FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 11, 2008--Netroots Nation organizers announced today that Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-MD) confirmed her participation in the third annual event, to be held at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, TX. The first African-American woman to represent Maryland in Congress will address convention attendees at a Saturday evening keynote at 8 p.m.

With strong Netroots support, the lawyer and longtime community activist defeated 15-year incumbent Albert Wynn in the 2008 Democratic primary, and, following his resignation, won a special election to fill the remainder of his term. Edwards has led the way in pushing progressive values on issues like net neutrality and the Iraq war, condemning it before it even started.

“The Netroots community was instrumental in spreading my message of change and bringing new leadership to Congress from Maryland’s 4th Congressional District to activists across the country, helping galvanize progressives everywhere,” Edwards said. “I look forward to coming together with friends at Netroots Nation as we continue to work on a range of key issues such as protecting our environment, addressing our nation’s energy crisis, providing quality, affordable healthcare coverage to all, and bringing a responsible, immediate end to the war in Iraq.”

The keynote begins at 8 p.m. and is open to the media.

Netroots Nation 2008 will feature panels led by national and international experts, including keynotes with Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Howard Dean, Lawrence Lessig, Van Jones Harld Ford Jr. and Markos Moulitsas; identity, issue and regional caucuses; prominent political, issue and policy-oriented speakers; and the most concentrated gathering of progressive bloggers to date.

Other confirmed speakers include: Rep. Brad Miller, State Rep. Rick Noriega, Calif. Secretary of State Debra Bowen, Paul Krugman, Rick Perlstein, Darcy Burner, James Rucker, John Dean, Andrea Batista Schlesinger and many more.

Netroots Nation rebranded in August of 2007 in an effort to more accurately reflect the makeup of its audience and mission of implementing programs that teach and empower Netroots communities to affect change in the public sphere. The 2007 gathering last August included a Presidential Leadership Forum that drew seven of the eight Democratic candidates.

For more information about Netroots Nation or to request credentials, please visit www.netrootsnation.org/press.

ABOUT NETROOTS NATION
Netroots Nation amplifies progressive voices by providing an online and in-person campus for exchanging ideas and learning how to be more effective in using technology to influence the public debate. Within that campus, we strengthen community, inspire action and serve as an incubator for progressive ideas that challenge the status quo and ultimately affect change in the public sphere.

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 NN 2008, Speakers