Most Genial Politicians: Nancy Pelosi, Alex Sink, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz
Most Genial Party Officials: Steve Schale, Phil Perry, Rick Minor
Most Genial Media People: Beth Reinhard, Adam Smith
Best Stories: Gene Smith and Tom Orr
Best Drug Use: Ray Seaman (not really…)
Bravest Blogger: Sinfonian for confronting Bill Nelson on his torture vote
Best Moment: The introductions at the Netroots Luncheon, the press conference with Nancy Pelosi, Dave Aronberg’s speech, the after parties
Strangest Moment: The Pajama Party thing — I’m not the type to wear pajamas in the lobby of a ritzy hotel
Funniest Line: Dave Aronberg: “The president has declared war on math.”
Person Who Stayed Up the Latest: I’m pretty sure it was Barbara H., who I think was still up when I went to bed at 4 a.m. (or was she…)
Most Interesting Candidates to Talk To: Michael Calderin, Chris Chiari, Stephen Gorham
Best Intellectual Conversation: Curt Johnson
Best Strategy Conversation: Brian Franklin
Best Meeting: Legislative & Campaign Committee
Best After-Hours Party: Alan Brock & the FYDs — keep in mind “young,” according to the party, goes up to 41 (The pajama party was actually pretty fun, too)
Best Food: None, it was all pretty bad.
Best Stained Shirt: Ray Seaman, in blue
Worst Idea: A $1000 V.I.P. reception. What kind of message does that send to the 1000+ people who couldn’t afford to get in — that we aren’t important? I understand you have to have high cost parties for the high rollers, just call them something less insulting to hard-working activists, candidates and party officials.
Person With the Brightest Future, Professional Edition: Dave Aronberg — future governor, maybe?
Person With the Brightest Future, Semi-Pro Edition: Steve Schale (future party chair), Alan Brock (future congressman), Phil Perry (future governor)
Person With the Brightest Future, Amateur Edition: Eddie S., Liz W., Ray S.
Best On-Site Blog Coverage: Sinfonian at Blast Off!
Best Self-Promotion: Ray Seaman during the Netroots luncheon (anyone not find Reform Florida’s DECs yet?)
Most Versatile Person: Ray Seaman — this guy is everywhere (see that proves he wasn’t really doing heroin)
Coolest Politicians: Let’s just say that Alex Sink, Al Lawson and Tallahassee Mayor John Marks were the only elected officials I saw make it to the cool parties…
Coolest Party Official: Rick Minor — I’ll give an award to anyone who buys me a drink
Coolest Amateurs: Alan Brock and the FYDs
Best Round-up of JJ Posts: Florida Netroots
People Without Whom, the Whole Thing Wouldn’t Have Been Possible: Phil Perry, Mark Bubriski, Sean Barna, Jason Hesch, Carlos Verney, Ben King and Karen Thurman
Person Without Whom, the Whole Thing Wouldn’t Have Been Possible for Me: Mark Ravenscraft
People With Whom, JJ Would’ve Been Even Better: MeowMissy, Dave Harper, Jackie Dowd, Joseph Lyles, kansasr
6 Things I Learned:
1. “5 to Read” the thing I do that has the least amount of my own writing and style in it, is the thing people most seem to like and remember. Thanks a lot.
2. What exactly it is House Victory and Senate Victory do and why they do it
3. Much of the press doesn’t like bloggers
4. There is a huge army of intelligent, motivated activists in Florida ready to change Florida into a blue state
5. JJ is a whole lot of fun
6. Everybody links to the FPC website, but almost nobody links to T. Rex’s Guide to Life, my real blog. Thanks a lot.
Now, now…the Frog is linked to T Rex…..:)
Who needs Oscars when we have Quinnell’s Sine Qua Non Awards! How humbling it was to be named among the awardees until I saw I shared the limelight with reprobates like Gene Smith and Ray Seaman – just kidding
.
Two thumbs up for Alan Brock, the new Pres of YDs – proving once again, a strong liver leads to electoral success! Seriously, Al has been a trooper for many years, working in local campaigns and earning his dues the hard way with shoe leather and a willingness to help at any hour or any day – he will be an outstanding leader of Florida YD’s (otherwise he dies).
Kudos to all who helped make the Netroots Luncheon a success and for the show of support to make this a major FDP initiative to color Florida BLUE again. I didn’t get a chance to meet personally all of you, but I am very grateful, as are many Democrats, for the efforts and time you invest in educating Floridians about the political landscape and the importance of their participation. BRAVO! …keep up the good work.
Thank you for the award – I will cherish it always. I want thank all those who made this award possible…..who ever the hell they are.
Oops, I forgot, no responses. Oh well, thanks anyway.
First of all, my guess, Rick Minor gets to be Governor before Phil Perry, but Phil will succeed Rick as Governor.
Best Photo: Debbie Wasserman-Schultz at the Pajama Party with Megan and Francine.
Most Interesting Sight: Congressmen Alan Boyd and Tim Mahoney and Bill Nelson’s chief of staff, Pete Mitchell, standing up when Darren Soto came to their table in the bar.
And for the really last word on the JJ check out http://fl-kossacks.blogspot.com
(only kidding) but I am not done writing about it yet.
Thanks for the award!
Glad someone missed me.
I’d have loved to go, but the timing was bad for me. It conflicted with family responsibilities, plus we’re on a tight budget as we save for summer vacation.
Of course, the real deal-breaker was that I’d have to shave and try to look presentable.
Sunny, you are correct, of course.
Dave, as long as you make it to the convention in October, I’ll spare you. Keep in mind that meeting you should be able to attend for free and it’s in Orlando, so you won’t have much in the way of excuses…
I’ll probably try to schedule a FPC meeting during the convention to kill two stones with one bird.
Dave, I’ll expect you to shave for the October meeting, but don’t worry about being presentable…
Can I show up at the convention barefoot, in tattered jeans and a stained t-shirt?
Ahem, the Florida Netroots site has linked to T Rex’s Guide to Life from the very beginning.
I wish I could have been there at the JJ with you all, but I’m saving most of my travel money for Yearly Kos. I imagine people in their pj’s will not be the oddest thing seen at the hotel in Chicago.
Dave, Nancy Pelosi let me into her press conference with my stained shirt (for shame on my part) – so I be you could show up as a hippy. We all are in spirit, anyway.
Thanks for my many awards, Ken.
My favorite moment: Making fun of Ken’s drinking while liveblogging (now known as “DWL”, as the undercover cops posing as photographers will tell you) during the JJ Dinner.
Biggest Learning Experience: How much the press REALLY doesn’t like us. Fine with me, can’t say I’m a big fan of the press either.
Once again, I’ve been tremendously inspired in meeting all of you.
Gee, I’m honored to have been in the “missed” category.
I really did feel guilty sitting at an outdoor cafe along the Champs-Élysées eating crevettes while the JJ was going on…ok that was a BIT snarky…..
But I gotta tell you that a weeks vacation seems to have been what the doctor ordered.
Before I left I was beginning to feel like Sisyphus and that the rock had rolled back down the hill and over me one to many times. I seemed like we had just finished an election cycle and the next one was already in full force.
Perhaps it’s the pressure of knowing so much is at stake in 2008. We need to recapture the White House, hold onto and increase our gains in the US House and Senate, improve upon our gains in the Florida House and finally make a dent in the Florida Senate.
Add to that the massive tinkering being done to Florida’s tax system by a Republican leadership in Tallahassee that has no idea what the actual impact of their changes is going to be and you being to realize the impact of what it is we’re trying to do.
Hmmm…maybe I need to go back an stroll along the Seine a bit longer!
Yes, I’m back from Paris. Thanks for the shout out!
Another suggested award was: TampaBay Democrat for best photo of the blogger
luncheon
http://tbdem.blogspot.com/2007/06/blogging-from-jj-3.html
I’d like to thank the Academy …
Seriously, I’m glad people found my coverage helpful and informative.
As for bravery, well, it was just something that was important to me. Plus I didn’t want to wuss out in front of Ken and Ray, who were there.