It's been a century since Denver hosted a Democratic National Convention. In 1908, superorator William Jennings Bryan won the party's nomination for the third time, and went on to once more lose the general election. Democrats are hoping for a better outcome this time around.
They chose midsize Denver over such metropolises as Chicago and New York City in January 2007 to show their intention to compete in every state. "We fully expect to put Colorado and other areas in this region into play, come November," said convention spokeswoman Natalie Wyeth.
The theme of inclusion runs through the convention. The committee will offer live online coverage with a Spanish simulcast. And, Wyeth said, officials are committed to "bringing down the walls of the Pepsi Center," a promise that was fulfilled quite literally when Barack Obama moved his acceptance speech outdoors to Invesco Field, a mile away.
As for inside the Pepsi Center, organizers say that Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean gave the production team of seasoned veterans a mandate to think outside the box. They're keeping mum about many details, however.
Getting Around Town
For the 50,000 people expected to attend, the best mode of transportation to most events might be by foot. As part of the party's goal to "green" the convention, attendees are being encouraged to walk and ride bikes whenever possible. The city will have 1,000 bikes available for free use downtown.
Most of the convention hot spots, including the Pepsi Center, the Colorado Convention Center, and the Democratic National Committee's headquarters hotel, the Hyatt Regency Denver, are within walking distance of the free 16th Street Mall shuttle or the Regional Transportation District's light rail system.
Hybrid and alternative-fuel buses will shuttle delegates and reporters between their hotels and the Pepsi Center. The light rail stops at the center and at Invesco Field.
Headquarters Hotel and Delegate Housing
The state delegations were assigned to hotels in one of three cluster areas: downtown, Denver International Airport, or the Denver Tech Center. Many of the delegates will be able to walk to the Pepsi Center.
The Colorado delegation, not surprisingly, made out well by snagging the Grand Hyatt, Downtown, not to be confused with the newer Hyatt Regency Denver, which will serve as the convention headquarters. The New York and California delegations are within 2 miles of the Pepsi Center at the Sheraton Denver. Look for folks from Obama's home state of Illinois at the Marriott City Center, Downtown. Along with West Virginia delegates, those from Dean's home state of Vermont can take advantage of the nightly buffet of milk and cookies at the Magnolia Hotel.
Not so lucky, Texas will reside rather far out at the Red Lion Hotel Denver Southeast in Aurora. What about the delegates from Michigan and Florida, who had to wait while the validity of their primaries was contested? The Michigan delegation ended up at the Renaissance Suites at Flatiron and the Omni Interlocken. Floridians are spread around--at the Red Lion Denver Central, the Embassy Suites Denver Aurora, and the Timbers Hotel.
Media Work Area
In addition to the 15,000 credentialed members of the media, the Democratic National Committee has invited dozens of bloggers to cover the convention. The latter will be stationed inside the Pepsi Center in the Blogger Lounge, the once and future weight room for the Denver Nuggets.
Journalists will work from the parking lot in four pavilions, the largest of which is about 62,000 square feet. The tents are near the area reserved for demonstrators, causing reporters to worry about noise and potential disruptions. But that arrangement is subject to change; the American Civil Liberties Union and several protest groups have sued the city, claiming that the location is not within sight and sound of the delegates.
Media outlets, of course, are adjusting their plans and budgets to cover Obama's speech at Invesco. Convention organizers are still working out media accommodations for that night, but a spokeswoman said that the Pepsi Center will function as home base.
Security
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper promised that downtown would remain open and easily accessible during the convention. However, plans to secure Invesco on the night of Obama's speech involve suspending RTD light rail service to the Pepsi Center and Union Station and shutting down part of the region's busiest highway, Interstate 25.
For the first three days of the convention, expect street closures and other restrictions. To enter convention events, delegates will face screening similar to airport procedures. "If you wouldn't take it on a plane, you shouldn't expect to be able to take it into a venue either," said Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley. That means no liquids, he said, not even the mini-containers allowed on airplanes.
The security effort includes the FBI, the Denver Police Department, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The Secret Service, which is taking the lead, has its own budget for the event, and the other security agencies will split $50 million provided by Congress.
Demonstrations
Thousands of protesters plan to show up in Denver, hoping to turn the normally laid-back city into a platform for their causes.
A number of groups have banded together under the name "Re-create 68"--a reference to the Democrats' Chicago convention of 1968 that exploded in violence between police and demonstrators. Re-create 68 plans to address issues ranging from the criminal-justice system to immigrants' rights. Its main event will be an anti-war march scheduled for the Sunday before the convention.
Already, activists are speaking out about the protest zone in the Pepsi Center parking lot, which some say is too far from the main entrance. "It's barely within the same ZIP code," joked Mark Cohen, co-founder of Re-create 68. His group has joined with the ACLU to sue the city. The case is set for a hearing on July 29.
Other groups planning to demonstrate at the convention include Code Pink and United for Peace and Justice. Some devoted Hillary Rodham Clinton supporters have also vowed to show up to protest that she wasn't treated fairly in the primaries.
Festivities
Democrats are taking partying up a notch in the Mile-High City. The host committee will kick off the convention on Sunday with a Green Concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater, an open-air venue nestled in the Rocky Mountains.
The committee scrapped plans for individual delegation parties in favor of a large celebration on Sunday to honor Friends of New Orleans, a nonprofit organization devoted to the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort. Afterward, Friends of New Orleans will host its own "All Star Jam-Balaya" featuring seafood and hometown musicians at the Fillmore Auditorium.
Grammy-Award-winning hip-hop group the Black-Eyed Peas will take the stage at the Fillmore on Wednesday for the Creative Coalition's benefit gala.
Rock the Vote is sponsoring a concert at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House on Monday. The full lineup hasn't been announced, but singer Wyclef Jean is slated to perform.
Before the convention gets under way, journalists can put down their notebooks at the media party on Saturday at Elitch Gardens Theme Park, hosted by the Rocky Mountain News and The Denver Post.
Costs and Contributors
The Denver host committee hasn't reached its fundraising goal of $40.6 million yet, but it's close. According to sources, the committee has $30 million in cash and $10 million in in-kind donations.
Raising money has been a challenge for the committee, which fell short of previous benchmarks. Officials attribute the earlier difficulty to the protracted primary contest between Clinton and Obama. Hickenlooper promised not to use taxpayer money to pay for the convention, but he has pitched in by traveling across the country to solicit donations, as have Gov. Bill Ritter, Sen. Ken Salazar and Rep. Diana DeGette.
The federal government gives $16.4 million each to the Democratic and Republican parties to help fund the conventions.
Local Politics
The traditionally Republican West has begun turning shades of blue in recent years. Along with Colorado, Arizona and Montana have Democratic governors. Colorado also boasts Sen. Salazar, and the party holds the majority in the state Legislature.
Democrats have capitalized on the primary campaign momentum with a series of town hall meetings in Western cities, including Salt Lake City and Las Vegas. "The political landscape here is undergoing a real change," Wyeth said.
Locally, though, Democratic city officials have had a rocky relationship with labor. In 2003, many of Denver's unions didn't line up behind Hickenlooper's campaign for mayor. And earlier this year, Ritter vetoed a pro-union bill, sparking outrage from labor groups, which threatened not to support the convention. Party officials have worked to calm the tensions in hope of preventing problems in August.
On the Web
For additional information, check out the Democratic Party's convention website (www.demconvention.com) and the Denver host committee's site (www.denverconvention2008.com).
Bara Vaida contributed to this report.
This article appeared in the Saturday, August 2, 2008 edition of National Journal.
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