Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Blogjammin' the Vice Presidential Debate

Yes yes y'all, the Pittsburgh Comet will be taking part in the Post-Gazette's multiple bloggers blogging at the same time extravaganza tomorrow evening, hosted at Early Returns.

Now as you watch Joe Biden and Sarah Palin go at it on CNN -- which is electing to broadcast debates via a split screen with six pundit "scorecards" framing both sides and a focus-group reaction graph scrolling along the lower third of the screen -- you can glance down at your computer to see what us brilliant yinzers are saying about it. Who needs to think for themselves?

This is the vice presidential debate after all -- so you know neither candidate will be allowed to do so. Both of them, because of their respective foibles, will be kept on shorter leashes than a pit bull in an intensive care unit, though either one is liable to break those chains like King Kong at a banana factory. I'm Dan Rather.

We're not clear how this will work, actually. We know we're supposed to type info-taining data into our keyboard an hit the Enter key. We do know we have been asked to write a short bio to describe ourselves to the P-G audience. You can vote if you'd like.

Bram Reichbaum blogs about local politics and policy on The Pittsburgh Comet, and he is also a regular contributor on the Burgh Report. According to the city's Director of Information Systems, blogs are "untrusted web sites" that can transmit viruses which can "knock out the whole city." That is an apt description of what Bram tries to do on a daily basis.

Bram Reichbaum blogs about local politics and policy on The Pittsburgh Comet, and he is also a regular contributor on the Burgh Report. He embraces -- when he should resist -- fragmentation of media and perspective, of philosophy and ideology, that allows us to consume only news and opinion that we like, and to ignore or dismiss any we do not, so that we perceive reality only as it fits our long-held beliefs.

Bram Reichbaum is a whore who will provide free written or audiovisual content to any outlet in exchange for the merest whiff of greater exposure. However, as whores go, you've had far worse.

You can sample previous Pittsburgh Comet liveblogging exercises here, here, here, here, and here. And just for good measure, let's say here.

We are confident that the P-G's innovative format will make all previous liveblogging expeditions Palin comparison. We are Biden our time in eager anticipation. Remember to stop by and get an Ifill of what Blogjammin' looks like.

2 comments:

  1. Women for Obama just received news THAT CNN is doing a live feed the entire evening from their VP Debate Watch Party!

    Everyone's invited - please remember to rsvp, see below.

    Date:tonight, Thursday, October 2,
    Where: Schenley Park Ice Rink Meeting Venue
    Time: 8:00 p.m.
    Cost: Free - Men & kids are welcome too.
    RSVP: pgh.wfo@gmail.com

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  2. So, this ins't an 'in-person drinking game?' Jeepers -- get me an invite so I can bracket and dive to the middle.

    Where were you all at last weeks' Pres debate? I did live blogging with Twitter. Crazy good.

    http://election.twitter.com

    - -
    Wonder if there is 'wifi' at Schenley or not? Doubt it.

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