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Yes

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Anyone in a democracy who wants to report the news of its democratically elected government should be given the chance to do so.

The idea that only an elite, professional press should be able to cover Congress (and the rest of the federal government, as well as state and local governments) is un-American. It's a concept totally foreign to the First Amendment - and I say that as someone who is part of the elite, professional and credentialed press in Washington. (I'm the editor of National Journal's Technology Daily and the author of two blogs, AirCongress and Beltway Blogroll.)

Not every blogger or citizen journalist will be able to get credentials because space is limited. But space limitations, rather than arbitrary standards that reject a journalist because he is a citizen, should be the primary reason for denying credentials. The goal should be to making the credentialing process open to as many people as possible, not looking for excuses to selectively close it off.

I have a category of writings dedicated to blog credentials at Beltway Blogroll. If you would like background on controversies that have erupted, in addition to more of my own thoughts on the subject, go here: http://beltwayblogroll.nationa ljournal.com/archives/blog_cre dentials/

Learn more about this author, Danny Glover.
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