Steve Gilliard was kind enough to sit down at the Campus Progress progress blog and write a message to everyone:

First, let me thank Campus Progress.org for bringing me to DC for a couple of days. It was a pleasure to do their panel and talk to a bunch of bright, energetic college students. I, otoh, was drinking with frat brothers and the school newspaper when I was in school.

This is the kind of thing progressives and liberals have needed to do for years, not just the actual meetings, but the networking and connections which have eluded us in the past. Not so long ago, politics on the left was defined by how big your faction was and how radical you were. Effectiveness was another issue entirely, mainly because it didn't exist.

Speaking to the audience of my panel, I was happy to see the kids there, whom seemed committed and attentive to what was said, and more important, was looking for guidance and support from their "elders". Something which is important to give.

The problem in the past is that there has been no way to help people, and no institution to help them through. Hopefully, this will be the start of building something larger.