [keep in mind that none of us really got any sleep], we went [starting at about 3:00 AM (again!)] from:

Chatham & Springfield to intermediate parking at STL [by car]
Intermediate parking to the East Terminal (for Southwest Airlines) [a mile away, by shuttle]
STL to Baltimore-Washington Airport [BWI]
BWI to our hotel [$130 cab ride]
Hotel to Metro station (Franconia/Springfield stop) [shuttle]
Franconia/Springfield to Crystal City stop [Metro]

(Here, at the Crystal City Marriott, we all got to meet Grover Norquist, one of the most influential leaders in the United States. Myself and then-UIS CR Chairman David Clary saw him both at the College Republican National Biennial Convention last summer (July 2007), as well as few months later, at the 5th-Anniversary Luncheon of the Illinois Policy Institute, here in Springfield, Illinois. Then-UIS CR 2nd Vice-Chairman Zack Davis was at both events as well, and the photo that the State Journal-Register chose to include on its front page, the day after the 5th Anniversary Luncheon, was that of Zack and Mr. Norquist.)


Crystal City Marriot to U.S. Capitol [bus]

U.S. Capitol to Crystal City Marriot [[me]] [bus]
U.S. Capitol to Franconia-Springfield stop [Metro] to Holiday Inn Express [shuttle, which probably had to be specially called] back to... [[the others]]

That rally at the United States Capitol (referred to on the television news as "angry capitalists storm Capitol Hill!" ;-) was a good experience, as we got to network with some great people.

I was interviewed by the Business-section reporter at the Washington Times (that's a great publication; I'm so glad that in Washington, D.C., there is a second major newspaper to balance out the ideology of the Washington Post).

There was a reception in the evening, but the big event last night was the Tribute to Ronald Reagan dinner banquet.

Also, earlier that day, I succeeded in getting added to Bloggers' Row... They have a room set up for us, from which I've tried to live-blog (though at my personal weblog), as others are doing here. It has been hard [especially without having had a chance to drink the hotel coffee this morning, and with no Red Bull (!) in sight], to quickly post, while things are happening... Right now, the lunch break has begun (it's now well underway), but I'm still in the Bloggers' Row room. The breakout sessions begin at about 1:30 PM this afternoon (we are now an hour ahead of everyone in Illinois).

The speakers at the Reagan Dinner last night were fantastic. We will try to have updates and recaps posted soon. Meanwhile, here are some others, blogging from the "Defending the American Dream" Summit, here at the Crystal City Marriott (Arlington, VA):

Fran Eaton, our friend at Illinois Review

Our old friends at Save the GOP

Steve Eggleston at No Runny Eggs

Young [constitutionalist] Republican Joey Dauben, now at the Ellis County Observer

Liberty and Prosperity for Today

Mike Illions and Sharon Soon from Conservatives with Attitude
Michael Sparxx (or is it "A.J. Sparxx"? ;-) from the good-old PoliPundit weblog

Alice Shope from Alice's Restaurant

Austin Cassidy from Conservative Pulse

Bob Weeks from Voice For Liberty in Wichita

Doug Welch from Stix Blog (whose work I used, in prior entries here, like with our trip last week, to the Sarah Palin debate events - and also for last months Republican National Convention; Doug's from nearby St. Louis)

The great columnist Rachel Anderson Alexander (sorry, Rachel! ;-), and her sometimes-anonymous co-blogger [so anonymous, I don't recall his name! :-) ], now at the Sonoran Alliance. [From just heading over to that weblog, I am thinking that it might be Pete.]

[Wow... He just walked back in the room, after I typed this. I'm now over in a corner, not up by the big-screen live-feed, where I was during this morning's program, because my laptop ran out of batteries, and I couldn't find an available outlet. This room has cleared out some, because it's lunch period, but over by that area where Rachel and Pete (?) are, Fran Eaton and Mark Johnson (from our state) are also there, and it looks like they are interviewing Grover Norquist (who is now here as well). Erik Telford, a national staffer for Americans for Prosperity (and Executive Director of Right Online - a new AFP project), who we want to thank for coordinating the blogging/technological support for this Summit (and especially for allowing me to be on Bloggers' Row! ;-), just mentioned that more people are here in this room, for available interviews.

Steve Lonegan, the State Director for the New Jersey division of Americans for Prosperity, is one of them, and he has sit down at the table next to my corner one, with Dave Nalle of the Republican Liberty Caucus, who I just a little while ago witnessed doing a video interview with the new head of Bureaucrash, Pete Eyer (our old friend J.D. Talley apparently no longer heads that organization).

I wanted the names (and spellings thereof), and tried to ask, before this interview began... Mr. Nalle let me come over, and I am co-interviewing (though I haven't asked any questions yet).

Steve Lonegan spoke at the General Session this morning, and is the former Mayor of Bogata, New Jersey. I just found his home page: lonegan.com [encyclopedia article]

The person to the left of Mr. Nalle just told Mr. Lonegan, at the end of this interview, that he had Twittered (or perhaps the term we're 'sposed to be using is "tweeted") on this interview, and he received a response from someone in South Carolina... I couldn't really hear what he said that comment was about - perhaps because of how increasingly exasperated I am getting, by witnessing, and being in the middle of, what is going on.

As I've said before, I have no idea how some of these people are able to professionally compose and publish so rapidly, about events that have just happened (or are taking place). I should be able to do that, at this point (and perhaps would be able to, once I get ahold of something stronger than Coca-Cola ;-).

A woman leader from Texas (formerly with the Republican National Committee), came over, as Mr. Lonegan was leaving, and though I went over to get extra business cards, and then was able to speak to Mr. Lonegan before he left, I did come back, and heard them discussing property tax issues. She is from a part of Austin, Texas (which is the Lone Star State's capital) that is liberal.

Now, another woman here is taking a picture just took a picture, of us over here. Also, though I was behind this table, on the opposite side of Mr. Lonegan (as was interviewer Dave Nalle, and whomever this other guy is*, my voice will probably appear in the video feed (that's how Mr. Nalle was interviewing Steve Lonegan).

* I just asked, and I feel bad... I met this gentleman last night, with Socialist Squirrel and Grizzly Groundswell. He did respond by noting that he didn't have any business cards last night, but just gave me one - and I mentioned that from the side, and with his hat, it was hard to recognize him (this seems to be happening increasingly to me, these days - people know who I am, but I have trouble placing them. Either I'm getting older, or I'm making so many networks and connections, it's becoming crazy, keeping track and remembering everyone - In this case, I think it's mostly the latter.) Dr. Bill Smith is the National Political Director of Let's Get This Right, which is a coalition of traditionalist, libertarian, and constitutionalists within the Republican Party (precisely the type of people our party needs more of, but that's a topic for another time ;-)...

Dr. Smith is also the editor of the Arkansas Republican Assembly's News Service website.

Now, David P. Baumgardner, M.P.A., who has become the Wisconsin Coordinator, for the Republican Liberty Caucus (Mr. Dave Nalle, mentioned above, who conducted that interview with Steve Lonnegan is with the Republican Liberty Caucus in Austin, Texas). Before that, a reporter with MTV News came, and sat down there... I think that she should talk to the College Republicans and other young people here, considering her target audience.

As this was happening, John Fund (who was one of the featured General Session speakers this morning) of the Wall Street Journal, came in... He asked to use the laptop and internet connection of blogger Thomas Cox.

I was at that corner table, before moving over to co-interview Steve Lonegan, but when this happened, I decided to move back over... I am across from Mr. Fund right now, who was just called for an interview, which he had to delay, as he tries to access the internet, while eating the boxed lunch (something that I need to be doing, as the lunch period is almost over, while I am still blogging!... Crap, I really need the Red Bull).

I asked Tom Cox if he could take a picture of me here... He did, but what I wanted was one of me with John Fund, both of us working away. I didn't have to ask though, as he [Tom] seemed to read my mind.

Speaking of digital video-interviewing and photo-taking, this is all-the-more reason (actually, the prior trips, to Washington, D.C., Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, and elsewhere were more than reason enough - see below!) to get that Flickr and YouTube set up completed, ASAP.

Now, unless President Bush or Vice-President Cheney, or Senator John McCain, happen to also walk in here, I'm going to go get lunch!

(Actually, at this point, even if Bush, Cheney, or McCain were to walk in here, I'd probably still go to lunch! ;-)

[Though the same could not be said, if the person walking in here were the Governor of Alaska!! :-) ]