Pioneering blogger, journalist, and author Andrew Sullivan was the keynote speaker at the International Cannabis Business Conference in Portland, OR, this weekend. His presence might seem surprising, but the issue of cannabis and medical cannabis dovetails with his peculiar brand of left/right hybrid politics. More importantly, his participation represents an important evolution in the field of medical cannabis. Our movement is stronger when visible support for safe and legal access to medicine expands outside our traditional filed of allies.

Pictured: Andrew Sullivan and me

Mr. Sullivan’s voice is firmly established in the mainstream. He was the Editor of the New Republic, one of the nation’s oldest and venerable voices in politics. He is also one of the most widely read and recognized political bloggers. His blog The Dish is influential in the liberal and conservative blogosphere alike. Mr. Sullivan  also writes for prestigious national media, including Time Magazine and The Atlanti Monthly, and has authored or edited six books.