Elizabeth Crum

Here’s a shot of Duane Lester and me at a New Media training/presentation at the Conservative Leadership Conference here in fabulous Las Vegas this past weekend. 

Duane (one of the many geniuses over at All American Blogger) called me “major league cool” on their blog today so we are now BFFs.

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Days after the cessation of the Conservative Leadership Conference 2008, remembrances float up…

…Seton Motley’s talk on Media Bias and the unFairness Doctrine (sponsored by the Media Research Center)…clip after clip of such biased “reporting” (commentary and emoting) that one is heartily laughing and throughly appalled all at once…

…Chris Matthews (MSNBC), Keith Olbermann (ditto), Brian Williams (NBC), Ann Curry (ditto), John Roberts (CNN), Campbell Brown (ditto), Charlie Gibson (ABC), Terry Moran (ditto) and more…

…the observation that some so-called journalists and major media outlets are now eschewing ratings and “sacrificing the bottom line to ideology”…sacrificing viewers (do they say “good riddance”?) in order to push their increasingly obvious agenda…

…the concept of Bias by Omission (what is not reported that should be)…

…the three upcoming vacancies on the FCC (February) and who will seat them (McCain or Obama) and do the vetting…

…the new “code words” for the Fairness Doctrine that are springing up in activist organizations posing as non-partisan groups:  “localism,” “media democracy,” “media reform,” “universal access”…which you can see in action here…

…the effect the Fairness Doctrine (and other limits on media) would likely have:  the mass migration of conservative talk radio personalities to satellite radio, increased internet podcasting, vlogging (blogging via video clips), and other New Media forums/outlets…

…a comment by a young mother in attendance that Nickolodeon attempts political indoctrination of children via their “kid reporters” (who covered the DNC, but not the RNC)…

E!! is going to be offline thru Sunday while I go have fun in my role as Media Liason for the Conservative Leadership Conference (and also try to catch a few panel discussions) here in fabulous Las Vegas.

I’m looking forward to meeting Michael Brodkorb, the mind behind “Minnesota Democrats Exposed” who has been chosen to receive the conference’s annual Blogger of the Year Award. 

Also will be very happy to finally shake hands with Blue Collar Muse and the Much Younger Trophy Wife I have heard so much about, as well as with Eric Odom.

A few other speakers/attendees I hope to catch a word with (there are too many to name them all): WSJ writer and author John Fund, Paul Seidler of the Nuclear Energy Institute, Steve Miller of NPRI, instructor Michael Tanner of The CATO Institute, Grover Norquist and Sandra Fabry of Americans for Tax Reform, Joel Mowbray, Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth, Roger Hedgecock, Lt. Col. Allen West, Bob Barr, Richard Viguerie, Ward Connerly of the American Civil Rights Institute, Rich Galen of Mullings.com, Chris Simcox of the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps, Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin, NV GOP Chairwoman Sue Lowden, David Keene of the American Conservative Union, and AZ Rep. John Shadegg.   

So…what are you doing on September 18-21, 2008?

If your answer is “nothing, why?” then may I suggest that you attend the 2008 Conservative Leadership Conference at the Tuscany Suites Resort in Las Vegas?  The event is being co-hosted by Citizen Outreach and Americans for Tax Reform.  The Honorary Conference Chairman is Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona.

CLC is a yearly gathering of conservatives and libertarians focused on bridging differences and finding common ground in their mutual desire to limit government – as well as discussing the best political means of achieving that goal.

Your truly (yes, E!!) has been asked to be the Press Liason so I will be hanging around assisting the media (and anyone else in need) all weekend.  I’d love to meet any/all of you so please stop by and say Hello if you can.

Confirmed speakers for CLC ’08 include (to name just a few):

*  Bob Barr, Libertarian Party candidate for President
*  Chuck Baldwin, Constitution Party candidate for President
*  Grover Norquist of Americans for Tax Reform
*  Rich Galen of Mullings.com
*  John Fund of the Wall Street Journal
*  Richard Viguerie, author of “Conservatives Betrayed”
*  Pat Toomey of the Club for Growth
*  Talk-show host Roger Hedgecock
*  David Keene of the American Conservative Union
*  Ward Connerly of the American Civil Rights Institute
*  Paul Jacob of the Sam Adams Alliance
*  Former Congressman and talk-show host J.D. Hayworth
*  Chris Simcox of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps
*  Erick Erickson of RedState.org
*  Matt Sheffield of Newsbusters.org
*  Danny Vargas or the Republican National Hispanic Assembly
*  Michael Tanner of the Cato Institute

Over the course of the weekend there will be an Exhibit Hall featuring a variety of conservative organizations and vendors, various policy panels and workshops, book-signings, “live” radio broadcasts, awards, keynote addresses, luncheons, BBQs, banquets, raffles, etc. 

Saturday night’s gala banquet will be held at the Venetian and will feature the annual “State of the Conservative Union” address by a major conservative figure.  (I know who they’ve invited and if he says Yes, you will Definitely want to be there!)

To find out more and/or register, click HERE or call (202) 558-7162.