DCDL

The fruits of a couple of visits by Politico people to DC Drinking Liberally have been published in a story marking the fifth anniversary of Drinking Liberally. I’m told that the print version has a shot of the top of my head. I can hardly wait to pick up a copy!

We are pleased to present Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Eric Lichtblau, author of Bush’s Law. Eric Lichtblau is best known for his NYT articles written with James Risen revealing that the Bush administration had been conducting electronic surveillance without a warrant.

We are proudly putting on this event with Fire Dog Lake Book Salon sponsored with our friends at The Seminal.

Here’s the basics:

• What: FDL Book Salon Live with Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist Eric
  Lichtblau, author of Bush’s Law.Sponsored by FDL, DCDL, and The Seminal.
  Books supplied by Olsson’s Books.
• When: Tuesday, May 13. Happy Hour: 6:30-7:30. Talk, Q&A: 7:30-8:15.
  Book Signing: 8:15-9. Drink Special: $1 off all drinks. Free
  appetizers provided.
• Where: Timberlake’s, 1726 Connecticut Ave NW (Dupont Circle Metro).

The facebook invitation is here.

And, for those interested in the DemocracyNow! interview with Eric Lichtblau about Bush’s Law, you can find that here.

Join DC Drinking Liberally and our friends from DC for Democracy and the Seminal as we gather to watch returns from the latest episode in the Democratic contest: the Pennsylvania primary on Tuesday, April 22. We’ll be welcoming some DC4D members who’ll have just come back from days of volunteering for Obama in Pennsylvania, so you can hear their impressions as the numbers come in.

The event will be at what’s become our traditional TV-watching spot: upstairs at 17th Street Cafe (1513 17th St NW, between P and Q, a few blocks east of Dupont Circle). The polls close at 8pm, so some of us will be there by 7:30, and we’ll be hanging out as long as things remain interesting and the restaurant is still open.

On Thursday, March 20, come out and discuss the role of independent media as we host Beth McConnell, executive director of the Media and Democracy Coalition as our speaker at our regular Thursday meet-up.

Date: Thursday, March 19
Location: Timberlake’s, 1726 Connecticut Ave NW (Dupont Circle Metro)

6:30-7:30 Happy Hour
7:30-8:15 Talk Q&A
8:15-9:00 People hang out, etc.

Happy Hour discounts ($1 off all drinks) until 9. Appetizers will be provided.

More on Beth McConnell here.

It’s political March Madness!

If, like us, you find the Democratic primaries to be like Christmas, New Year’s, and the Oscars all rolled into one, we have a primary watch party for you:

When: Tuesday, March 4, 6:30pm-10:30pm
Where: 17th St. Cafe, 1513 17th St NW
Washington, DC 20036
(202) 234-2470
Metro: Dupont Circle
Who: DCDL, The Seminal, and DC for Democracy.

Facebook invitation here.

So, who’s hosting a debate party tonight? Inquiring minds want to know.

Meanwhile, I’ve been checking out this NYT article. Some interesting stuff:

“There’s a general rule in politics: A legitimate distinction which could be effective when drawn early in the campaign often backfires and could seem desperate when it happens in the final hours of a campaign,” said Steve McMahon, a Democratic strategist working for neither candidate.

Timing is everything, as they say. My favorite line of the article, though, comes in the introduction: (emphasis mine)

After struggling for months to dent Senator Barack Obama’s candidacy, the campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton is now unleashing what one Clinton aide called a “kitchen sink” fusillade against Mr. Obama, pursuing five lines of attack since Saturday in hopes of stopping his political momentum.

Here’s the schedule: MSNBC, 9-10:30.

Here’s the Fast Facts on the debate from Mahalo:

1. When: February 26, 2008
2. Where: Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio
3. Sponsors: NBC
4. Participants: Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama
5. Moderators: Brian Williams and Tim Russert
6. A limited number of tickets will be made available to students and the public
7. Ohio Primary: March 4, 2008
8. The Hillary Clinton Campaign almost withdrew from the debate after some disrespectful comments about Chelsea Clinton were made on MSNBC

Join us February 21, 6:30 to 9, in the back room of Timberlake’s (1726 Connecticut Ave NW, north of Dupont Circle) for our February guest speaker, Bernie Horn.

Bernie Horn will be discussing and signing copies of his book “Framing the Future: How Progressive Values Can Win Elections and Influence People.” The Daily Kos writes: “Politics,” says Bernie Horn, “is too important to be left to the professionals in Washington.” It’s hard not to love a book that so directly appeals to progressive dedication to participatory democracy — and provides a sterling set of guidelines on how to make our ideals prevail.

Copies of “Framing the Future: How Progressive Values Can Win Elections and Influence People” will be available for sale at the event.

More on Bernie Horn:

Bernie Horn has worked on politics and public policy for the past 30 years as a campaign manager, political consultant, lawyer, lobbyist, communications director, and policy director. He is currently Senior Director for Policy and Communications at the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA), one of the premier progressive policy and leadership centers in Washington, D.C. His most recent books for CPA are the Progressive Agenda for the States (which lays out 50 policy solutions for state legislators), Progressive Platform for the States (a candidate briefing book covering 115 state issues), and Progressive Policy Models for the States (containing 123 model bills).
(more…)

Atrios is, of course, kidding when he says the primary race will all boil down to what happens in Pennsylvania. He is kidding, isn’t he?

At any rate the point of immediate attention is our own fair city and environs: (CNN)

With Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton almost even in delegate counts, the two Democratic presidential candidates will focus on several weekend contests and then a trio of primaries in the Washington area next Tuesday.

So, whose turn is it to throw a party?

SOTU 2008: The End of an Error. Toast the final Bush State of the Union speech with DC Drinking Liberally and TheSeminal.com, Monday, January 28, 8-10pm at the 17th St Cafe, 1513 17th St NW (Dupont Circle Metro). RSVP to seminal@theseminal.com (or the Facebook event).

Join us January 24, 6:30 to 9, in the back room of Timberlake’s (1726 Connecticut Ave NW, north of Dupont Circle) for our first guest speaker of the year, Spencer Ackerman:

Spencer Ackerman is transitioning from his role as Reporter/Blogger for TPMmuckraker.com, to his new position as Senior Reporter for the Washington Independent (set to launch Jan 28). Additionally, he’s a senior correspondent for The American Prospect and national security correspondent for the Washington Monthly. His writing has appeared in Slate, Salon, Men’s Journal, the Atlantic Monthly, The Nation, New York Press and The New Republic. In 1996, the New York Daily News included him in a profile on punk-rock fashion in city high schools, which began Ackerman’s long career of embarrassing himself in public. He was named as a potential witness in the Scooter Libby trial and is still bitter about not being called to testify.

BloggingHeads.com will soon feature the second annual cooking/blogging competition between himself and the Atlantic’s Megan McArdle.