Part of our mission at Netroots Nation is to provide opportunities for progressives to exchange ideas and learn how to be more effective in using technology to influence the public debate. We believe that each of you plays a significant role in changing the face of progressive politics.

Through our annual Netroots Nation convention--and starting this month, through a series of regional salons that will be held throughout the year--we aim to strengthen our community, inspire action and serve as an incubator for ideas that challenge the status quo and ultimately affect change in the public sphere.

Those same values are the basis for Markos Moulitsas Zúniga's forthcoming book, "Taking on the System: Rules for Radical Change in a Digital Era."

For our first regional event, to be held next week in San Francisco, we're doing something a little special: We're kicking off the release of Markos' book tour, and we want to give you a chance to be part of the experience. He is doing a very limited book tour, but you can get your signed copy of the book now.

Join our virtual host committee for a donation of $125 to Netroots Nation, and we'll send you a signed copy of "Taking on the System."

Will you help us kick off the release of this important book and support the mission of Netroots Nation?

Join us to celebrate the release of Markos Moulitsas' new book:
Taking on the System: Rules for Radical Change in a Digital Era

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 7–9 P.M.
HOUSE OF SHIELDS
39 NEW MONTGOMERY STREET, SF

Liberal hors d’oeuvres. Stimulating conversation. Progressive camaraderie.

Netroots Nation is a proud sponsor of The Big Tent, the place to be for new media journalists, bloggers, reporters, and non-profit leaders covering the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Located at The Alliance Center just steps away from the Pepsi Center, The Big Tent will will house a work space for journalists and bloggers and a Digg Stage with prominent national leaders, as well as a Google Retreat with a YouTube kiosk where you can make your own YouTube videos.

Are you concerned about our country's addiction to oil? Or about getting universal healthcare passed? This is your chance to express what you think our national policies should be!

One of our goals at Netroots Nation is to take ideas from our community, match them with the right technology, and empower you to act. In Austin, we provided a way for you to contribute to a collaborative Netroots platform. The response was fantastic, but we still need your voice.

We need your help to ensure that all the planks are strong, and that the platform accurately reflects our collective views. Contribute your ideas at netrootsplatform.org.

Netroots Nation was fortunate to have the services of two professional working photographers to document the experience in Austin. Mona T. Brooks (website), a Netroots Nation veteran photographer, is based in San Francisco, CA and Wylie Maercklein (website) is based in Austin, TX. Whether you were rubbing elbows with the likes of Donna Edwards and Howard Dean while sweating it out in the Austin heat, or watching from home you'll want to check out this photo essay with some of the highlights from the convention.

In the coming weeks we'll be posting full videos for all of our keynote and panel sessions in a searchable archive on this site. In the meantime please check out our YouTube Channel for some highlight videos from this year.

To our friends in Texas and our speakers, sponsors, attendees and volunteers, we can't thank you enough for helping make Netroots Nation 2008 a huge success. We're already in planning mode for our next gathering.

On Saturday night, we announced that Netroots Nation 2009 will be held in Pittsburgh, PA, August 13-16. Registration is already open, so reserve your spot now!.

We selected Pittsburgh for a lot of reasons. One of our primary goals in choosing a host city is to provide an opportunity to not only bring together existing local and regional progressive communities, but also help create new ones. And our choice allows us to bring in progressive communities from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and beyond.

Watch Sam Seder interview Gov. Don Siegelman at Netroots Nation streamed live exclusively at Air America.

If you can't make it to Austin for Netroots Nation, that doesn't mean you can't be part of the excitement. You can watch all of the action (or at least all of our keynotes and panels) at netrootsnation.org, courtesy of ustream.tv.

The wonderful crew at 5 Steps Forward Media will film all Friday, Saturday and Sunday sessions happening in Exhibit Hall 4, Ballroom E, Ballroom F, Room 12, Ballroom G, and Room 12. We'll be building and promoting a fully-searchable video archive in the weeks following the convention. Check the online agenda for listings.

More video here.

Exhibit Hall 4

Web TV provided by Ustream

Watch General Wesley Clark, NN Executive Director Gina Cooper and Governor Howard Dean address the attendees at the opening keynote session of Netroots Nation 2008.

Doors open at 7:30pm (Central Time), the program will begin shortly thereafter.

Streaming Video by Ustream.TV