Governor Jack Markell held a “roundtable” for “Delaware Bloggers” Tuesday morning in Newark. It would be better said “liberal Delaware bloggers from New Castle County”. Strangely enough the Governor decided to “preach to the choir”, ignoring Kent and Sussex bloggers and conservative New Castle County bloggers. Well why would wouldn’t you want to speak to anyone from Smyrna to the Mason-Dixon Line? Shame on you Jack. And I thought we were tight:
You know I like coffee too. Here is an idea. I would like to invite you to Laurel for a cup of coffee at the Laurel Dutch Inn. It’s not Starbucks but it’s good enough for our time together. Heck, I will even pick up the tap for you (your staff will have to cover their own bill, I’m not made of money). Rep. Lee pays a visit there most mornings, so we would have some company. Senator Venables might stop by. I’m sure we would be joined by some lower Delaware bloggers such as the team at DelawarePolitics.net, as well as Brian at The Mourning Constitution and Howard from Delmar Dustpan.
More than likely we will talk about sports betting and casinos. We will talk about school consolidation. We will talk about the budget. Certainly the others joining us will have some questions. It won’t be easy but I am sure you’ve got the strength to handle whatever we throw at you.
The former governor referred to southern Delaware as “hostile territory.” I can assure you that we are not a hostile bunch but we won’t ask the easy questions.
Governor, I have a job so realize that I will be not only buying your coffee but also taking some vacation hours from work to spend time with you. Regardless I am willing to invest that time so we can talk.
You have been to Laurel to help launch Barb Hudson‘s campaign for the Representative in the 40th District. Come on down and see us again sometime soon.
(Lest I forget, thanks to Maria Evans for the heads up this afternoon as well as this post. And thanks (?) to RSmitty for blowing my cover, but also making me realize that I look better in makeup.)
That's Elbert With An E 
I think you guys have successfully shown the Governor that he can’t trust his lackey Selander to even organize a simple blogger meet up without it turning into a partisan slogfest. I don’t think Jack Markell had anything to do with the invites. That was left up to a few snarky snobs at DL.
Selander is supposed to be a communications guy? He blew this assignment.
I think you guys have shown that you don’t understand geography or time. Would it really be reasonable to drive for 3+ hours roundtrip to have a 1 hour meeting where you may be sitting around a table with 20 bloggers and never get to ask you question? It was a 50 minute conversation, not a 3 day summit.
OK, it’s time to give up this outrage. The name given to this event was developed by bloggers (possibly DD, I believe), not Governor Markell or any of his staff. It was indeed a MISNOMER by calling it a “Delaware” Bloggers Roundtable. Maybe a selected-few-who-happen-to-live-locally-to-Panera-on-Main-Street-in-Newark-Delaware-Bloggers-Roundtable would have been much better, or maybe a Whole-Bunch-of-Loony-Liberals-and-a-possibly-Libertarian-and-a-Progressive-Republican-almost-Independent-But-Still-in-Vicinity-of-Panera-on-Main-Street-in-Newark-Delaware-Bloggers-Roundtable would have sufficed, too.
Point is, this appears that it will be just the first of more. Problem is scheduling, so future dates may take a little time. Obviously, I am not the scheduler, so I can’t say for 100%. Elbert, it was also suggested by another curmudgeon that you may be a good contact point if there is something to be arranged. Do you agree?
-RSmitty
P.S.: I have found Brian Selander to be very reasonable and considerate. I don’t know what hair got stuck up Nancy’s rear, but I have no problem with the man.
REmitty, Selander is a tool whose history with the HIGH DEMs has some less than stellar aspects that involved some DE bloggers and a campaign I was working on. I really can’t give details since it isn’t my story to tell.
As for the slogfest –
I gathered from Jason’s comment that Selander set this thing up, probably at the behest of the DL’s. And from Geek’s comment, it was clear that Geek was the one who ‘suggested’ “appropriate” guests. (I live 5 minutes from Panera Bread in Newark but I am not friends with Geek or Selander). I might have gotten an invite since I don’t open much of the email from government staff. I am on Markell’s press release rotation from Joe Rogalsky so it isn’t as if I am not a recognized blogger!
there’s dumb and there’s jealousy, together you get this
guy has been in office for 2 months and he is dissing people already. too funny
Truth be told, I was having fun putting together the later part of that post. Something like that is crazy, but it’s my sense of humor. Getting more of the details brings understanding but it sure did look like favoritism from my prospective. Maybe Brian Selander will set up something with a mixed group instead of just a “mixed-up” or “messed-up” group. 😉
Regarding the travel time, I’ve had similar situations with the 3 hours up and back for an appointment that was less than an hour. In this particular instance transportation would have been a problem, as my minivan was in the shop. Plus having a job doesn’t always lend itself to doing some things “on the fly” which sounds like this was the situation with this meeting.
Elbert, it appears that you. Have officially entered the Political World!!! You have stormed up debate and liberal discord!!!
El: Markell met with bloggers who write at a site which regularly refers to those who disagree with them as “insane,” “evil” and one writer one time suggested that all Republicans be “rounded up and shot.” They collectively made up a plurality of those in attendance.
Talk about Markell and losing credibility!
hee hee, it is sorta fun to poke their soft underbelly. I just got called a bitter commentor over there today because I *gasp* mentioned that Liberal Geek likes to out anonymous handles if he doesn’t like the commentor as he has done to me.
I guess they are CYA by calling us whiners and bitter bloggers. Over on DWA, it was revealed by the teenager that it was absolutely a inhouse affair. Invites were set up by Selander and Liberal Geek and the kid even went so far as to say it was PAYBACK for political support. Access in trade for support. Selander is so sleazy!!!
Marshall later retracted and claimed that even though he said it, that his account of this obvious lapse in ethics was not actually true.
oh Donviti dear – getting to stir up the blogosphere against DL’s arrogance was not done out of jealousy! It was done to bring you guys down a peg. Markell will meet with anyone who asks. Just don’t go through Selander. This was about Selander and his scumminess. He’s wormed his way into the Progressive DEMs and is riding a bit too high on his good fortunes, I’d guess. In the end, DL’s had their a** handed to them for being obnoxious pr***s about their ‘private picked meet up’.
http://www.delawaretalkradio.com/downwithabsolutes/?p=1627#comments
#11 Is this merely an insignificant squabble over access? Bloggers need either a press pass or a lobbyist pass. Markell might advise his staff to expand opportunities for blogger access to beyond a ‘circle of friends’ . This was a ‘picked’ panel, which is fine. The problem is the snotty way some of the participants flaunted the access. Not fine. Dana really delivered, by the way. He has a decent post up about some actual issues discussed with the guv.”
#12 Mike Matthews on 04.01.09 at 9:54 am Nancy,
I’m with you on all your points. I was surprised when DelDem put up a post at DL flaunting this meeting. This was supposed to be, I thought, an impromptu, casual meeting among a few bloggers who had some questions. Unfortunately, it turned into something that I don’t think anyone could have imagined. I’d even go so far as to say it wasn’t worth the headache. Dana’s write-up is superb, though”