As I sit here in Mile-High Stadium on Day 4 of the Democratic Convention, Days 2 and 3 have become more of a blur, it seems, in retrospect, reflecting on my journey through the floating world of of the DNC. Pols, MSM members and members of the foreign press, cool bloggers, celebrities, protesters, riot police, delegates, tourists, homeless, hawkers, DNC staff members and volunteers, a few freeps - all have been part of the experience of this political-tribal gathering. How to present and what of it to present has been the challenge that competes with, and co-exists with, the logistics of functioning here for five days. Only a few small crises, a lost camera/USB cord that was really only left at the hotel room, major blisters on the feet, misjudging how much time one has to get from the blogger's Big Tent (which has been a embryonic but successful resource) to the hall, where to go and to whom to pay or give attention. Mostly it has been stimulating, and only slightly surreal. But what has and does it mean?
The U.S. political convention is a conventional anachronism, according to David Shribman in the Globe and Mail a few days ago. Bill Curry, former counselor to President Clinton, here in Denver, wrote a few days ago that delegates enter a kind of bubble here.
By and large, delegates are no better informed than folks back home. Due to the rigors of constant partying, they read fewer newspapers and see less television. They spend long hours shuttling to events in vans full of people who agree with them about almost everything. They lose perspective.
I think that part of what it means to be here doing what I've been doing (for the technical better or worse of it) is actually an attempt to be part of a Rheingold "smart mob" (intelligent emergent behavior, anyone?), rather than a resident of an echo chamber.
Tuesday, I met Digby the famed blogger, known for incisively cutting to the marrow of the matter, while in the 40-minute long security line to get into the convention hall. She is taking part in a panel today at the Big Tent on the topic of "The Progressive Moment: Blog For Our Future - 'the progressive moment' and the role of the progressive blogosphere in setting the stage for political transformation in 2009 and beyond. We'll exchange ideas on the strategies that can be put in place over the coming weeks for setting a progressive agenda, consolidating public support and holding elected officials accountable." That sounds to me as valuable an activity as any that has occurred here (although the Indian Pale Ales at the Skylark Lounge are up at the top of the list, too.), but, yes, I would have loved to get a picture with Rachel Maddow. She moderated a "town-hall" with the CEO of Google at 10 this morning in The Big Tent and I was much too exhausted from the night before to make the meet. Myself, meet kick.
I remarked to someone back home in North Carolina in the rush to get ready before I left for Colorado, "You do realize I am going in order to do my part to save this country from itself?" The statement just popped out of me at one moment, I guess as an explanation for the expenditure of time and other resources to take part in this. Four more years of bizarrely rationalized radical right-wing rule, incompetence, corruption, patrio-masturbation and demagoguery disjointed from logic and compassion? The overturning of Roe v. Wade? No, thanks. Is that, in that statement, where the meaning is to be found for me? Or is it just to be able to say "I will be in the stadium for Barack Obama's acceptance speech tonight, and I will be witness to history?" Both.
Eh, enough. Here's a butt-load of photographs for you from Days 2 and 3!
Tuesday, Dan Rather gave an excellent presentation in The Big Tent to journalists and bloggers, discussing the state of American media, Bill Moyers, the film "Body of War," and more. DUer DFW's notations on Rather's talk concerning the "sorry state" of mainstream corporate media is here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3864088
MEANWHILE, as I previously mentioned, current CBS Nightly News anchor Katie Couric, was downstairs meeting with bloggers, and with Gerry Leary, master coffee roaster for The Unseen Bean of Boulder, CO. I believe I first learned of Unseen Bean on DU, but here's the website:
http://www.theunseenbean.com. Gerry says there that his passion for coffee began "in 1994 when visiting a San Francisco cafe. I heard what sounded like a rock tumbler and discovered it was a coffee roaster. I realized then that coffee didn't have to be flat and bitter, as coffee roasting was a true art form. Blind from birth, my visual impairment kept me from finding an apprenticeship in the coffee business. So I attended the San Francisco Coffee Training Institute and began my journey in the land of gourmet coffee roasting."
DU member DFW signs into The Big Tent to get guest credentials to head upstairs.
A young artist inspired by William Blake paints on a sidewalk in Civic Center Park.
16th Street Mall rest spot for the button people.
Adjacent to the Pepsi Center, police organized vehicles to prepare for the arrival of Wednesday's anti-war protest march.
Bag of buttons in the convention hall security line. I took this photo not long after Joe Scarborough and entourage rushed into the hall. Just what is his deal, now?
After seeing the mayor, I met up finally with some Code Pinkers, whereupon I heard of the previous night's violence and arrests of protesters. This was around 3:30 p.m. and a nap sounded like a good idea.
A citizen journalist from Texas documents Hillary's speech.
Cop Watch at the Iranian Pavilion in Civic Center Park after the anarchists' meeting had been broken up.
I think this guy had a cause. I think.
Illinois and New York delegations on the arena floor. The facilitator for the hearing empaired can be seen to the left.
The Denver Art Museum complex located at one end of Civic Center Park.
I could not quite figure out what the police officer was up to here - just curious, looking for souvenirs, or wondering whether he should arrest the guy selling the "Right-Wing Deprogrammer Dunce Caps" designed to eliminate false Fox News/GOP beliefs.
It turns out the woman standing right in front of me in the entrance line for the convention hall was Digby of Hullabaloo!
Falungong activist on 16th Street Mall.
Upon entering Civic Center Park for the first time, I bought a copy of "Goodnight Bush" from the guys who wrote it, a parody of "Goodnight Bush." An autographed copy came with a free bumpersticker.
Guam.
This is the tunnel-like hall way that connected the television press areas at floor level. It was here that I found myself walking behind Andrea Mitchell looking ever so serious. "I wish you would stop parroting the Republican-talking points," I said to the guy showing me the way to the elevators, after Ms. Mitchell had disappeared into another area. Thought it best to keep my credentials that DU has so thoughtfully provided.
For sale on 16th Street. The next day, Ava showed me that she bought one!
A Hillary supporter gives an adrenalized counter argument to the Obama supporter sitting on a Civic Center Park bench, as others look on, amused, or not.
Hispanic Hillary supporter in Civic Center Park.
Horseshit.
This ice cream vendor apparently thought he had found a good crowd to offer his wares, only to decide seconds later that he had better move out of the situation into which he had just rolled his cart.
Imperialist cuckoo clock.
No War In Iran.
Participants in the March of the Dead held in D.C. make another appearance in Denver.
Media Matters presence near the convention hall.
Family members with special guest passes wait in the security line on Tuesday night.
NARAL ladies working out the parking payment system.
Obama sign in the convention hall.
I dodn't know who this guy is in front of the state capital, but if you look to the left, the Obamamobile makes another appearance.
Non-Pelosi fan sits in Civic Center Park.
The Police who had donned their "crowd-control" gear set up a line near the Iranian Pavilion.
Posters in the amphitheater area of the park.
The C-Span and Al Jazeera press sky boxes in the convention hall.
Protesters had headed out from the park down 16th Street with megaphone in hand.
Protester in the park.
Preparing to break up the meeting of the anarchists, a police officer adjusts her helmet.
Riot Police.
Denver is a city of scooters and bicylcles.
Too signs of security elements at the park. A circling helicopter and roof-top presence.
"To Serve And Protect"
"Tell Your Mama, Vote Obama."
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