A Job Well Done!
by Richmond K. Turner
Those who participated in it probably don't feel comfortable singing their own praises, but I'm happy to take that task on for them. I had to skip the "Blog Jam" on the Post-Gazette's website last night, and indeed missed about the first 35 minutes or so of the Vice-Presidential debate. My excuse -- perhaps the geekiest excuse in recorded human history -- is that I had choir rehearsal here in Philadelphia until 9:30, and I wouldn't make it home to be in front of my computer until well after 10:00.
But upon arriving home, the first thing I did was get onto the P-G's Early Returns blog to see what the Burghosphere was doing to one of America's great newspapers. That's where all of my other Burgh Report colleagues, plus Maria and David from 2 Political Junkies were all joined together -- with the P-G's Tim McNulty providing adult supervision and insightful posts of his own -- to live blog last night's debate.
It was all just so very well done. At many points, hitting the refresh key was actually better than listening to the debate itself. With so many authors, the blog was almost never unchanged from one reading to the next. New posts were flying onto the web at a furious pace, and I was in awe with how quickly the writers were able to spin somewhat lengthy posts on events that had transpired just seconds before.
Even before the debate had come to a close, it seemed as though a clear consensus had already emerged among the authors, well in advance of the (largely similar) conclusions that would be eventually be broadcast by television and radio commentators. Biden did better than Palin, but Palin still did pretty well. More to the point, she didn't commit any enormous gaffes that will be remembered for years to come. Although "I'll betcha" that some of her folksy little phrases will be featured quite prominently on Saturday Night Live this week.
So I salute everyone who took part in last night's first ever Post-Gazette Blog Jam. I think you all did yourselves, and your blogs, quite proud indeed. As we say in the Navy, Bravo Zulu!
