Robert Harding

Name:	Robert Harding
Location:	Medina, NY
Where I blog:	The Albany Project

My Experience in progressive politics:

I have been blogging since the fall of 2006 when I joined a libertarian blog as the only liberal blogger. It was in the fall of 2007 that I joined The Albany Project and became a front page blogger with that blog.

I recently attended DFA training in Rochester, NY to better myself as an activist and in assisting campaigns. I have volunteered for the Jack Davis for Congress campaign in 2006, the Orleans County Democrats in 2007 and will assist the Jon Powers for Congress campaign in 2008. I'm also in the process of organizing my county for Barack Obama and will be assisting (via blogging) a number of state senate races here in New York.

Recently, I had the chance to cover Howard Dean's appearance in Rochester, NY before the Monroe County Democratic Committee.

My personal volunteering highlight:

When I volunteered for my local party in 2007, I hosted a radio show on BlogTalkRadio and had all three of our Democratic candidates for Legislature on the show, along with a few other Democratic candidates. I also had my personal blog on WNYMedia.net and later Progressivecitystate.com where I profiled the three candidates, took pictures for them, blogged about their campaigns and gave them Internet promotion never seen in a local campaign before. We are a very rural county, so using the Internet as a campaign tool didn't become prominent (at least on the Democratic side) until 2007.

Steps I've taken to combine on-line and off-line action:

I believe the Internet is A tool, not THE tool. One of the ways I combine online and offline action is promoting an event or recapping an event that a candidate will attend or has attended. I have done this several times. Not only do you help draw people to the event, but you also give those who could not attend an idea of what happened and what they missed so they can stay updated on the goings-on within the campaign.

Why I want to attend Netroots Nation:

I have loved blogging since I started prior to the 2006 midterm elections. When I learned about YearlyKos last year, it was too late. I did take part in the festivities via Second Life, but ever since last year I have wanted to go. Blogging is my favorite hobby and is something I have excelled at. I have been wanting to go to Austin since I found out about this year's Netroots Nation.

What I want to get out of Netroots Nation:

I hope to meet bloggers just like me from all over the country. That's what it really is all about. Creating a network so you can get some new ideas about writing and learn about different areas of the country and what their political concerns and focuses are. I also am looking forward to the panel discussions, which are very insightful.

What is a progressive activist:

A progressive activist is someone who is passionate about the progressive movement and fights to ensure that progressive ideals and progressive candidates are pushed to the forefront of our political discourse. Whether that's by blogging, organizing, canvassing or running for political office, an activist should fight for our ideas and stand by what we believe in.

How I think blogs fit into the progressive movement:

Blogs play a key role in the communications part of the progressive movement. It gives activists a way to get their message across to a large audience at a low cost. Bloggers tend to be activists themselves and from my experiences, tend to be fierce in their passion for the progressive movement and what it stands for. At the national level, blogs played a key role beginning in 2004. Now, we are seeing blogs become important players in state and local politics.

How I think Democracy For America fits into the progressive movement:

DFA is all parts of the progressive movement wrapped into one. One of the key principles with the progressive movement is, in my view, grassroots politics. Building a campaign from the ground up, utilizing the Internet (blogs) and using people-powered politics to win and further the progressive movement. Democracy For America epitomizes all these things. They are at the forefront of the progressive movement.

In 10 words or less, create a bumper-sticker slogan against John McCain:

I Do Not Want Another Bush Presidency. Do you?