I'm very pleased to let you know that Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak, candidate for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania, will join us at Senate Guru today (Thursday, September 10) at 5pm Eastern Time for a live blog session.  I'm sure he will update us on how his campaign is going, discuss a variety of issues, offer his thoughts in response to the President's address on health care reform, and, of course, field your questions.

I hope you will be able to join us for the first candidate liveblog session of the 2010 cycle at Senate Guru; and, be sure to bring your questions for Congressman Sestak.  (And, if you're really excited for the conversation, support Congressman Sestak with a contribution via the Expand the Map! ActBlue page.)

In the meantime, enjoy reading Congressman Sestak's diary from earlier this week at Daily Kos - here's an excerpt:

This week, join me in signing a petition, which calls on our congressional leaders, Republicans and Democrats in the House and the Senate, to hold an up or down roll call vote on the public option.

Right now, 14,000 people are losing their health care coverage every day because our costs are skyrocketing. Meanwhile, too many politicians in Washington, who seem to be ignoring the lessons from Wall Street, would rather leave our health insurance reform up to the insurance companies.  No matter what the final bill looks like, we deserve to know how our Representatives and Senators will vote on a public option - up or down!

On the web:
Joe Sestak for Senate
Senate Guru
Senate Guru Facebook Group
Senate Guru's Expand the Map! ActBlue Page

There's more...

Brandon Friedman of VoteVets introduced Wes Clark. You could tell he was very moved by the experience and needless to say when Wes Clark came on stage he got a standing ovation. He thanked us for standing up for him over the John McCain flap, which struck me as funny. I thought he was the one to be thanked. He said:

You'll never get the country to believe Democrats can defend our country until Democrats start standing up to defend other Democrats.

The place went nuts. Jonathan and I bonded over having voted for Clark in 04.

Clark is really about giving praise tonight. He had public servants in the room, from candidates to teachers to health care workers to veterans, stand up and get applause. His reasoning: what it means to be a Democrat:

We're people who believe in public service in general.

He ended by talking about how important bloggers are and thanking us for our passion and our fearlessness in spreading much needed information and ideas.

Update [2008-7-17 21:42:19 by Todd Beeton]:Gina Cooper, Netroots Nation organizer extraordinaire, just spoke about how much progress we have made since 2004.

The event is streaming live on UStream below.

Update [2008-7-17 22:22:45 by Todd Beeton]:Howard Dean just took the stage. "I went to Crawford, Texas today and you know what they want change too...Crawford, Texas is going to become a retirement community." People in the crowd shouted "build a prison."

"American small towns are under siege by Republican economic policies. We can do better and we will do better when Barack Obama is president."

"If it wasn't for the netroots nation, we would not have a Democratic majority in the House, you picked those folks and I thank you for that."

"When Barack Obama is president of the United States, he will be president of all 50 states, not just those that voted for him, he will be president of all Americans, not just those that agree with them." Dean launched his national 50 state registration tour today, first in Crawford and now in Austin. Next he's heading to Louisiana and Mississippi. "We can win everywhere and that's why we're doing this."

"I want to thank Barack Obama. He has embraced the 50 state strategy...Barack Obama has done everything that we pioneered and multiplied it by 10...I want to thank both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for an extraordinary primary campaign. More people voted for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton in this year's primary than voted for all the Democratic candidates in 2000 and 2004..Texas is back...Texas is turning blue."

"We are not a group of individuals who hoard voter lists and use them for ourselves, but we are a united team working together to win for all Democrats."

"We're going to change this country by giving everybody a chance to say what's on their mind because we know the corporate media isn't going to say what needs to be said."

"The real change we're going to see is the healing of America and the regaining the moral authority we had since WWI...You can't have moral authority if you stoop to the level of those that attacked us. You can not have torture and you can not have Guantanamo Bay."

"We reach out to evangelical Christians because their top 3 issues are poverty, global warming and Darfur. That sounds like the Democratic Party platform. There is common ground."

"In 2004, our campaign didn't get as far as it did because of the war in Iraq, but because of our message of empowerment...The reason our campaign got as far as it did was because of you...The netroots generation simply goes online to find an affinity group and if there isn't one, you create it...This is up to you. We are passing the torch...This is about passing the torch to a new generation...that's the netroots generation...I thank you for what you have done and I thank you for what you are about to do. It's an extraordinary responsibility but I know you're up for it."

He is the man.

There's more...

Through the high school radio station I work at,  I managed to secure a press pass at the Obama rally at Joe Louis Arena tonight. I'll give you guys periodic updates throughout the night. The turnout is amazing - people are lined up around the stadium. It should be a great rally.

UPDATE: There is a rumour that Al Gore will officially back Obama tonight. We'll see. UPDATE 2: It's been confirmed. Al Gore will endorse tonight. UPDATE 3: I just met Richard Wolffe. Very cool. The event should begin sometimes soon. There were some tech issues with the very first speaker. The song choices have been interesting. Matchbox 20, Foo Fighters, etc.

There's more...

[Republished from 2008Central.net.  This liveblog on MyDD will be updated periodically.  For the latest, view active liveblog at 2008Central.net]

Tonight, ABC News will be hosting a debate in Pennslvania between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.  We'll be liveblogging the debate, as usual, so stay tuned...

8:00: Introductory statements. Obama talks about hope, Clinton talks about the founding fathers and concern. Also that government is not standing up for people across America; almost that they're bitter or something. Also plugs detailed plans on her website.

And ... a commercial break already? Umm, ok.

8:08: Gibson talks about each of them appealing to different constituencies. Asks about the Cuomo plan to take the other as the Vice President and the other should agree. Obama demurs first, and says that the party will come together by the convention. Gibson is not happy with that answer, and presses Clinton, who says that she will do everything possible to make sure one of them is elected. What a silly question. I’m not sure if it’s good or bad that they got the stupid question out of the way early.

8:12: Obama is asked about the bitter/cling comments. Obama says it’s not the first time or last he “mangled up what he meant.” He’s talking in a really apologetic tone. Says promises have been broken, and wedge issues take precedence over real issues that can be fixed. Doesn’t really talk about the anti-trade or immigrant comments.

8:15: Clinton talks about her grandfather from Pennsylvania. Says she does not agree that people cling to religion when Washington is ignoring them, and says the same about guns. But she agrees that people are frustrated with the government. Talks about understanding and listening to one another.

8:16: Stephanopolous asks if Obama can beat McCain. Clinton says it’s important to win, and will be either her or Obama. Talks up McCain as a formidable opponent. Says it is important to go after every single vote. On a follow up, Clinton says Obama can win directly, but she is better prepared with a better coalition.

There's more...

[Re-published from 2008Central.net. This liveblog on MyDD will be updated periodically. For the latest please visit the active liveblog at 2008Central.net]

7:00 PM: Greetings! The debate kicks off an hour from now, live on CNN and CNN.com. It's being broadcast from the LBJ Presidential Library at the University of Texas. Clinton will continue her assault on Obama being all speeches and no solutions. Obama will probably respond not with attacks but by continuing to play calm and emphasize his own plans.

Campbell Brown is the moderator; somewhere, Katie Couric is sad. She couldn't get to moderate a debate but her stand in when she was at the Today Show does.

7:06: CNN photos from the debate. The Texas marching band is going to be in the room? Great, that's exactly what's needed to finally get the CNN debate over that pesky shark they've been trying to jump.

7:20: I'm choosing the pre-debate feed with no audio over the CNN coverage of John McCain having a friend. The band is playing, and people sitting directly in front of it have a look on their face that ranks a solid 9.8 on the ironic scale.

7:27: A very old man with a long beard and a top hat just walked by me. I'm assuming that's an omen for what is going to happen tonight. Either that, or it's an omen that the school forgot to lock the doors at 6 pm.

7:30: A reminder of what is on the line: Someone might have their head added to this.

7:35: Johnson would be 100 years old this year. I'm not sure what to make out of that.  He did teach high school debate at one point though. I hope is was not policy, because he talks way too slowly for that. (kidding!)

7:40: Texas Democrats are parading after each other on stage. I fear they're going to run out of them before the debate begins.

7:54: Goodness, the set is awkward. It's sort of a half S. Apparently Wolf roaming free last time was unacceptable; Brown will be seated.

8:00: And away we go. Campbell Brown looks happy to be there. Jorge Ramos from Univision and John King from CNN emerge to no applause … until they are forced to applaud.

8:02: Clinton is introduced first, and then Obama. No noticeable difference in applause levels. The pack of photographers does their job while a handler demand they back up. Meanwhile, 5 feet away they discuss what candidates need to do. That just sounds awkward. Meanwhile, Ramos talks about how no one can win without the Hispanic community. Brown points out that Clinton wants more debates.

8:05: Brown announces the candidates have sat down. Gee, thanks.

8:06: NO RULES!

8:07: Clinton gives an opening statement about working in Texas 36 years ago. She name drops Barbara Jordan and Ann Richards. Talks up starting S-CHIP, and what she did to give health care to reservists. Says that discrimination against sick people ought be unconstitutional, and that veteran care needs to be improved. Finishes by talking about her “lifetime of experience.” And apparently her campaign is now “your campaign.”

8:09: Obama again references being friends with Clinton. Talks about the economy, using a personal example. Make that multiple personal examples - this is a new wrinkle. Segues into a discussion of Iraq. Talks about how they both have offered proposals to deal with the issues, but good ideas are not the problem. Says good ideas go to Washington to die. That’s a pretty good tag line. He blames lobbyists. Obama co-ops Barbara Jordan, but quotes her to one up Clinton.

8:12: This audience is going to kill me with applause. There’s lengthy applause after every answer.

8:13: Tancredo turns off the debate when Ramos starts the debate in Spanish. Will Clinton sit with Raul Castro to get a measure of him? She “hopes so”. What does that mean? She says she is going to look for signs of openness, and will reach out once she sees progress, citing democracy and progress. When pressed, she clarifies no, until change happens. Apparently, she’s looking for change she can believe in.

8:16: Obama says that he’s willing to meet with Raul Castro, and sees an opportunity to change. Distinguishes preparation from precondition, but it sounds really, really similar. Like, really similar. He cites freeing political prisoners. Talks about opening change here with remittances and visiting.

8:18: Obama is asked about a statement about policy being a failure. He says it has been a failure, with no progress over his lifetime, and that changes should happen in steps.

8:19: Clinton says she agrees that willing to negotiate is good, but distinguishes presidential negotiations from low level negotiations.

[Continued at 2008Central.net]

There's more...