Just a little more to the left….

By Brian Kirwin

Published May 18th, 2008

Bob Gibson wonders if another Sorensen bloggers conference is in the cards.

I wonder how different it would be than this.

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Comments

10 Responses to “Just a little more to the left….”

J.R. on May 18th, 2008 at 4:45 pm

For what it’s worth, I contacted Sorensen both when Sean O’Brien was there and recently through Coy Barefoot.

I was told by Coy that Bob was informed of my interest of Blogs United to partner with Sorensen.

However, judging by Bob’s post, it looks like he’s not interested.
Brian Kirwin on May 18th, 2008 at 5:54 pm

Is Coy his name or his job?
Paul Blair on May 18th, 2008 at 8:39 pm

his name
J.R. on May 18th, 2008 at 10:01 pm

I wouldn’t read too much into this…it’s probably just a a miscommunication or lack of communication.

However, since last year, Blogs United has approached Sorensen at trying to forge some sort of partnership; it was quite surprising to see Bob’s post that seemed as if there was no interest out here from Bloggers in a conference, when a conference — and a rather large one — occurred last year and that an organization dedicated to such an endeavor, Blogs United, already exists.
Bob Gibson on May 18th, 2008 at 11:03 pm

J.R.,
Please tell me more about Blogs United. I haven’t considered, accepted or rejected anything and am interested to learn much more about what it’s about.
The Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at UVA is nonpartisan and seeks and includes equal membership from Democrats and Republicans.
In the November 2007 elections, a healthy crop of 48 Sorensen graduates won elections across Virginia.
Reflecting its partisan balance as a nonpartisan institute made up of sometimes fierce partisans, 18 were Republicans, 18 were Democrats and 12 won as independents. They know how to work across the partisan aisle.
I am a longtime and loyal reader of Bearing Drift, a blogger for a few years and interested in discussion of ethics in politics as well as public policy. For 31 years, I was a reporter, editor and, more recently, a political columnist.
I gave that up last month for a job at Sorensen completely in the bipartisan spirit of the institute. Thanks for the comments.
Brian Kirwin on May 19th, 2008 at 7:28 am

Hopefully Bob does better than his predecessor, a Democratic campaign activist whose view of bipartisanship was how often Republicans could change their views, or at least stop emailing people about them.

Oh, and the old “what happens at Sorensen stays in Sorensen” oath. That was really thrilling.

Bob, one of those “ethical” Sorensen grads won a seat in this neck of the woods on an almost wholly negative campaign. Good job!
Sean Holihan on May 20th, 2008 at 7:28 am

I cannot for the life of me understand your beef with Sorensen. It’s a great program that, if nothing else, brings 30 diverse people together from all over the Commonwealth. I made friends with people I never thought I would even have a conversation with.

It’s something I recommend to everyone. And it is bipartisan. There is a reason that Hager and Cosgrove are such huge backers of the program. Last year we saw them twice as well as Del. Suit, Del. Jackson Miller, now Sen. Hurt, Speaker Howell, and Gov. Gilmore among others I cannot think of right now.

And, lastly, Sean O’Brien is someone who has more integrity than anyone else I’ve ever met in politics. He never revealed to the class his past political career or his political leanings. That wasn’t his job to shape opinions. It was to foster open and honest debate, which he and the rest of those at Sorensen accomplished in spades.

From what I can tell in just the month that Bob Gibson has taken over the position, he will easily carry on that tradition.
Brian Kirwin on May 20th, 2008 at 7:42 am

A bus could bring 30 diverse people together. It doesn’t have to be applauded.

I wish i recorded the “bipartisan” conversations Mr. O’Brien had with me about “fostering open and honest debate”.

I could tell you how conservatives were called to “tone down” their arguments on email listserv, while liberals could rant incessently.

I could tell you the glares I got when they asked the class “What leaders should we elect to give us our ideal communities?” with the response “Why do we expect government to do that for us?”

I could tell you about our wonderful “mock budget” General Assembly where there were so many liberals in our class, that after one day of “debate”, the majority voted to raise taxes by so much, that we had to go back into appropriations to spend all the extra money we happened to have.

And oh, the looks I got when I stood up and asked, “Did any of you campaign on what we’re doing today.” And was told “that’s not what this exercise is about.”

Then I made a motion to recommit, that was rule out of order by the Speaker, because she didn’t like it. Then I tried to make a substitute motion, and wasn’t even allowed the floor. I made a parliamentary inquiry, and the “Speaker” didn’t know what that was.

Gosh, I learned so much from Sorensen.

I could tell you that, and much more, but “what happens in Sorensen stays in Sorensen.”

Beer tastes just as good in my hometown.
Sean Holihan on May 20th, 2008 at 9:42 am

Well, we had an equal number of Democrats and Republicans in my class with a number of independents. We were never told to “tone down.”

And the budget exercise was one of the more fun things we did last year. With two million in the hole, we did raise the “sin tax” but that is all I could remember.

The class differs from year to year. I’m sorry that you didn’t enjoy yourself but everyone from my class last year had a truly wonderful experience. Just ask Brenda.
Brian Kirwin on May 20th, 2008 at 4:45 pm

Sean, I enjoyed myself more traveling across Virginia getting to those meetings than being at them. There’s only so much of “Tim Kaine’s recent staff additions” I could take in our class.

What a surprise! Another Sorensen class raises taxes. I’m completely shocked!

I heard the class was fun this year, and things were better structured. I never understood how saying things that were logically and politically flawed was free expression, but pointing out that they were logically and politically flawed was a “partisan” and shouldn’t be said.

But that’s what happens when you debate someone so whacko-left that they say that 12 year-olds should have abortions without parental knowledge, but we need tougher laws protecting cats.

Maybe Sean did better last year, but all he did was remind me of a classic Rodney Dangerfield line from “Back to School” - “He really tells it like it ain’t”