Don't Listen to the Nay Sayers Listen to the Now Sayers

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http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion/348125

Don't Listen to the Nay Sayers Listen to the Now Sayers
posted by Laura Flanders on 08/24/2008 @ 12:19pm


It's 6 am in Denver and the sky's beginning to light up. An anti-war march starts in a few hours. The kick off event -- Live From Main Street Denver -- takes place at the Big Tent this afternoon. Denver's filling up. And in the most expensive hotels, I imagine, some are sharpening their knives and preparing to pour cold water on all of it.

There is an unspoken rule in the legacy media: Wherever two or more Americans shall gather with change on their minds, pour scorn. Before you can say "Joe Biden" the media big-boys are moving into their favorite mode: scoff.

The John McCain campaign has already done its best to frame every hopeful American at an Obama rally as a crazy celebrity-seeker or cult airhead. CNN's reportedly planning on using $100,000 sky-cam to swoop over the 75,000 at Obama's acceptance speech Thursday night. That's their version of coverage. For way less money, the Media Consortium and GRITtv believe in getting closer than that.

Who's in Denver? Why? What's the Change Agenda? And what's at stake? It's not just about a candidate. Heck, for many, it's not just even about the Democrats. There are plenty here representing an American conscience that resists the compromise push-pull of electoral politics. And we'll be listening to them too. (The City of Denver will be locking them up in barbed wire pens.) It's not about a candidate – it's about a crisis. And it's not about a cult. Most Americans agree. This country better change, or else.

To kick off our week of coverage, tune in for Live From Main Street Denver. Featuring Van Jones, Jim Hightower, Donna Edwards, Faye Wattleton, David Sirota, Polly Baca, Andre Banks and more. You can watch the stream at 3 pacific, 6 eastern at firedoglake.com.

Before you hear it from the other guys, hear it from us. Why has 2008 turned out Americans in record numbers? It's not about a cult, it's about a crisis: two devastating wars, 250,ooo foreclosures a month, healthcare that's killing us, an environment that's making us sick. We can't afford the nay-sayers. We need to listen to the NOW sayers. And so does Barack Obama. That's what this DNC's about.

Tune in today, and if you miss the live stream, Watch Live From Main Street on GRITtv Monday, 5 pm Pacific /8 Eastern on Dish Network ch. 9415 and online at GRITtv.org. Also on cable. Check your listings. And sign up here to contribute, or be added to our mailing list: GRITtv.org. We need your help.