Here’s a positive development: The National Journal is putting more focus on the role lobbying and advocacy with its newly launched (and completely accessible) Under the Influence blog. (It looks like if they link to their own articles that you will need a subscription to read them.) In their press release announcing the launch they say that the blog’s mission is to help readers understand how the lobby industry actually works, as well as to cover the people who work to influence the laws and regulations that determine America’s future. Under the Influence will focus on fund raising, association mergers, who’s in and who’s out at Washington lobbying offices, and a discussion on whether an Obama administration would adopt the campaign’s professed disregard for the lobbying community, according to the release.

“Anyone who follows Washington wants to be first to know how a huge and powerful network of actors gets things done in the $3 billion-plus influence industry,” said Bob Gettlin, the blog’s editor. “Advocates, lobbyists, and policy experts serve a critical function in our democracy, educating elected officials on complicated issues.  Yet, the world of lobbying is poorly understood and heavily stereotyped.”

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I’m excited to be in New York today to attend Jeff Jarvis’ Networked Journalism Conference, and I found it fascinating to read the background statements of many of the participants. When we were asked to pick who we most wanted to meet, I simply refused to pick.

But I am interested in having some talk time with Danny Glover from the National Journal and Air Congress. Included in the site are video clips and podcasts from members of Congress themselves, as well as original content that he mostly produces. The site also posts audio and video about what’s going on in Washington from bloggers, MSM journalists, trade associations, watchdog groups and even the executive branch. Sounds like a natural partner for Sunlight.

Glover has a good nose — for pork and for hypocrisy. And he’s one busy fellow, having covered Washington for the last 15 years with the National Journal and Congressional Quarterly. Danny runs the Journal’s "Beltway Blogroll," where in a recent post, he writes about how MySpace paid for six bloggers to attend the interactive debate with John Edwards the social network hosted with MTV on September 27th. He also edits the Journal’s "Technology Daily." In January 2006, Danny wrote "The Rise of Blogs" which was a great look at the growing influence of blogs on the political discourse of the day.

And he’s one of the many terrific people who will be at the Summit.

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