Ever wonder what Las Vegas Blvd. is like at 4 in the morning? Of course not. Who gives a shit. But I am going to tell you anyway. Its a very sad scene where all the folks who are very drunk and didnt find bed buddies or just lost all their money to casinos/ strippers are walking about yelling at people on their cell phones. I on the other hand am thinking about the two most important things Ive learnd at the Yearly Kos (Perhaps to distract from my lack of a bed buddie and my empty wallet). They are as follows:
1) Mark Warner throws a good party. This guy rented out the observation deck at the Stratosphere which is the Vegas replica of the Seattle Space Needle. Amazing view, wide variety of free food and drink including a chocolate fountain, and James and Elwood Blues. Regradless of what you think of the guys politics, let me assure you that if elected as president, he will have one hell of an innagaration.
2) Harry Reid is a very good guy. He gave the so long farewell address and it was a very nice speech. It wasnt the pound the pulpit in your face style of Teddy Kennedy nor was it the often times painful droaning of John Kerry. It was a nice, cool, relaxed message about bringing the focus on issues that matter in order to bring the left back into power. I came to find out from one of Reid's aids that part of the reason it was so calm and cool is because the Senator was in three states today and was quite exhausted. Regardless, it was a call to arms that wasnt over the top and fake. He genuinely pressed the issue that the right wants to distract from issues such as social security, the national deficit, and the economy by stoking the falmes of fear so that they can stay in power as long as possible without any regard for the future. It is our job as lefty political types to bring the real issues back into the spotlight. Way to go Harry. Ill make you a deal. Get together with Warners party planner and I will gladly nominate you for King or Arch Duke or whatever you want to be.

The panel I just dropped in on for had a pretty straight message: Dont be affraid to fight somebody. Its well known the right has a bit of a nasty streak and will crack your skull with a Louisville Slugger if you provoke them. This panel, which featured Mr. Kos himself as well as Hunter from the Daily Kos amung others, said fighting isnt unethical and dirty if you dont do it in an unethical and dirty way. Thats not a very revolutionary point but i think somtimes the general respect for humanity that progressive folks have gets in the way of the general meanness of political activism.

In a nut shell you can say Tom DeLay* is a greedy son of a bitch who would probably steal from orphans if given the chance but you can not say Dick Cheney obtains energy by feeding off of the souls of homosexuals and immigrants (at least until we get proof).

* I'm getting as many shots in as I can while people still know who Tom DeLay is.

I just arrived at the Riviera and feel slightly uncomfortable. I live temporarily in Las Vegas and have come to expect greasy fat cats in shirts depicting awful beach fronts, women who's faces barely qualify to be called faces, and the occasional wide eyed child who cant understand why the women in the casino can walk around in their underwear and he cant. Then of course there is the onslaught of family men from Omaha who saw Vegas Vacation and wanted to give it a go.
The Rivera is missing that crew. It is filled with progressive political junkies out to figure out how to win back the ol' U S of A. There are all sorts of panels and speakers who are sure they have the formula and are going to enlighten us. I'm going to go see what it is they know and relay to you. Lets just hope that if they in fact do have the formula for reviving progressive values that just this once what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas.