Benny and the Geeks

During my winter break last week, I went on a whirlwind trip to Iowa. I was one of 10 bloggers who was invited (or confirmed) to a "Blogger Sit-Down" with Presidential candidate John R. Edwards before the Town Hall meeting in Des Moines.

I had read the night before that Robert Scoble was going to be on the first legs of the announcement tour with Edwards. So, when he and others, such as Matt Gross, the Edwards campaign Online communications director appeared in the room where we were supposed to wait, I was thrilled to meet them. Little did I know a Lockernome, Jake Ludington, would be in attendance.
The 1st pic is of Jake Ludington in the background filming the "sit-down" with JRE, who is answering a question about his chances against a home pol, Gov. Tom Vilsack.


In this 2nd shot, Robert is the "Ken Doll" that Maryamie referred to last week on her myspace blog. I told Robert he was one of my tech heros, mainly because of his book, Naked Conversations, which happens to be in the Business and Economics Library where I work. The book is about business blogs and their importance..if they are set up in the way that customers and potential customers can truly get information from companies about their products and services, with a social angle to them. Why social and not just business speak? Because blogs are linked and are like conversations. I would argue though Scoble's not plastic; definitely down to earth.


Another Geek: John Edwards. Yes, he announced his candidacy on YT. He told a group of bloggers in a conference call before the YT posting what his campaign themes would be before officially announcing the next morning in NOLA. I know: I heard about it myself.


No, Edwards doesn't type his own blogs, but in Scoble's interview posted in the past 24 hours, Edwards says has someone typing his words verbatim when doing a live blog on Kos or JRE08. But look at this pic on the right, as he is answering my question about Russia engaging the Iranians about nuclear weapons: his shoes aren't brand new.



As someone at the JRE08 blog blurted about this pic of JRE:

Notice the soles of his shoes, proof of in touch with reality in my book. This man walks the walk.

A geek, an expert on political communications that I mentioned earlier, was Matt Gross, who was in the press section next to me, and patiently awaiting providing JRE with a question from a blogger who is watching the TH event via a live stream. I snapped a quick one of him. My view: it was not a town hall; it was a event of 1500-2500 political concert goers as the lights were bright, amplified, and great lead-in and denouement music, which included Mellencamp's "Our Country".


Other Geeks: NCDem Amy, who was one of the CJ's traveling with JRE in NOLA and Iowa. She's great. I've been blogging with her for 3 years, and it was our first time to meet. Hope it's not our last.

For a total roundup of the Announcement tour by Philgoblue, go here.






To borrow/substitute words from Sir Elton John and to imagine his music of "Bennie and the Jets", 1973 hit:

"Oh, they're weird and they're wonderful,
Oh, and Benny, she's really keen
On John Reid Edwards, and his walking shoes
You would have not read this in a magazine
Oh-Oh...Benny and the Geeks.

Benny..bennae..and the Geeks... "

Sigh..I'm a geek girl wannabe...but I'm happy to be in the company of the true geeks and bloggers.

Update: The Scobleizer has posted all of his videos on John Edwards08 blog. Here's the one with the Iowa bloggers (and I'm one of the interviewees) from the Scoble Show.

Matt Gross will be profiled into tomorrow's News-Record. Click the link for a peak.


Onward...