And now a word for our sponsors; or, how I gained access to the Libby trial

I think some people have been wondering how I actually managed to get into the Libby trial media room.  That is, there's a sort of implicit belief, I think, that the trial of a major American politician would be inaccessible in some way, or at least that a place among The Media would be difficult to get; and this belief is justified by the fact that it usually is.

So, to begin with, it must be said that some of the Big People in the blogosphere went through a certain amount of effort to ensure that they themselves had access to the trial.  It happens that this is one of the first high-profile cases to get total coverage by self-publishing Internet media (ie, blogs).  I don't know exactly what they went through to get access, but they are definitely to be appreciated for the effort.\

Even so, the blogular aristocracy is the blogular aristocracy, and you may rightly still wonder how it was I managed to get in myself, considering that I didn't go through the process they went through.  That is a tale of social engineering designed and implemented on-the-fly on Feb 6, when I liveblogged the Libby grand jury tapes. 

I arrived in the morning, passed the Prettyman courthouse security (similar to airport security, actually), and the first thing in front of me was the sign pointing to the "media room" for the Libby trial.  That looked promising, so I went in there.  In the foyer of the media room, there was a "bouncer" lady whose purpose it was to check authorization for the media room.  I didn't know her role at the time, so I asked her if I could watch the Libby trial from here.  She told me that I could watch it from the actual courtroom on the 6th floor.  I went dutifully upstairs, found the courtroom, and before I went in, I asked the guard if I could use my laptop inside.  The guard told me to go downstairs to the media room to use my laptop.

I went back downstairs and told the bouncer lady that I had been told to come back down there because they wouldn't let me use my laptop upstairs.  The bouncer lady asked me if I had a press pass.  I told her that I didn't.  So she told me I couldn't use the room.  I asked her if there were a way to obtain a press pass.  She told me that the deadline to apply had passed weeks ago.  Then I used the most powerful tool of social engineering: the Sad Puppy Eyes Look.  The bouncer's heart apparently melted, and she told me to go upstairs and talk to another person in the courtroom.  I found this person during the first break (so I missed the first motion that morning), and she personally escorted me back to the media room, let me in, and found me a place.  She even called the tech to optimize the sound for me. 

Then she told me that if I wanted to come back, I was welcome to do so, but I had to email her first.  There is a good reason for the press passes: space.   So she had to check if there would be space.  For yesterday's Libby liveblogging, I had emailed her a few days in advance to tell her that I would be coming.  And apparently she told the bouncer lady, and I was let into the room without a hassle.  Later I left the court in the evening with the Firedoglake folk, and we took the opportunity to thank her.  Unfortunately, taking her to dinner would have been subverting a servant of the court or something like that.

So in this case, I have to thank the court officials for being so open to even a Little Person in the blogosphere like me.  In my opinion, that's a sterling example of the impartiality claimed by the justice system, and they clearly have a sense of proportion and were willing to treat dilettantes like me on the same level or better than the pros.  A lot of good work is done via the courts, which is essential in a representative system like ours, and it is my belief that while I appreciate the efforts of the big league bloggers, it's essential to democracy for dilettantes to have a place too.  If I may say so myself.

I'd also like to appreciate the pro bloggers.  They could have been resentful that I circumvented the process via social engineering, but they (meaning the FDL and HuffPo people who were the only people I had any contact with in this) were gracious when I met them.  I'm sure that they too recognize that us mildly motivated dabblers have a place as well.  Anyway, it was an interesting experience and one I may be tempted to repeat if the correct combination of circumstances presents itself.  (ie, time off work and an interesting political spectacle).

Comments

[skdadl]

Mandos!

*grin* I've just been dying for a chance to do that. ;-)

It was so cool that you did this -- I read you all the way through yesterday, and your summaries (which I know are hard to do when you're trying to keep up with new data incoming) were a very helpful guide through Marcy's data.

Thanks for the inside view. It's sort of inspirin', y'know? The democracy side of it.

[legaleze]

Ditto skdadl's comment. Many thanks and very cool.

[legaleze]

BTW, I just want to say how amazing the investigation and trial have been. We've learned so much about our national government and press (here in the US). When the Novak story broke, it could have been anyone in the government who leaked Plame's name. It could have been anyone or no one . . . . I mean who is to say what Novak might write based on what dubious source. As it turns out his source was Rove, who is pretty high up in the Bush Administration. And of course, Scooter is Cheney's right hand, as Cheney is Bush's right hand. OR is it the other way around? In any event, Fitz has taken us all the way to the White House. It is Watergate all over again with one exception. The youngish reporter who was lucky and ambitious enough to get at the truth is now working to stifle the truth, just as much of the rest of the MSM is complacent or worse, complicit! We have come a long way baby. But the job isn't over yet. Much work remains. Cheney and then Bush. Impeach Cheney!

[Mandos]

Oh, indeed, about the learning part. The grand jury tapes were an amazing glimpse into the more surreal parts of the Tiny Universe.