I'm getting ready to head out today. My bags are pretty well packed, the sheets have been stripped off the bed and placed inside the pillowcase, per Regis' instructions.
I've had breakfast.
Thursday's festivities were incredible, and I'll try to give more reaction as I can.
But with news breaking this morning that John McCain's vice presidential pick appears to be Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska, it seems only appropriate to ask a question: What does it mean to be an experienced candidate, and does it matter? I was reading about that topic this morning, and the author was commenting that the McCain camp may get a dose of its own medicine after saying that Obama is inexperienced, and therefore not ready to run the United States. Does Palin's experience as governor differ because of the office, or make her more qualified?
I'm not sure yet. But with more research, I'm sure we can find the answers.
More to come...stay tuned....
Friday, August 29, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
DNC Day 4: Shawn Johnson, too, MSNBC says
MSNBC is reporting that Olympic medal-winner Shawn Johnson will give the Pledge of Allegiance at Invesco tonight.
DNC Day 4: Buzz about the big speech
It looks like Al Gore, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter are among those speaking today ahead of Barack Obama, according to the Rocky Mountain News.
But for those of you more into music than politicians, it appears that Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, John Legend and will.i.am, of the Black Eyed Peas, will perform tonight, in addition to Jennifer Hudson, of "Dreamgirls" movie fame, who will sing the national anthem. This according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
But wait — there's more! The Denver Business Journal is reporting that Michael McDonald will perform, in addition to Yonder Mountain String Band.
As for Bruce Springsteen? Reports are conflicting as to whether he'll make appearance or not. Tony Harnden, who blogs over at Telegraph.co.uk. The consensus seems to be that he won't, but I guess we'll have to wait and see to know for sure.
Meanwhile, Politico is reporting that the move to Invesco has some Democrats nervous about how the event will be perceived.
And for interesting reading on "The Daily Show," check out this piece from today's USA TODAY. Makes me excited, because even though that piece I was in didn't air, Jon Stewart may well have seen it. Which means I could have indirectly met Jon Stewart. Which is awesome.
If strange news is your thing, check out this piece about an ABC producer being handcuffed outside the downtown Brown Palace Hotel.
But for those of you more into music than politicians, it appears that Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, John Legend and will.i.am, of the Black Eyed Peas, will perform tonight, in addition to Jennifer Hudson, of "Dreamgirls" movie fame, who will sing the national anthem. This according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
But wait — there's more! The Denver Business Journal is reporting that Michael McDonald will perform, in addition to Yonder Mountain String Band.
As for Bruce Springsteen? Reports are conflicting as to whether he'll make appearance or not. Tony Harnden, who blogs over at Telegraph.co.uk. The consensus seems to be that he won't, but I guess we'll have to wait and see to know for sure.
Meanwhile, Politico is reporting that the move to Invesco has some Democrats nervous about how the event will be perceived.
And for interesting reading on "The Daily Show," check out this piece from today's USA TODAY. Makes me excited, because even though that piece I was in didn't air, Jon Stewart may well have seen it. Which means I could have indirectly met Jon Stewart. Which is awesome.
If strange news is your thing, check out this piece about an ABC producer being handcuffed outside the downtown Brown Palace Hotel.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Daily Show skit won't air, but...
It still makes for a great story, right?
I was on the phone with my brother Chad tonight, preparing to leave the secured area near the Pepsi Center, when I heard someone calling my name. I turned around and saw that it was Wyatt Cenac, whom I'd worked with on the Daily Show skit earlier in the week. He asked how I was doing, and I did similarly.
I asked whether they were going to air the bit we had done and he said that, unfortunately, they had decided Wednesday night to cut it. He was very kind, and thanked me for having been a good sport. He said they were going to be doing more filming that night, and already it was after 9:30 p.m.
My hat is off to them. I really enjoyed getting to know them, and I'm hoping that maybe I can catch up with them before they head to Minnesota.
I know now that anything is possible in America. You can run into some of the funniest people in the world, and it turns out they're just ordinary people (I know that's cliche, but it's true) with interesting stories. And it was a whole lot of fun.
Dominique Struye on America's standing in the world
The morning session today was fantastic.
Dominique Struye, the Belgian ambassador to the United States, discussed America's standing abroad, with a focus on Europe. He said he would be careful to generalize about the whole world, but that in Europe, opinion of the United States' government is low.
Europe wants anything but Bush, Struye said, and will be supportive of whatever president is elected in November regardless of party affiliation. But Europeans view John McCain as a man of the Cold War and Vietnam, whereas Barack Obama has a Kennedy flair, he said.
He described the presidential candidates this way: Obama is playing the hope card, as others have in the past, while McCain "systematically exploits" his role as an experienced would-be commander in chief.
There are three powerful forces at work in the 21st century world, he said: Nations, transnational/non-governmental institutions such as Green Peace and multilateral institutions, and the question is which of the three will lead. Every group wants to be a player, but each wants to play by its own rules, he said.
How the United States responds to the situation in Georgia will be key, Struye said. It has so far been unable to protect the territorial integrity of that nation, its ally, he said.
An incredibly intelligent man, and someone I would like to interview further. He stayed for a while and answered other questions about topics such as Turkey and the European Union.
Capitol Bob on the disco floor
Political conventions just aren't what they used to be, said Bob Schieffer, of CBS News' "Face the Nation," who has covered them since 1968. He remembers as an 11-year-old going to see Lyndon Johnson stumping for a senate seat. More fantastic than that was the fact that Johnson had arrived in a helicopter (Schieffer had never seen one before), and a voice resounded a megaphone. This was how Moses must have felt at the burning bush when God spoke, Schieffer said — he and others had no idea where the voice came from, or whether it was that of this man or someone else.
But Johnson came down from the helicopter, delivered a speech and threw his hat into the crowd. Later, Schieffer learned, the hat catcher had been planted. The person would run around to the other side of the helicopter, give Johnson his hat and drive to Johnson's next scheduled stop.
Today, though, Schieffer said that politicians appear at conventions as though they were some new make of car at an auto show. The press arrives and "kicks the tires," and everybody goes home. He got the audience laughing with these words, as he did throughout his talk.
I got the impression that this man loves what he does. He said today that he doesn't want to work for anyone but CBS for the remainder of his career, and he plans to be with "Face the Nation" for about a year, and will help transition to a replacement. That will allow him to continue making appearances for segments on the Sunday morning show, breaking news and special TV projects. Plus, he said laughing, his wife doesn't want him in the house too much when he retires (she was seated in the audience today).
And when he was first asked what he would be doing in the future, he quipped, "I'm just trying to stay on the right side of the grass," and referenced a line by Ronald Reagan about the obituaries being his favorite section of the paper, provided he wasn't in them.
Schieffer said he has made dear friendships with many of his news competitors, but he said most, including himself, have a friendly competition going with each other. Whenever they have the opportunity to stick it to the other person, they will.
One of the funniest stories he told was about a trip that Jimmy Carter took to visit the Shah of Iran on what was then New Year's day in the United States. He and Barbara Walters, both at a party (including a disco) in honor of the new year, had been trying to confirm whether Carter would be visiting Anwar El Sadat in Egypt. So they cooked up a plan: They would dance across the disco floor to Carter and ask him. They did, and sure enough, he confirmed he would be going.
Schieffer said he and Walters nearly broke their necks in the race to the phones to be the first to file the story.
Schieffer on journalism's future
There will always be a need for accurate information, Schieffer said, and for the courageous reporter with the courage to cover a difficult story. He hopes the print newspaper will be around in 5 years — it's the favorite part of his morning routine — but he realizes that people are increasingly reading publications online. But as an example of newspapers' spending, he said, The New York Times was spending $2.5 million on its Baghdad bureau security alone. Papers have been decimated by staff cuts, yet democracy can't exist without a free press, he said. The issue will not be the need for the product, but the medium by which it will be delivered.
My question for Schieffer
I asked Bob what the best strategy was he had at getting an interview back on track. People can get off point, or stop talking altogether, in an interview, so I wanted an expert's advice.
Ask the obvious questions, he said. The times he has been scooped were the times he figured he knew how the source would respond to a question. When candidates start to go down "the rabbit trail," he said, it's his job as a moderator to clear things up. But there's plenty to talk about, he said, including taxes and health care.
"It's also fun," he said.
I believe him.
Another notable Schieffer quote
"The government is us."
I was on the phone with my brother Chad tonight, preparing to leave the secured area near the Pepsi Center, when I heard someone calling my name. I turned around and saw that it was Wyatt Cenac, whom I'd worked with on the Daily Show skit earlier in the week. He asked how I was doing, and I did similarly.
I asked whether they were going to air the bit we had done and he said that, unfortunately, they had decided Wednesday night to cut it. He was very kind, and thanked me for having been a good sport. He said they were going to be doing more filming that night, and already it was after 9:30 p.m.
My hat is off to them. I really enjoyed getting to know them, and I'm hoping that maybe I can catch up with them before they head to Minnesota.
I know now that anything is possible in America. You can run into some of the funniest people in the world, and it turns out they're just ordinary people (I know that's cliche, but it's true) with interesting stories. And it was a whole lot of fun.
Dominique Struye on America's standing in the world
The morning session today was fantastic.
Dominique Struye, the Belgian ambassador to the United States, discussed America's standing abroad, with a focus on Europe. He said he would be careful to generalize about the whole world, but that in Europe, opinion of the United States' government is low.
Europe wants anything but Bush, Struye said, and will be supportive of whatever president is elected in November regardless of party affiliation. But Europeans view John McCain as a man of the Cold War and Vietnam, whereas Barack Obama has a Kennedy flair, he said.
He described the presidential candidates this way: Obama is playing the hope card, as others have in the past, while McCain "systematically exploits" his role as an experienced would-be commander in chief.
There are three powerful forces at work in the 21st century world, he said: Nations, transnational/non-governmental institutions such as Green Peace and multilateral institutions, and the question is which of the three will lead. Every group wants to be a player, but each wants to play by its own rules, he said.
How the United States responds to the situation in Georgia will be key, Struye said. It has so far been unable to protect the territorial integrity of that nation, its ally, he said.
An incredibly intelligent man, and someone I would like to interview further. He stayed for a while and answered other questions about topics such as Turkey and the European Union.
Capitol Bob on the disco floor
Political conventions just aren't what they used to be, said Bob Schieffer, of CBS News' "Face the Nation," who has covered them since 1968. He remembers as an 11-year-old going to see Lyndon Johnson stumping for a senate seat. More fantastic than that was the fact that Johnson had arrived in a helicopter (Schieffer had never seen one before), and a voice resounded a megaphone. This was how Moses must have felt at the burning bush when God spoke, Schieffer said — he and others had no idea where the voice came from, or whether it was that of this man or someone else.
But Johnson came down from the helicopter, delivered a speech and threw his hat into the crowd. Later, Schieffer learned, the hat catcher had been planted. The person would run around to the other side of the helicopter, give Johnson his hat and drive to Johnson's next scheduled stop.
Today, though, Schieffer said that politicians appear at conventions as though they were some new make of car at an auto show. The press arrives and "kicks the tires," and everybody goes home. He got the audience laughing with these words, as he did throughout his talk.
I got the impression that this man loves what he does. He said today that he doesn't want to work for anyone but CBS for the remainder of his career, and he plans to be with "Face the Nation" for about a year, and will help transition to a replacement. That will allow him to continue making appearances for segments on the Sunday morning show, breaking news and special TV projects. Plus, he said laughing, his wife doesn't want him in the house too much when he retires (she was seated in the audience today).
And when he was first asked what he would be doing in the future, he quipped, "I'm just trying to stay on the right side of the grass," and referenced a line by Ronald Reagan about the obituaries being his favorite section of the paper, provided he wasn't in them.
Schieffer said he has made dear friendships with many of his news competitors, but he said most, including himself, have a friendly competition going with each other. Whenever they have the opportunity to stick it to the other person, they will.
One of the funniest stories he told was about a trip that Jimmy Carter took to visit the Shah of Iran on what was then New Year's day in the United States. He and Barbara Walters, both at a party (including a disco) in honor of the new year, had been trying to confirm whether Carter would be visiting Anwar El Sadat in Egypt. So they cooked up a plan: They would dance across the disco floor to Carter and ask him. They did, and sure enough, he confirmed he would be going.
Schieffer said he and Walters nearly broke their necks in the race to the phones to be the first to file the story.
Schieffer on journalism's future
There will always be a need for accurate information, Schieffer said, and for the courageous reporter with the courage to cover a difficult story. He hopes the print newspaper will be around in 5 years — it's the favorite part of his morning routine — but he realizes that people are increasingly reading publications online. But as an example of newspapers' spending, he said, The New York Times was spending $2.5 million on its Baghdad bureau security alone. Papers have been decimated by staff cuts, yet democracy can't exist without a free press, he said. The issue will not be the need for the product, but the medium by which it will be delivered.
My question for Schieffer
I asked Bob what the best strategy was he had at getting an interview back on track. People can get off point, or stop talking altogether, in an interview, so I wanted an expert's advice.
Ask the obvious questions, he said. The times he has been scooped were the times he figured he knew how the source would respond to a question. When candidates start to go down "the rabbit trail," he said, it's his job as a moderator to clear things up. But there's plenty to talk about, he said, including taxes and health care.
"It's also fun," he said.
I believe him.
Another notable Schieffer quote
"The government is us."
DNC Day 3: Bits on Bill
I'm here in the media pavilion awaiting something to do (and, of course, 9 p.m., when "The Daily Show" airs), so I figured I'd search around for information on Bill Clinton's soon-to-be-delivered speech. A sampling:
The Irish Times reports that Barack Obama called the Clintons and spoke to Bill on Tuesday "to say Mrs Clinton could not have made a better case for change."
Over at Time.com, Michael Grunwald comments on what Bill Clinton should say, observing: "It would be hard to imagine a more compelling proponent of Obama's claim to a new politics than a legendary victim as well as an adept practitioner of the old politics."
OK, I'll stop for now. I see people celebrating in preparation for Clinton's appearance onstage.
The Irish Times reports that Barack Obama called the Clintons and spoke to Bill on Tuesday "to say Mrs Clinton could not have made a better case for change."
Over at Time.com, Michael Grunwald comments on what Bill Clinton should say, observing: "It would be hard to imagine a more compelling proponent of Obama's claim to a new politics than a legendary victim as well as an adept practitioner of the old politics."
OK, I'll stop for now. I see people celebrating in preparation for Clinton's appearance onstage.
DNC Day 3: Invesco logistics
Today we've been trying to work out who's going to go over to Invesco and who will stay at the tent to start tearing things down and generally staff home base.
It appears that I'll be staying here tomorrow night, which is fine with me because I'll have my choice of televisions and won't have to deal with the enormous crowds expected there, the busing and all of that.
Paul and I walked over there on Tuesday and it took us at least 20 minutes, I'd say. A nice walk, if you don't mind crossing light rail tracks, going under the highway and repeatedly showing your credentials.
It should be a big event. It sounds like organizers may want the public there as early as 2 p.m., and the event starts at 7 p.m. It's great that the media will be able to shuttle back and forth, at least until the speech starts.
Traffic could be interesting come Thursday.
I made it onto the floor today to interview pledged Clinton delegates, and you can read more about my experiences at my Missourian blog.
It appears that I'll be staying here tomorrow night, which is fine with me because I'll have my choice of televisions and won't have to deal with the enormous crowds expected there, the busing and all of that.
Paul and I walked over there on Tuesday and it took us at least 20 minutes, I'd say. A nice walk, if you don't mind crossing light rail tracks, going under the highway and repeatedly showing your credentials.
It should be a big event. It sounds like organizers may want the public there as early as 2 p.m., and the event starts at 7 p.m. It's great that the media will be able to shuttle back and forth, at least until the speech starts.
Traffic could be interesting come Thursday.
I made it onto the floor today to interview pledged Clinton delegates, and you can read more about my experiences at my Missourian blog.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
A farewell as Steve goes to Minnesota
One of my bosses, Steve, finished out his time at the DNC tonight and will fly out Wednesday to head to Minneapolis-St. Paul for the Republican National Convention.
He's a great guy, used to work for IBM and now runs tech for the media organization, making sure everything runs smoothly. After that, he sticks around for several days to help correct whatever problems may arise.
We got to talk at some length about newspapers in the past (profitable for the ads, delivered in the afternoon) versus what might come in the future (increasingly online publications, diminishing advertising quantities, fewer pressroom people who know how to make newspaper hats).
But I think we would both agree that newspapers will be around, in some form, well into the future, and advertising will be key to that success.
It's impossible to predict the future, but I'm confident that as long as there are people such as Steve in the industry — those who are passionate about their work and eager to help newcomers such as myself — there will be hope. Steve was kind from the moment I met him, more than willing to help me find work to do and eager to place me in situations that would help me grow as a journalist, even though he'd only known me for a few short days.
So thank you, Steve, for everything — and best wishes at the RNC.
He's a great guy, used to work for IBM and now runs tech for the media organization, making sure everything runs smoothly. After that, he sticks around for several days to help correct whatever problems may arise.
We got to talk at some length about newspapers in the past (profitable for the ads, delivered in the afternoon) versus what might come in the future (increasingly online publications, diminishing advertising quantities, fewer pressroom people who know how to make newspaper hats).
But I think we would both agree that newspapers will be around, in some form, well into the future, and advertising will be key to that success.
It's impossible to predict the future, but I'm confident that as long as there are people such as Steve in the industry — those who are passionate about their work and eager to help newcomers such as myself — there will be hope. Steve was kind from the moment I met him, more than willing to help me find work to do and eager to place me in situations that would help me grow as a journalist, even though he'd only known me for a few short days.
So thank you, Steve, for everything — and best wishes at the RNC.
Plenty of golf carts, but refills on hold
We were over at the Circle K convenience store about an hour ago. It's within the security perimeter, just about a block away. Two people were helping push one of the dozens of golf carts driving around the Pepsi Center. Apparently, it was out of gas.
Someone wearing Circle K gear came out and told them they wouldn't be able to refill until Wednesday.
As I understand it, you have to pay to rent the carts. They seem to be pretty popular. I guess walking will have to do, at least until tomorrow.
Someone wearing Circle K gear came out and told them they wouldn't be able to refill until Wednesday.
As I understand it, you have to pay to rent the carts. They seem to be pretty popular. I guess walking will have to do, at least until tomorrow.
Correction on Lieberman
Thanks to my dad for this great catch. In a post on Monday, I mistakenly identified the party affiliation of Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. Lieberman, according to the senator's Web site, was elected in 2006 as an Independent. The Web site notes:
"In 2006, Senator Lieberman was elected to a fourth term as an Independent, because of the strength of his record and his accomplishments for the state. He won the general election by more than 100,000 votes. He remains committed to caucusing with Senate Democrats, but will be identified as an Independent Democrat (ID-CT)."
That post has been updated to reflect the correction. And for those of you reading, if you see further errors, please just shoot me an e-mail or post a comment on the blog. Thanks so much!
"In 2006, Senator Lieberman was elected to a fourth term as an Independent, because of the strength of his record and his accomplishments for the state. He won the general election by more than 100,000 votes. He remains committed to caucusing with Senate Democrats, but will be identified as an Independent Democrat (ID-CT)."
That post has been updated to reflect the correction. And for those of you reading, if you see further errors, please just shoot me an e-mail or post a comment on the blog. Thanks so much!
Denver Post video on three-bin system
Here's more on throwing stuff away at the convention, and there's even a video.
DNC Day 2: Items on the convention from online
In a strange case of mistaken identity, police searched 80-year-old Cecil Bethea of Denver, suspecting that he was with a group of anarchist protesters, the Rocky Mountain News reported today. It's also on the front page of the paper, so it caught my eye.
U.S. News & World Report has a nice roundup of Day 1 convention coverage. Among other notes, this article says some Democrats fear that Bill Clinton will try to steal some thunder on Wednesday.
Anne Schroeder, over at politico.com, has some neat bite-sized items including some about the Obama daughters and celebrity sightings. Copy editors: Can you find a White House Thursday violator in the post from the aftermath of Michelle Obama's speech on Monday? (Hint: The preposition 'on' needs to go between 'House' and 'Thursday.')
Reporters, editors and photographers are starting to file into the pavilion. It's about 11:30 a.m. The big show gets under way at 3 p.m., but we'll see what else we can do before then. My co-intern and I have been trying to clean up the area (general mess in newsrooms is, apparently, a national phenomenon). An empty Cheetos mini-bag on the floor here, half-full water bottles on numerous tables. The DNC has created three disposal categories: one for recycling plastic/aluminum bottles, another for compost and another for trash.
My thing is that I'm never certain what qualifies as compost. I'll see what I can find out about how that's classified and maybe include a link.
U.S. News & World Report has a nice roundup of Day 1 convention coverage. Among other notes, this article says some Democrats fear that Bill Clinton will try to steal some thunder on Wednesday.
Anne Schroeder, over at politico.com, has some neat bite-sized items including some about the Obama daughters and celebrity sightings. Copy editors: Can you find a White House Thursday violator in the post from the aftermath of Michelle Obama's speech on Monday? (Hint: The preposition 'on' needs to go between 'House' and 'Thursday.')
Reporters, editors and photographers are starting to file into the pavilion. It's about 11:30 a.m. The big show gets under way at 3 p.m., but we'll see what else we can do before then. My co-intern and I have been trying to clean up the area (general mess in newsrooms is, apparently, a national phenomenon). An empty Cheetos mini-bag on the floor here, half-full water bottles on numerous tables. The DNC has created three disposal categories: one for recycling plastic/aluminum bottles, another for compost and another for trash.
My thing is that I'm never certain what qualifies as compost. I'll see what I can find out about how that's classified and maybe include a link.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Skits and scatting at the DNC
By skits, I mean "The Daily Show." By scatting, I mean improvising like a fiend.
The people from the show were great, very friendly and it was, of course, awesome to meet them. I'll try to include a list of who, exactly, I met at some point, but for now I'm running out of steam and getting ready to do this again tomorrow.
One of my bosses had suggested today that I talk to our radio guy about possibly getting some quotes for him. It sounded like a sweet gig. I went and talked to him, and he was more than willing to get me out talking to people. I interviewed Connecticut delegates: Did they think Barack Obama would win Connecticut? What would Hillary Clinton say on Tuesday night to unite the party? What did they think of Joe Biden being the VP pick?
Most thought that Obama would win Connecticut without a problem; one told me he did strong there in the primary. Another delegate told me that Clinton has the ability to rouse her supporters, and that it would be a very positive thing on Tuesday if she's able to do that. I later went back and talked to other Connecticut delegates about Sen. Joseph Lieberman (ID-Conn.***) speaking at the Republican National Convention. The two I spoke with seemed to think he should pick a party and be done with it.
***See above for correction.
More notes:
• I figured out how to get onto the floor with rotating press credentials. Basically, there's a section you can enter where you show your hall credentials and give your name and company, and then you can get onto the floor for a half-hour.
• I'm way behind, I'm confident, on homework back home in Missouri, and on writing my essay in summary of the convention and so forth. I really hope I can get a grasp on that soon. I'll write some tonight before collapsing (metaphorically, of course).
• Fair-type food is pretty much the extent of eats within the Pepsi Center, with complete respect for everyone who staffs these restaurants. I'm talking about hot dogs, candied nuts, lemonade, popcorn, etc.
The people from the show were great, very friendly and it was, of course, awesome to meet them. I'll try to include a list of who, exactly, I met at some point, but for now I'm running out of steam and getting ready to do this again tomorrow.
One of my bosses had suggested today that I talk to our radio guy about possibly getting some quotes for him. It sounded like a sweet gig. I went and talked to him, and he was more than willing to get me out talking to people. I interviewed Connecticut delegates: Did they think Barack Obama would win Connecticut? What would Hillary Clinton say on Tuesday night to unite the party? What did they think of Joe Biden being the VP pick?
Most thought that Obama would win Connecticut without a problem; one told me he did strong there in the primary. Another delegate told me that Clinton has the ability to rouse her supporters, and that it would be a very positive thing on Tuesday if she's able to do that. I later went back and talked to other Connecticut delegates about Sen. Joseph Lieberman (ID-Conn.***) speaking at the Republican National Convention. The two I spoke with seemed to think he should pick a party and be done with it.
***See above for correction.
More notes:
• I figured out how to get onto the floor with rotating press credentials. Basically, there's a section you can enter where you show your hall credentials and give your name and company, and then you can get onto the floor for a half-hour.
• I'm way behind, I'm confident, on homework back home in Missouri, and on writing my essay in summary of the convention and so forth. I really hope I can get a grasp on that soon. I'll write some tonight before collapsing (metaphorically, of course).
• Fair-type food is pretty much the extent of eats within the Pepsi Center, with complete respect for everyone who staffs these restaurants. I'm talking about hot dogs, candied nuts, lemonade, popcorn, etc.
The Daily Show skit
So I got checked in through security this morning and I noticed two things. First, a group of cameramen and reporters was following Dan Rather out the front gate. Rather looked liked he had someplace to be, so he kept on going and walked out the gate.
Then I noticed, in an adjacent parking lot within the security perimeter, The Daily Show's trailer. I had seen it parked near our media pavilion. I saw the cast (no Jon Stewart, but pretty much every other male member — sorry, female readers) running off their trailer. They were shooting. Some other reporters were talking to them. I wandered over to watch.
Jason Jones, one of the crew walked over to me and said to one of the production guys, "This guy looks like he'll do," or something along those lines. Then they asked if I'd like to be in a skit. Wow!
So I agreed. I explained that I was a student in addition to being an intern. I got to meet a cast member who has been with the show for about 3 months. He went to school in North Carolina.
Turns out most of the cast, like myself, hadn't been to a convention before.
I also met Rob Riggle, Larry Wilmore and Aasif Mandvi.
More to come....
Then I noticed, in an adjacent parking lot within the security perimeter, The Daily Show's trailer. I had seen it parked near our media pavilion. I saw the cast (no Jon Stewart, but pretty much every other male member — sorry, female readers) running off their trailer. They were shooting. Some other reporters were talking to them. I wandered over to watch.
Jason Jones, one of the crew walked over to me and said to one of the production guys, "This guy looks like he'll do," or something along those lines. Then they asked if I'd like to be in a skit. Wow!
So I agreed. I explained that I was a student in addition to being an intern. I got to meet a cast member who has been with the show for about 3 months. He went to school in North Carolina.
Turns out most of the cast, like myself, hadn't been to a convention before.
I also met Rob Riggle, Larry Wilmore and Aasif Mandvi.
More to come....
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Pepsi Center sound check
So I was in the Pepsi Center today while the band was warming up. The sound is booming, and it's pretty incredible when paired with the dozens of spotlights they can crisscross over the delegates' seating areas.
Gloria Estefan's "Turn the Beat Around" was among the songs it played.
I was in the press seating testing two phone jacks. I initially brought a phone into the hall only to realize that it didn't have batteries, so I had to go back and get some.
Then my supervisor called me at the Pepsi Center to test whether the phone could receive calls. It could.
Interestingly, it doesn't ring, just flashes red at the top-right corner.
There was apparently a bit of a snafu at the only entrance the media can access by foot — a protest blocked off access for a while.
I was walking to a light rail stop along the 16th Street Mall this afternoon and noticed just how busy it had become. It was already a popular place, and now it's just nuts. A couple of protesters wearing bandanas around their necks were yelling at a bunch of police, in riot gear, congregated around a vehicle in the median. They were chanting, "crush the police state," or something along those lines. The wife of one of the reporters I met today was told by a protester at the media entrance that her photo would be uploaded to Flickr, apparently trying to intimidate her.
I guess that's one use of new media I wasn't aware of — using the Internet as a way to shame others following a protest. But this woman wasn't a reporter, just an innocent bystander, so it didn't matter. She laughed and moved on.
People in Denver have been so friendly, and I hope people's spirits will remain high beginning Monday when the convention really gets under way. Everyone is under a lot of pressure, and I know it has to be tough.
Gloria Estefan's "Turn the Beat Around" was among the songs it played.
I was in the press seating testing two phone jacks. I initially brought a phone into the hall only to realize that it didn't have batteries, so I had to go back and get some.
Then my supervisor called me at the Pepsi Center to test whether the phone could receive calls. It could.
Interestingly, it doesn't ring, just flashes red at the top-right corner.
There was apparently a bit of a snafu at the only entrance the media can access by foot — a protest blocked off access for a while.
I was walking to a light rail stop along the 16th Street Mall this afternoon and noticed just how busy it had become. It was already a popular place, and now it's just nuts. A couple of protesters wearing bandanas around their necks were yelling at a bunch of police, in riot gear, congregated around a vehicle in the median. They were chanting, "crush the police state," or something along those lines. The wife of one of the reporters I met today was told by a protester at the media entrance that her photo would be uploaded to Flickr, apparently trying to intimidate her.
I guess that's one use of new media I wasn't aware of — using the Internet as a way to shame others following a protest. But this woman wasn't a reporter, just an innocent bystander, so it didn't matter. She laughed and moved on.
People in Denver have been so friendly, and I hope people's spirits will remain high beginning Monday when the convention really gets under way. Everyone is under a lot of pressure, and I know it has to be tough.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
I met Wolf Blitzer
Yes, sir, as he was headed to lunch. He told me that I must be very smart if I go to MU, and, in response to my question about what he thought of Colorado, he said he liked it. Could have been a better question, but at least it wasn't a yes or no!
Today was also the big media party to kick off the convention, and it was huge. Tons and tons of journalists from all over the country (and probably world), free food, rides and games, performers, you name it.
But at the end of the day, I'm exhausted. I didn't do much in terms of helping today, but I was able to work with one of my bosses to call various reporters to gather information so that we can give them their credentials on Sunday. Security is tight around the Pepsi Center, which I had expected, but I was amazed to see how quickly the big metal fences had been put up around the perimeter. The police and secret service have dogs that sniff bags for suspect items, and one man told me today that I'll need to take off my Washington Center buttons in the future, because they set off the magnetometer. But I made it through security quickly and with no problems other than the buttons, so that was great.
I'm planning to take one of the Regis buses downtown tomorrow morning to get to work by 10 a.m. I tried the local public transportation today with great success, so I'm hoping the same will hold true tomorrow.
Today was also the big media party to kick off the convention, and it was huge. Tons and tons of journalists from all over the country (and probably world), free food, rides and games, performers, you name it.
But at the end of the day, I'm exhausted. I didn't do much in terms of helping today, but I was able to work with one of my bosses to call various reporters to gather information so that we can give them their credentials on Sunday. Security is tight around the Pepsi Center, which I had expected, but I was amazed to see how quickly the big metal fences had been put up around the perimeter. The police and secret service have dogs that sniff bags for suspect items, and one man told me today that I'll need to take off my Washington Center buttons in the future, because they set off the magnetometer. But I made it through security quickly and with no problems other than the buttons, so that was great.
I'm planning to take one of the Regis buses downtown tomorrow morning to get to work by 10 a.m. I tried the local public transportation today with great success, so I'm hoping the same will hold true tomorrow.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Media say Biden is Obama's VP pick
So I noticed I had a spam item in Gmail tonight. I took a gander.
It wasn't spam. It was a CNN news alert, 53 minutes old at the time, alerting me to the fact that numerous sources were saying that Barack Obama's vice presidential nominee will be Joe Biden of Delaware.
So much for the text-messaging plan, I guess.
It would have been neat to really be among the first to receive such historic news. But I don't know that anyone really believed it wouldn't get leaked sooner.
I just hope Obama supporters aren't too disappointed.
Then again — and I don't want to be labeled as a conspiracy theorist, so this is purely long-shot what-if — what if a few people decided to throw off the media with fake VP news? What if Biden isn't the pick, and someone else is?
Probably not, but we'll see. Come Saturday afternoon, we should all know for sure.
In other news:
• Today was filled to the brim, but great. We heard from Colorado Governor Bill Ritter this morning, a C-SPAN panel and Howard Dean. Dean was running a bit late, but one of my colleagues told me that politicians are notoriously late. I happened to look up and see him as he approached the front of the room. The room was electric. Students and professors quickly crowded around him with cameras. He worked the crowd for several minutes, participating in photo opps with eager Washington Center participants. He then spoke about the hope he sees in the generation of those students participating in the program. He also said the Democratic Party is a much more accurate representation of America's diversity than the Republican Party, whose leadership base "looks like 1950s television," meaning predominantly white and male. He lauded the power of the Internet as an agent for change and as "the most self-empowering invention since the printing press."
In his opening remarks, Dean said that "democracy is a human creation, and all human creations die if you don't nurture them." He encouraged students to continue pursuing equality in all areas of life.
• I began my fieldwork today. I walked over to the Pepsi Center from the Colorado Convention Center (actually, walked and took the Mall Ride on the 16th Street Mall). Everyone was very friendly when I was able to find its pavilion, though it took me about a half-hour, all told, to actually arrive at the lot and then ask for directions to the appropriate pavilion. The pavilions are white makeshift tents with plywood floors. I got my weekend credentials and a credential for the big media party at Six Flags Elitch Gardens on Saturday evening. Not sure if I'll be able to make it — that will depend on my work schedule — but at least I'll know that I could have gone, even if it doesn't work out. Frankly, I'm pretty excited to begin my fieldwork, and I'm looking forward to seeing what I can accomplish. The Pepsi Center is close by.
Rock on.
It wasn't spam. It was a CNN news alert, 53 minutes old at the time, alerting me to the fact that numerous sources were saying that Barack Obama's vice presidential nominee will be Joe Biden of Delaware.
So much for the text-messaging plan, I guess.
It would have been neat to really be among the first to receive such historic news. But I don't know that anyone really believed it wouldn't get leaked sooner.
I just hope Obama supporters aren't too disappointed.
Then again — and I don't want to be labeled as a conspiracy theorist, so this is purely long-shot what-if — what if a few people decided to throw off the media with fake VP news? What if Biden isn't the pick, and someone else is?
Probably not, but we'll see. Come Saturday afternoon, we should all know for sure.
In other news:
• Today was filled to the brim, but great. We heard from Colorado Governor Bill Ritter this morning, a C-SPAN panel and Howard Dean. Dean was running a bit late, but one of my colleagues told me that politicians are notoriously late. I happened to look up and see him as he approached the front of the room. The room was electric. Students and professors quickly crowded around him with cameras. He worked the crowd for several minutes, participating in photo opps with eager Washington Center participants. He then spoke about the hope he sees in the generation of those students participating in the program. He also said the Democratic Party is a much more accurate representation of America's diversity than the Republican Party, whose leadership base "looks like 1950s television," meaning predominantly white and male. He lauded the power of the Internet as an agent for change and as "the most self-empowering invention since the printing press."
In his opening remarks, Dean said that "democracy is a human creation, and all human creations die if you don't nurture them." He encouraged students to continue pursuing equality in all areas of life.
• I began my fieldwork today. I walked over to the Pepsi Center from the Colorado Convention Center (actually, walked and took the Mall Ride on the 16th Street Mall). Everyone was very friendly when I was able to find its pavilion, though it took me about a half-hour, all told, to actually arrive at the lot and then ask for directions to the appropriate pavilion. The pavilions are white makeshift tents with plywood floors. I got my weekend credentials and a credential for the big media party at Six Flags Elitch Gardens on Saturday evening. Not sure if I'll be able to make it — that will depend on my work schedule — but at least I'll know that I could have gone, even if it doesn't work out. Frankly, I'm pretty excited to begin my fieldwork, and I'm looking forward to seeing what I can accomplish. The Pepsi Center is close by.
Rock on.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
How the West won
Elbra Wedgeworth, the woman largely responsible for bringing the Democratic National Convention to Denver, seemed nearly moved to tears today as she spoke about the pursuit of dreams, and of hers in particular.
"You have to keep focused, and you can't let circumstances define you," she said in her remarks.
Wedgeworth, the president of the Denver Host Committee, had attended the Democratic conventions in 2000 and 2004, she said, and she wondered why Denver couldn't host something similar.
But many others didn't share that belief. In fact, she said, they thought she had lost her mind.
At one point, she said, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper told her, "I think you're asleep, and you need to wake up."
She continued to pursue the convention, and at a reception in Denver approached newly elected then-New Hampshire Governor Howard Dean. He seemed, perhaps, a bit incredulous (and he wasn't in the least alone, Wedgeworth said), but after considering her idea — that the next Democratic convention should be held here — he told her that the bidding process would begin in January 2006.
That was all she needed. After all, she said later during a Q and A session, the city has a lot going for it — more parks than any other city in the country, for example, and another committee is looking into the possibility of Denver being a host of the winter Olympics in 10 years.
"We're more than sports teams and mountains," she said.
She enrolled two friends as fundraisers to collect the $400,000 needed to enter the running. Throughout the entire process, Wedgeworth said, her goal was to keep taxpayers entirely out of the equation. If Denver were to get the convention, it would happen using independently raised money.
A field of 35 possible cities was narrowed to 11, and then to three — Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York and Denver. Soon thereafter, Minneapolis was chosen as the site of the Republican National Convention. With time, Wedgeworth said, it became apparent that Denver had a good chance of winning. U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and others signed a support letter saying Denver should be win approval as the host city.
On Jan. 12, 2007, the phone rang in Wedgeworth's office. Denver, it seemed, had been chosen for the convention.
Wedgeworth broke down in tears. After grueling months and numerous obstacles, she said she felt so many emotions that had built up inside of her.
"We basically did the impossible," she said.
Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, a longtime mentor, called to congratulate her. He advised that she try to stop crying, as she would be getting many more phone calls with the news. Soon afterward, Hickenlooper called to apologize.
Wedgeworth, he said, had been right all along.
Wedgeworth's Denver restaurant picks:
For those living or working in the Denver area for the next 1 1/2 weeks, here are a few of Wedgeworth's restaurant favorites. She was raised on the east side of the city, she said, which influences some of her choices. All addresses were found using either the Web sites listed or Google Maps.
High-end options
• Strings Restaurant, 1700 Humboldt St., Denver, CO 80218
• The Oceanaire Seafood Room, 1405 Arapahoe St., Denver, CO 80202
• Denver ChopHouse & Brewery, 1735 19th Street #100, Denver, CO 80202
• Sullivan's Steak House, 1745 Wazee St., Denver, CO 80202
More favorites
• M & D's Bar-B-Que and Fish Palace, 2000 E 28th Ave., Denver, CO 80205
• Kiva Restaurant, 3090 Downing St., Denver, CO 80205
• Cafe Brazil, 4408 Lowell Blvd., Denver, CO 80211
Other notes:
• We heard from both Tom Cronin and Michael Genovese today. Cronin spoke about surprises this election cycle — namely, John McCain's comeback and Barack Obama's rise to the top of the list of Democratic presidential contenders. We also heard from Scott McLean, a political science professor at Quinnipiac University, on how to read polling data.
• We also heard an excellent presentation from David O'Connor, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service's dignitary protective division. He's worked to protect candidates such as Al Gore (1988) and Pat Buchanan (1992). He was part of the Clinton family's security detail for 5 years, beginning in 1996. He followed Chelsea Clinton through her time in high school, for example.
Additionally, he rode with Pope Benedict XVI to such sites as ground zero in New York City during the pope's recent visit to the United States. He also assisted in security during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Columbia University and the United Nations in New York in September 2007.
O'Connor said his is a fantastic job, and despite the moving involved, and the 21-day periods away from his family, it was been a truly exceptional experience. But with retirement only a few years away, he said, his days helping run convention security are coming to a close.
"You have to keep focused, and you can't let circumstances define you," she said in her remarks.
Wedgeworth, the president of the Denver Host Committee, had attended the Democratic conventions in 2000 and 2004, she said, and she wondered why Denver couldn't host something similar.
But many others didn't share that belief. In fact, she said, they thought she had lost her mind.
At one point, she said, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper told her, "I think you're asleep, and you need to wake up."
She continued to pursue the convention, and at a reception in Denver approached newly elected then-New Hampshire Governor Howard Dean. He seemed, perhaps, a bit incredulous (and he wasn't in the least alone, Wedgeworth said), but after considering her idea — that the next Democratic convention should be held here — he told her that the bidding process would begin in January 2006.
That was all she needed. After all, she said later during a Q and A session, the city has a lot going for it — more parks than any other city in the country, for example, and another committee is looking into the possibility of Denver being a host of the winter Olympics in 10 years.
"We're more than sports teams and mountains," she said.
She enrolled two friends as fundraisers to collect the $400,000 needed to enter the running. Throughout the entire process, Wedgeworth said, her goal was to keep taxpayers entirely out of the equation. If Denver were to get the convention, it would happen using independently raised money.
A field of 35 possible cities was narrowed to 11, and then to three — Minneapolis-St. Paul, New York and Denver. Soon thereafter, Minneapolis was chosen as the site of the Republican National Convention. With time, Wedgeworth said, it became apparent that Denver had a good chance of winning. U.S. Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and others signed a support letter saying Denver should be win approval as the host city.
On Jan. 12, 2007, the phone rang in Wedgeworth's office. Denver, it seemed, had been chosen for the convention.
Wedgeworth broke down in tears. After grueling months and numerous obstacles, she said she felt so many emotions that had built up inside of her.
"We basically did the impossible," she said.
Former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, a longtime mentor, called to congratulate her. He advised that she try to stop crying, as she would be getting many more phone calls with the news. Soon afterward, Hickenlooper called to apologize.
Wedgeworth, he said, had been right all along.
Wedgeworth's Denver restaurant picks:
For those living or working in the Denver area for the next 1 1/2 weeks, here are a few of Wedgeworth's restaurant favorites. She was raised on the east side of the city, she said, which influences some of her choices. All addresses were found using either the Web sites listed or Google Maps.
High-end options
• Strings Restaurant, 1700 Humboldt St., Denver, CO 80218
• The Oceanaire Seafood Room, 1405 Arapahoe St., Denver, CO 80202
• Denver ChopHouse & Brewery, 1735 19th Street #100, Denver, CO 80202
• Sullivan's Steak House, 1745 Wazee St., Denver, CO 80202
More favorites
• M & D's Bar-B-Que and Fish Palace, 2000 E 28th Ave., Denver, CO 80205
• Kiva Restaurant, 3090 Downing St., Denver, CO 80205
• Cafe Brazil, 4408 Lowell Blvd., Denver, CO 80211
Other notes:
• We heard from both Tom Cronin and Michael Genovese today. Cronin spoke about surprises this election cycle — namely, John McCain's comeback and Barack Obama's rise to the top of the list of Democratic presidential contenders. We also heard from Scott McLean, a political science professor at Quinnipiac University, on how to read polling data.
• We also heard an excellent presentation from David O'Connor, special agent in charge of the U.S. Secret Service's dignitary protective division. He's worked to protect candidates such as Al Gore (1988) and Pat Buchanan (1992). He was part of the Clinton family's security detail for 5 years, beginning in 1996. He followed Chelsea Clinton through her time in high school, for example.
Additionally, he rode with Pope Benedict XVI to such sites as ground zero in New York City during the pope's recent visit to the United States. He also assisted in security during Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to Columbia University and the United Nations in New York in September 2007.
O'Connor said his is a fantastic job, and despite the moving involved, and the 21-day periods away from his family, it was been a truly exceptional experience. But with retirement only a few years away, he said, his days helping run convention security are coming to a close.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Sad note from Ohio
I was saddened tonight to read about the death of U.S. Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Ohio) Wednesday night following a brain hemorrhage. She was scheduled to speak to our group next week. According to this article by The Associated Press, she was to have been a superdelegate to the convention. Additionally, the article says, she was the first black woman on the Ways and Means Committee.
All of the activity happening in Denver is a reporter's dream — so much to cover and discuss with others — but moments like this are certainly sobering. We can be thankful that in the United States, people of very diverse backgrounds and beliefs can pursue their dreams and find success in doing so, regardless of partisan orientation.
All of the activity happening in Denver is a reporter's dream — so much to cover and discuss with others — but moments like this are certainly sobering. We can be thankful that in the United States, people of very diverse backgrounds and beliefs can pursue their dreams and find success in doing so, regardless of partisan orientation.
Fieldwork and more
Just over an hour ago, I received my fieldwork assignment. I'm excited, and eager to find out what I will be doing with them. Among my first assignments, it seems, will be helping with press credentials for, I believe, employees (my supervisors don't do personal blogs, so I won't name them here. I begin work on Sunday in downtown Denver, and will be working about 5 1/2-hour shifts Monday through Thursday next week. Awesome!
I am scheduled to call my adviser on Friday to work out the details for the next few days.
Hints at Pepsi Center delegate seating
Illinois delegates will be seated in front of the stage at the Pepsi Center for the Democratic National Convention, said Travis Dredd, the Democratic National Convention Committee's deputy CEO for inside-the-hall operations, in remarks today. He also seemed to hint that seating might be rearranged based on an upcoming announcement, presumably a reference to Barack Obama's forthcoming pick for a vice presidential running mate, which reports indicate will be made by Saturday.
Dredd and Cameron Moody, the DNCC's deputy CEO for outside-the-hall operations, were among today's speakers.
More about DNC blogging
The two also spoke about the increased access to the convention that bloggers will have this year. They've removed the weights from the Denver Nuggets' weightroom at the Pepsi Center and will be turning the team's practice court into what they called a bloggers' den. One blogger per state will be seated on the floor of the convention, each with his or her respective state's delegates. Another blogging tent will be set up near Union Station, but that isn't affiliated with the DNC, they said.
What people can bring to the convention
Security concerns dictate what can and can't be brought into the Pepsi Center and various other locations where convention activities will be held. Here's what Dredd and Moody said you can expect:
IN: Cameras, but only smallish ones without tripods or big flashes
IN: Empty water bottles. These were a request and are a new addition. Water stations inside the Pepsi Center will allow people to hydrate.
OUT: Liquids of any kind
OUT: Umbrellas
Background, responsibilities and thoughts on Denver as a host city
Dredd served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 6 years, and went on to study political science at UCLA. He began work in a political setting as an advance person — someone who goes ahead of a presidential candidate, for example, to set up events in a city ahead of their scheduled arrival. He worked with former Democratic presidential candidates Al Gore and John Kerry, and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).
He said Denver has been a fun place to work over the past year because of its people and setting, and because it was so easy to connect with the community in setting up. He's been overseeing construction and production.
Moody's responsibilities include overseeing:
• airport operations: Meeting and greeting VIPs, delegates, the media and others
• the motor pool: GM is providing 400 flex-fuel vehicles, and the convention has over 1,000 volunteer drivers • the bus system: They've contracted out with 100 hotels in which convention attendees will stay, and buses provide transportation from those to the convention
• special services: Getting people from parties to the convention, and also handling American Disability Act issues to ensure that people who have special needs have access to the convention
• housing: They've got 17,000 hotel rooms allotted, and they have to put delegations together and organize when they'll be given credentials (that happens at breakfast, they said)
• security, credentialing and the Colorado Convention Center are also on the list of items that he works with
We also heard today from veteran Washington Post reporter Tom Reed, who often goes by T.R. Reed in print.
Convering conventions has become increasingly less fun for reporters, he said, as media place a greater focus on putting content online. He described his early days covering politics as a reporter in which reporters would travel together on planes that they quickly trashed. On a really good day, reporters would file two stories, and after that were free to do what they wanted.
They would designate a chief in whatever city they would be visiting to scout out the best restaurant in town and convince its management to stay open past closing time for the reporters, many of whom would pay a good deal of money for alcohol.
He said he doesn't believe in such a thing as an objective campaign reporter. As the days go by, reporters develop personal opinions about whether a candidate is qualified for the job. It's impossible not to, he said.
He described McCain as being loved by journalists everywhere because of his willingness to be interviewed. He said McCain reads reporters' stories and offers his feedback, including praise for a job well done. Obama is somewhat distant, Reed said, though he's only met him once. Reed's impression, he said, is that after reporters interview Obama a few times, they know what he will say in subsequent interviews.
Reed described the time he suggested to libertarian presidential candidate Ed Clark that he change up his speech at an upcoming event in Butte, Mont., by discussing his view that heroin should be legalized.
Clark ended up doing just that.
Reed also described being yelled at by Howard Dean for saying that Dean had yelled at staffers in a Post article. He described his time covering politics overseas, where he said it's much easier to get stories (he doesn't compete with reporters overseas, and he often doesn't care who wins those elections).
We also heard from Wally Podrazik, the DNCC's director of media logistics, another interesting speaker who described advances in technology that have transformed the convention since that in Denver in 1908.
I am scheduled to call my adviser on Friday to work out the details for the next few days.
Hints at Pepsi Center delegate seating
Illinois delegates will be seated in front of the stage at the Pepsi Center for the Democratic National Convention, said Travis Dredd, the Democratic National Convention Committee's deputy CEO for inside-the-hall operations, in remarks today. He also seemed to hint that seating might be rearranged based on an upcoming announcement, presumably a reference to Barack Obama's forthcoming pick for a vice presidential running mate, which reports indicate will be made by Saturday.
Dredd and Cameron Moody, the DNCC's deputy CEO for outside-the-hall operations, were among today's speakers.
More about DNC blogging
The two also spoke about the increased access to the convention that bloggers will have this year. They've removed the weights from the Denver Nuggets' weightroom at the Pepsi Center and will be turning the team's practice court into what they called a bloggers' den. One blogger per state will be seated on the floor of the convention, each with his or her respective state's delegates. Another blogging tent will be set up near Union Station, but that isn't affiliated with the DNC, they said.
What people can bring to the convention
Security concerns dictate what can and can't be brought into the Pepsi Center and various other locations where convention activities will be held. Here's what Dredd and Moody said you can expect:
IN: Cameras, but only smallish ones without tripods or big flashes
IN: Empty water bottles. These were a request and are a new addition. Water stations inside the Pepsi Center will allow people to hydrate.
OUT: Liquids of any kind
OUT: Umbrellas
Background, responsibilities and thoughts on Denver as a host city
Dredd served in the U.S. Marine Corps for 6 years, and went on to study political science at UCLA. He began work in a political setting as an advance person — someone who goes ahead of a presidential candidate, for example, to set up events in a city ahead of their scheduled arrival. He worked with former Democratic presidential candidates Al Gore and John Kerry, and U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).
He said Denver has been a fun place to work over the past year because of its people and setting, and because it was so easy to connect with the community in setting up. He's been overseeing construction and production.
Moody's responsibilities include overseeing:
• airport operations: Meeting and greeting VIPs, delegates, the media and others
• the motor pool: GM is providing 400 flex-fuel vehicles, and the convention has over 1,000 volunteer drivers • the bus system: They've contracted out with 100 hotels in which convention attendees will stay, and buses provide transportation from those to the convention
• special services: Getting people from parties to the convention, and also handling American Disability Act issues to ensure that people who have special needs have access to the convention
• housing: They've got 17,000 hotel rooms allotted, and they have to put delegations together and organize when they'll be given credentials (that happens at breakfast, they said)
• security, credentialing and the Colorado Convention Center are also on the list of items that he works with
We also heard today from veteran Washington Post reporter Tom Reed, who often goes by T.R. Reed in print.
Convering conventions has become increasingly less fun for reporters, he said, as media place a greater focus on putting content online. He described his early days covering politics as a reporter in which reporters would travel together on planes that they quickly trashed. On a really good day, reporters would file two stories, and after that were free to do what they wanted.
They would designate a chief in whatever city they would be visiting to scout out the best restaurant in town and convince its management to stay open past closing time for the reporters, many of whom would pay a good deal of money for alcohol.
He said he doesn't believe in such a thing as an objective campaign reporter. As the days go by, reporters develop personal opinions about whether a candidate is qualified for the job. It's impossible not to, he said.
He described McCain as being loved by journalists everywhere because of his willingness to be interviewed. He said McCain reads reporters' stories and offers his feedback, including praise for a job well done. Obama is somewhat distant, Reed said, though he's only met him once. Reed's impression, he said, is that after reporters interview Obama a few times, they know what he will say in subsequent interviews.
Reed described the time he suggested to libertarian presidential candidate Ed Clark that he change up his speech at an upcoming event in Butte, Mont., by discussing his view that heroin should be legalized.
Clark ended up doing just that.
Reed also described being yelled at by Howard Dean for saying that Dean had yelled at staffers in a Post article. He described his time covering politics overseas, where he said it's much easier to get stories (he doesn't compete with reporters overseas, and he often doesn't care who wins those elections).
We also heard from Wally Podrazik, the DNCC's director of media logistics, another interesting speaker who described advances in technology that have transformed the convention since that in Denver in 1908.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Tuesday: Italian food, two key DNC people and more
We met on Tuesday with Ricky Kirshner, the executive producer of the DNC today, and also with Leah Daughtry, who is responsible for the convention's spiritual outreach.
My question to Daughtry was this: How has the onset of the convention, and Barack Obama's message of change and unity, affected your prayer life.
Daughtry, who is pastor of a Pentecostal church, responded: "I pray more."
She laughed.
She went on to explain that religion was a central element in her formative years. Her parents made sure that she and her siblings were actively involved in their church, and focusing on their education second. If it required bringing homework to church, she said, that was an option. But those two things, she said, are fundamental to understanding who she is today.
Her faith was challenged, she said, when she moved from her home in Brooklyn to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. It was the first time she had lived away from Brooklyn. Dartmouth, she said, is the home of "Animal House." Thing was, Daughtry's family didn't drink. She'd never seen a keg, and was taken aback by fraternity culture.
She had to make a determination: Did she hold her faith because it was what she truly believed, or because it was simply what her parents had taught her? In the end, Daughtry said, she came to accept her faith for herself.
Now, Daughtry said, she relies on prayer to connect with the one who gives her strength. She prays every morning, she said. She prays at her altar, or outside, or in the shower. It keeps her centered, she said, particularly in a stress-filled convention environment, where people bring their problems with them. Interaction is crucial to getting things done, and you have to get past people's bad days and get to work.
Daughtry quoted Scripture on several occasions in her talk, including Matthew 7:1 ("Judge not, that you be not judged," New King James Version), and James 2:20, which reads, in part, "faith without works is dead." She had a Bible in her bag, she said, but she would refrain from taking it out on this particular day. She wasn't in church, she said.
Many students' questions centered on Obama's work in community outreach programs. Her message was one of "putting your money where your mouth is," saying you believe in helping those around you and then pursuing community activities that benefit others.
Finally, she stressed that her goal, to use her analogy, in steering the convention ship, is to make sure that all people are represented, those who are of a particular faith and those who are not. She stressed, though, that the United States offers freedom of, not from, religion, a distinction she said is important. In talking about abortion, for example, she said that it is the party's role to provide a safe haven for abortion rights supporters and also those who don't support such rights. The bottom line, she said, is respect.
She's always voted Democratic, and perhaps, she said, her party hasn't always done a good job of getting the message out that many of its members are people of faith. But that is one of her aims now. And it is her faith, she said, that has driven her political focus.
"The reason I'm a Democrat," she said, "is because I'm a person of faith, not the other way around."
After the talks this morning, we had our small group discussions (including an extended and sometimes heated — in a friendly way, mind you discussion over one professor's plan for reforming the primary system), and then packed up to board buses for our tour of Denver.
On our trip, we visited Red Rocks. Professor Lee Joliffe, of Drake University in Iowa, told me that she saw John Denver there in 1972. It was great, she said, to hear him sing "Rocky Mountain High" in Colorado. She said not much had changed since that concert — the awning over the stage may have been slightly extended, she wasn't sure — but she was disappointing to find nary a mention of the artist in the museum beneath the rocks.
Afterward, we headed past Invesco Field, home of the Denver Broncos and, at one time, the Colorado Rapids soccer team. It's also where Barack Obama is scheduled to deliver his acceptance speech next Thursday. We drove down Colfax for a ways, past the Fillmore and the state capitol building. We saw the Brown Palace Hotel, where the Clintons will be staying, and the Westin Hotel, where Obama is rumored to be staying for the convention. Afterward, we got dropped off in downtown, and a bunch of us MU kids made our way over to a nice Italian restaurant, Cafe Colore, where, for $9, you can get a really fantastic pizza and frequent refills of water, which we were craving.
I've been surprised so far just how much the altitude affects me after living in Colorado for so many years. I guess I've become more acclimated to Missouri. I noticed that my lips got really chapped when Julie and I were here camping in June, and it just seems like the climate is so dry. Then again, the Midwest has seen an incredible amount of rain this summer. Maybe things will change here soon.
After our restaurant trip, we made our way over to FedEx Kinko's, where several of my MU colleagues placed business card orders so as to have them ready ahead of the convention. Then we went over to the Tatter Cover bookstore again and hung out. I called Julie and talked to her outside for a while, and then I went in and read from our textbook for a few minutes before leaving. I hadn't realized the TC would close by 9 p.m. That seemed kind of early, but we just decided to browse 16th Street some more. We went to Goodtimes for a few minutes and talked before making our way back over to the bus stop near Union Station.
Now I'm back in my dorm room and getting ready to shut it down for the night. Wednesday will be big, because we are scheduled to find out with whom we've got credentials. I'm nervous, but I'm praying for the best, and I know it will all work out great. Keep an eye on my blog and Facebook for updates as the day progresses.
Oh, and I got to talk to my good buddy, Wes, today. He called me while at dinner. We talked for a few minutes. He and his family live in the Denver area, and we're hoping to get together for lunch at some point and, hopefully, church services. It will be good to catch up.
My question to Daughtry was this: How has the onset of the convention, and Barack Obama's message of change and unity, affected your prayer life.
Daughtry, who is pastor of a Pentecostal church, responded: "I pray more."
She laughed.
She went on to explain that religion was a central element in her formative years. Her parents made sure that she and her siblings were actively involved in their church, and focusing on their education second. If it required bringing homework to church, she said, that was an option. But those two things, she said, are fundamental to understanding who she is today.
Her faith was challenged, she said, when she moved from her home in Brooklyn to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. It was the first time she had lived away from Brooklyn. Dartmouth, she said, is the home of "Animal House." Thing was, Daughtry's family didn't drink. She'd never seen a keg, and was taken aback by fraternity culture.
She had to make a determination: Did she hold her faith because it was what she truly believed, or because it was simply what her parents had taught her? In the end, Daughtry said, she came to accept her faith for herself.
Now, Daughtry said, she relies on prayer to connect with the one who gives her strength. She prays every morning, she said. She prays at her altar, or outside, or in the shower. It keeps her centered, she said, particularly in a stress-filled convention environment, where people bring their problems with them. Interaction is crucial to getting things done, and you have to get past people's bad days and get to work.
Daughtry quoted Scripture on several occasions in her talk, including Matthew 7:1 ("Judge not, that you be not judged," New King James Version), and James 2:20, which reads, in part, "faith without works is dead." She had a Bible in her bag, she said, but she would refrain from taking it out on this particular day. She wasn't in church, she said.
Many students' questions centered on Obama's work in community outreach programs. Her message was one of "putting your money where your mouth is," saying you believe in helping those around you and then pursuing community activities that benefit others.
Finally, she stressed that her goal, to use her analogy, in steering the convention ship, is to make sure that all people are represented, those who are of a particular faith and those who are not. She stressed, though, that the United States offers freedom of, not from, religion, a distinction she said is important. In talking about abortion, for example, she said that it is the party's role to provide a safe haven for abortion rights supporters and also those who don't support such rights. The bottom line, she said, is respect.
She's always voted Democratic, and perhaps, she said, her party hasn't always done a good job of getting the message out that many of its members are people of faith. But that is one of her aims now. And it is her faith, she said, that has driven her political focus.
"The reason I'm a Democrat," she said, "is because I'm a person of faith, not the other way around."
After the talks this morning, we had our small group discussions (including an extended and sometimes heated — in a friendly way, mind you discussion over one professor's plan for reforming the primary system), and then packed up to board buses for our tour of Denver.
On our trip, we visited Red Rocks. Professor Lee Joliffe, of Drake University in Iowa, told me that she saw John Denver there in 1972. It was great, she said, to hear him sing "Rocky Mountain High" in Colorado. She said not much had changed since that concert — the awning over the stage may have been slightly extended, she wasn't sure — but she was disappointing to find nary a mention of the artist in the museum beneath the rocks.
Afterward, we headed past Invesco Field, home of the Denver Broncos and, at one time, the Colorado Rapids soccer team. It's also where Barack Obama is scheduled to deliver his acceptance speech next Thursday. We drove down Colfax for a ways, past the Fillmore and the state capitol building. We saw the Brown Palace Hotel, where the Clintons will be staying, and the Westin Hotel, where Obama is rumored to be staying for the convention. Afterward, we got dropped off in downtown, and a bunch of us MU kids made our way over to a nice Italian restaurant, Cafe Colore, where, for $9, you can get a really fantastic pizza and frequent refills of water, which we were craving.
I've been surprised so far just how much the altitude affects me after living in Colorado for so many years. I guess I've become more acclimated to Missouri. I noticed that my lips got really chapped when Julie and I were here camping in June, and it just seems like the climate is so dry. Then again, the Midwest has seen an incredible amount of rain this summer. Maybe things will change here soon.
After our restaurant trip, we made our way over to FedEx Kinko's, where several of my MU colleagues placed business card orders so as to have them ready ahead of the convention. Then we went over to the Tatter Cover bookstore again and hung out. I called Julie and talked to her outside for a while, and then I went in and read from our textbook for a few minutes before leaving. I hadn't realized the TC would close by 9 p.m. That seemed kind of early, but we just decided to browse 16th Street some more. We went to Goodtimes for a few minutes and talked before making our way back over to the bus stop near Union Station.
Now I'm back in my dorm room and getting ready to shut it down for the night. Wednesday will be big, because we are scheduled to find out with whom we've got credentials. I'm nervous, but I'm praying for the best, and I know it will all work out great. Keep an eye on my blog and Facebook for updates as the day progresses.
Oh, and I got to talk to my good buddy, Wes, today. He called me while at dinner. We talked for a few minutes. He and his family live in the Denver area, and we're hoping to get together for lunch at some point and, hopefully, church services. It will be good to catch up.
Lineup for the morning
Today, we're scheduled to hear from Ricky Kirshner, the executive producer of the DNC, and also Leah Daughtry, the DNC's CEO. You can read more about Daughtry in this New York Times piece.
More will come, but for now I'm headed to breakfast. Enjoy your morning!
More will come, but for now I'm headed to breakfast. Enjoy your morning!
Monday, August 18, 2008
A visit to downtown Denver
Today we heard from two leading authors on the American presidency, Thomas Cronin and Michael Genovese. Both had interesting points to make about the paradoxical nature of the public when it comes to electing a president.
For example, people want their candidate to be above politics, a man of the people, yet someone of uncommon genius who is able to work the system to make changes that benefit them. Stuff like that.
After that, we had a group picture on the steps of the library. Trying to get 400+ people together for a picture is a Herculean task, but they managed it well, and then it was time for lunch. I had a snack and did some homework.
After that, I made it out to our small group session, where Colorado Public Television filmed part of our discussion about the morning's speakers. Look for the video online soon!
Also, myself and a group of MU kids went downtown on the shuttle, toured around a bit, had a bite to eat at Goodtimes (guacamole bacon burger — outstanding) and walked over near the Pepsi Center. We could also see Invesco Field in the distance, home of the Broncos, and soon to be home to Barack Obama's acceptance speech one week from Thursday.
We made it back here before 10 p.m., after which I called Julie and talked to Dad on the phone. I have a great support system, and it's been fun sharing my experiences so far.
Tuesday's lineup looks promising. We've got a Denver tour lined up in the afternoon, and the morning's speakers are the DNC's producer (the TV guy, presumably, who makes it all appear in our homes) and the woman in charge of religion for the convention.
But it's late, and I'll try to write more later today (Tuesday). Talk to you soon!
For example, people want their candidate to be above politics, a man of the people, yet someone of uncommon genius who is able to work the system to make changes that benefit them. Stuff like that.
After that, we had a group picture on the steps of the library. Trying to get 400+ people together for a picture is a Herculean task, but they managed it well, and then it was time for lunch. I had a snack and did some homework.
After that, I made it out to our small group session, where Colorado Public Television filmed part of our discussion about the morning's speakers. Look for the video online soon!
Also, myself and a group of MU kids went downtown on the shuttle, toured around a bit, had a bite to eat at Goodtimes (guacamole bacon burger — outstanding) and walked over near the Pepsi Center. We could also see Invesco Field in the distance, home of the Broncos, and soon to be home to Barack Obama's acceptance speech one week from Thursday.
We made it back here before 10 p.m., after which I called Julie and talked to Dad on the phone. I have a great support system, and it's been fun sharing my experiences so far.
Tuesday's lineup looks promising. We've got a Denver tour lined up in the afternoon, and the morning's speakers are the DNC's producer (the TV guy, presumably, who makes it all appear in our homes) and the woman in charge of religion for the convention.
But it's late, and I'll try to write more later today (Tuesday). Talk to you soon!
Day 2: August 18, 2008
I'm going to write just briefly now, as it appears a bunch of us MU kids are headed to downtown Denver for some dinner and a visit to the ESPN Zone for some Olympics. Hopefully we can get a little better appreciation for the city in the process.
It was a great and eventful day, and the assignments seem reasonable. We're basically going through our textbook to look for key points and items we find interesting, and we're also to keep a journal on a regular basis. The emphasis will be on preparing an article so that we can look back on our time here and remember what it was like. One of our group leaders, MU professor Sandy Davidson, suggested we write it to our future grandchildren.
I'll plan to write more shortly — heard two good speakers on the American presidency today — but I'll close to get ready in time.
It was a great and eventful day, and the assignments seem reasonable. We're basically going through our textbook to look for key points and items we find interesting, and we're also to keep a journal on a regular basis. The emphasis will be on preparing an article so that we can look back on our time here and remember what it was like. One of our group leaders, MU professor Sandy Davidson, suggested we write it to our future grandchildren.
I'll plan to write more shortly — heard two good speakers on the American presidency today — but I'll close to get ready in time.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
I'm in Denver
Good afternoon, friends and co-workers,
I've arrived in Denver and have moved into my room at Regis University, from whence most students attending The Washington Center's programming will be staying during the next two weeks. It's a pretty campus, and the students seem friendly so far.
It's a nice room, though I do wish they would have provided a fitted sheet. Is that so much to ask? Instead, I have two top sheets. Ah, well. It's a minor thing. I'm here, safe and sound, and I'm largely unpacked. I've got a powerful amount of reading to get through in the next several days, but it looks to be a promising experience.
For whom will I be working? An excellent question, one for which I still don't have an answer. But I'll keep you posted (unless, as I found out today, I get assigned to a media member that forbids its employees from blogging!). Talk to you soon. — Nate
I've arrived in Denver and have moved into my room at Regis University, from whence most students attending The Washington Center's programming will be staying during the next two weeks. It's a pretty campus, and the students seem friendly so far.
It's a nice room, though I do wish they would have provided a fitted sheet. Is that so much to ask? Instead, I have two top sheets. Ah, well. It's a minor thing. I'm here, safe and sound, and I'm largely unpacked. I've got a powerful amount of reading to get through in the next several days, but it looks to be a promising experience.
For whom will I be working? An excellent question, one for which I still don't have an answer. But I'll keep you posted (unless, as I found out today, I get assigned to a media member that forbids its employees from blogging!). Talk to you soon. — Nate
Friday, July 11, 2008
At the outset
It doesn't seem possible that the Democratic National Convention is just over a month away. I'm already getting jittery.
It's not like I've never been to Colorado. I mean, I grew up there. I fell in love with newspapers there (and those mountains and I, we've always sort of gotten along nicely).
But there will be people — loads and loads of them — and media like I've probably never seen. Everyone will be scrambling to talk to the politicians and to get into all of the cool, exclusive gigs.
How do you compete with that? My guess is that you give it all you've got and pray that things fall into place. I'm confident that it's going to be an awesome experience.
Now, I need your questions — what stories aren't you seeing that you'd like more information on? With whom should I try to land interviews? And what questions do you have about how this whole convention thing works? Got any tips for a wet-behind-the-ears journalist?
Add your comments to this blog. I'll be compiling a list for myself and creating another one from your suggestions that will go on this blog.
Share Denver news and convention updates here, too.
It's not like I've never been to Colorado. I mean, I grew up there. I fell in love with newspapers there (and those mountains and I, we've always sort of gotten along nicely).
But there will be people — loads and loads of them — and media like I've probably never seen. Everyone will be scrambling to talk to the politicians and to get into all of the cool, exclusive gigs.
How do you compete with that? My guess is that you give it all you've got and pray that things fall into place. I'm confident that it's going to be an awesome experience.
Now, I need your questions — what stories aren't you seeing that you'd like more information on? With whom should I try to land interviews? And what questions do you have about how this whole convention thing works? Got any tips for a wet-behind-the-ears journalist?
Add your comments to this blog. I'll be compiling a list for myself and creating another one from your suggestions that will go on this blog.
Share Denver news and convention updates here, too.
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