Republicans on the Defense

Not to be outdone by progressives, conservatives have their own Austin-based blogger convention. The RightOnline Summit, organized as part of the Defending the American Dream Summit at the Renaissance Austin Hotel, will run against the middle two days of Netroots Nation on July 18-19. According to www.rightonline.com, the event will give conservatives the tools to counter the left's "superior online political infrastructure." Announced guests include syndicated columnist and "Plamegate" star Robert Novak (nicknamed the Prince of Darkness by his friends), Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist, and actual blogger Michelle Malkin, most recently in the news for accusing Dunkin' Donuts spokesperson Rachel Ray of "Jihadi chic" because of her scarf. The event has been organized by the anti-tax, anti-regulation Americans for Prosperity Foundation. While it claims it is nonpartisan, AFPF was founded by conservative sugar daddy David Koch, and shares a Washington office with the anti-feminist Independent Women's Forum.