Denver is beginning to fill up with press and Democrats for the National Convention that starts in a few days. We don’t live there, but two of our children live in the Denver metro area, so we think about how people who live there experience fallout–or spillover, depending on your viewpoint–from the event. Of course it’s an economic boon to the city, but who else benefits? I don’t think the country does any more.
Gone are the days of suspense as we watched the delegates’ rollcall vote. The whole world already knows that Barack Obama and John McCain will vie for the presidency. It looks like Obama may even announce his running mate before the convention. We used to learn that the night after the president was nominated. So what’s the convention all about? The party platform? Obama’s been telling us where he stands on the issues for a whole year already. And now he needs a special venue for his acceptance speech to rehearse it all again. Can’t do it inside. Needs a football stadium. Needs a second set up, second security plan, second everything.
Not that the Republicans will be lowkey, mind you. The Democrats just flash on the screen first.
Does anyone but me think all this money could be better spent where it could make a difference in people’s lives? Who does this serve? Not us. (Well, I guess it makes a difference in Denver hotel and restaurant owners’ and employees’ lives. Ruby Tuesday, for instance is catering at least part of the convention events. Quite a bonanza.)
Does anyone but me think a month or so of campaigning would give us ample time to learn all we need to know about the candidates? How about a cap on spending and time?
Nowhere is it written that it has to be done this way. The fact is, our television coverage probably warped the convention process. Eric Appelman’s article for Democracy in Action makes that point and offers more background into how conventions have changed from real decision-making bodies in the past to what we see today. He also reminds us that a lot happens behind the scenes, during the day, etc. Maybe that’s what the press should show us, then.
By the way, this is Denver’s second political party national convention of the season. The Libertarians met there back in May. Anybody hear about that one?
