Linc Chafee Was MIA at Netroots Conference

Oh man wasn’t Netroots Nation AWESOME?  So EPIC!  And what a great job our elected officials did, coming out to meet and greet all those folks in attendance!  Not just at the conference itself, but also at the many fundraisers and after parties and happy hours, going all the way back to Wednesday.

Let me tell you, I sure was star struck.  I ran into Senator Whitehouse on at least five separate occasions.  Mayor Taveras was also making the rounds.  I definitely got to say “hi, neighbor!” to Congressman Cicilline a few times, and I even got face time with Representative Langevin.  So cool!

Even Senator Reed made an appearance.

But where, oh where, was Governor Lincoln Chafee?

Of course, I realize that he is incredibly busy.  With crazy schedules and all kinds of important meetings, I get that.  And maybe the fact that three out of the four politicians mentioned above are up for re-election this year has something to with their attendance.

I mean, come on, Senator Reed doesn’t have to worry about anyone voting for him until 2014.

Then again, neither does Angel Taveras—yet I found myself shaking his hand a few times: at Drinking Liberally’s happy hour on Wednesday night, at the “Welcome to Providence” block party on Friday, and randomly outside the convention center one afternoon.

But hey, that makes sense, right? Even if he’s not up for re-election, he’s the mayor of a city hosting a convention of a couple thousand progressives from all over America who are estimated to drop some $6 million into the local economy.  You gotta get out for that, right?  It’s part of being a good host, and shaking hands with the people is what mayors do.

The mayor of my hometown of Warwick, back when I was growing up, he definitely knew that.  Of course he’s not a mayor anymore, now he’s the Governor….

….of a state that just hosted a convention of a couple thousand progressives from all over the country who are estimated to have dropped some $6 million into our local economy.

I’m sure he was around.

Sorry I missed you, Linc!