We really need to put the Democratic Convention in Pittsburgh in 2020.

[StevieM]

There is a new Pittsburgh that Donald Trump and the Republicans are totally unfamiliar with. We need to highlight it as part of the emerging vision for America that we Democrats are championing.

The new energy economy is not a challenge for the United States, it is an opportunity. We can remake our country, like the way that Pittsburgh remade itself.

Can I get some love for Pittsburgh 2020?

[redstatebluegirl]

1. We need to focus on 2018!!!!

2020 doesn't matter if we aren't even here! We need to get out the vote and take back the House and Senate in 2018. It will take getting lazy democrats out to vote, even if they see we are ahead!!!! I don't want to think about 2020 right now!

[StevieM]

2. Maybe you missed the point of my post.

Trump said something today about looking out for Pittsburgh, not Paris. My post was designed to highlight that there is a new Pittsburgh, and Donald Trump is clueless about the country he is living in.

In any event, many people cannot help but think about what they want in 2020. It doesn't necessarily divert focus. It could get people excited about bringing about change, and that could get them energized for 2018.

[karynnj]

4. The mayor of Pittsburgh just tweeted that he is with the Paris Accord

Link to tweet

[StevieM]

5. Thank you for posting that tweet. Pittsburgh is showing the leadership that Donald Trump will not.

I would say he should visit the city, but that would be pointless. He will just see whatever he wants to see.

[blue neen]

8. Please,

we don't want him here.

I like your OP, StevieM. Pittsburgh would be a fantastic choice for 2020!

Keep up the good work!

[karynnj]

9. Your welcome

I visited Pittsburgh just once with a some friends, including one who grew up there. That was in the 1970s. I was really surprised to see the stories when Obama used Pittsburgh to host an early G7 (or G20 - I forget) there to highlight the way Pittsburgh became a green town. I had heard a some portion of that in 2004 because Teresa Kerry's involvement in that led to her being picked by GHWB to go to the climate conference in 1992 where she met John Kerry again.

[Louis1895]

12. We need a TV Spot

I am envisioning a 30 second TV spot:

*********
Scene opens on Pittsburgh from days past (black and white imagery, dark music).
Closed steel mills
Urban decay
Ugly city scenes, Donald Trump video with Pittsburgh quote
Voice-over announcer says that Donald Trump wants us to return to generations past (transition from B/W to color)

Cut to new videos of Pittsburgh from today (color imagery, America the Beautiful instrumental).
Show downtown, clean river, biotech, etc.
End music with last stanza of America the Beautiful:

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

Spot ends with voice-over:
The choice is yours: Do you want to live in Trump's America of the past or help save America the Beautiful for our children and generations to come?

**********

I live in Philadelphia (which is now a beautiful city - much different from 1984, when I first moved here) and I enjoy visiting our sister city in the western part of the Commonwealth. Pittsburgh is a wonderful place to visit and live!

[StevieM]

13. Great post and great ad!!!!! You're hired, Louis1895!!!!

I have been to Philadelphia many times. I have many fond memories of the various times I have enjoyed the city.

I should pay Pittsburgh a visit someday, if only to visit PNC Park, which is the most magnificent ballpark in baseball IMO.

[appleannie1943]

28. We would welcome you with open arms and the restaurant scene is good too.

So, come hungry

[Jim Lane]

14. The site selection process will probably start before the midterm elections.

The 2016 selection process began in February 2014 (link for more detail). The GOP started in late 2013. I agree with GOTV for the midterms but I think we can walk and chew gum at the same time.

[Cattledog]

3. Yes! My hometown!

[StevieM]

6. Your profile says Atlanta, GA. Do you mean that you grew up in Pittsburgh and moved to Atlanta?

Or did you grow up in Atlanta and move to Pittsburgh?

[Cattledog]

7. Grew up in the Steel City, moved to Atlanta.

[jalan48]

10. I visited there once. Nice city and friendly people too. Great idea for 2020.

[MFM008]

11. My dad's family is from there

Good idea.

[former9thward]

15. There are not enough hotel rooms in the Pittsburgh area for the convention.

The DNC brings in roughly 50,000 people and Pittsburgh just can't accommodate that.

[StevieM]

16. Maybe we can rely on hotels and motels in the surrounding area as well.

It might make some things more difficult, but I think it would be worth it.

[StevieM]

17. Actually, check out these articles.

~snip~

In Friday's release, the city and county said they determined the region could meet hotel and other accommodations, but when they determined the cost of hosting the event would be prohibitive, they began talking with Philadelphia officials about helping them win the bid.

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2014/06/06/Pittsburgh-drops-bid-for-Democratic-National-Convention/stories/201406060233


~snip~

“There was never a question of whether the city could handle the convention, but there was quite a financial commitment that came along with it, and we knew that would be a big consideration,” said Craig Davis, president and chief executive of VisitPittsburgh, Allegheny County's tourism agency. “At least we know we can do it physically, and should the opportunity come up in the future, should the finances change and we feel we can make a go at it, we can do it again.”

http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/6241881-74/convention-pittsburgh-national


What do you think?

[former9thward]

21. Back in another life when I was an official with the Steelworkers Union

I used to go to Pittsburgh frequently for contract negotiations. I love the city and the surrounding area. The Steelworkers own a resort called Linden Hall which is in Dawson, PA about 35 miles south of Pittsburgh. I used to love to go for runs on the country roads and trails there.

As they said in the articles if the financing is there then go for it.

[appleannie1943]

29. This is from 2014 and it has grown more since then

The hotel construction industry is booming, and the greater Pittsburgh area has one of the fastest-growing hotel markets in the nation, data show.

The region has 55 projects, totaling 6,012 rooms, in its hotel construction pipeline, for a rate of planned rooms relative to existing rooms of 23.6 percent — the third highest in the country, according to Lodging Econometrics data compiled for the Tribune-Review.

Only Miami and New York have higher relative growth rates.

“You can see that developers are recognizing this boom and just capitalizing on it,” said John Valentine, executive director of Pittsburgh Downtown Community Development Corp.

Developers planning boutique properties and upscale, branded venues are flocking to the Pittsburgh region amid a rise in tourism and climbing demand at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Bookings are up by more than 50,000 for next year, organizers say, setting up 2015 to be the best year yet for such events.

And the surrounding area is building hotels hand over fist as well.
http://triblive.com/news/adminpage/7358896-74/hotel-pittsburgh-percent

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2014/03/27/When-it-comes-to-attracting-tourists-the-entire-region-works-together/stories/201403270003

[Demsrule86]

18. Here we go again. We need to focus on 2018

Why do so many seem to think the president is the most important vote? We need Congress in 18 or it won't much matter who runs in 20...the level of damage will be so severe...and every damn election is crucial...not just presidential ones.

[StevieM]

19. Getting excited about 2020 helps some of us also get excited for 2018.

Besides, this post wasn't about who the next president should be. It was about where the Democratic Convention should be.

I proposed Pittsburgh because it directly related to what just happened with the Paris agreement and Trump's own words. Highlighting our differences with him on this has an immediate baring for 2018.

[Demsrule86]

20. 18 comes first and I don't care where we hold our convention.

It is important to get excited about 18...we desperately need to...and with Trump, I can't even think about 20.

[mrmpa]

22. the G-20 summit was here in the 'Burgh in 2009.........

if we could handle all those "anarchist" rioters, surely we can handle the handful of Trump lovers that will still be around in 3 years.

[StevieM]

23. Oh, I suspect that there will be more than a handful.

There are a lot of crazy people who love him. I don't expect that to change.

I just want to win over enough people to win the election in a landslide.

[ananda]

24. Absolutely!

Good idea!

[BumRushDaShow]

25. Doubt they would do 2 Pennsylvania cities in a row

Am thinking they will probably go with some mid-western city though - maybe St. Louis or Indianapolis -cities in states that have gone blue in the past (IN in 2008) or were very close in the past couple elections.

[StevieM]

26. I don't think they would rule it out, especially after we lost PA in 2016 (thanks to Comey). (eom)

[BumRushDaShow]

27. They will.

You notice the pattern - Colorado, North Carolina, Pennsylvania (Ohio was high on the list this past election but the GOP grabbed it first and Philly pushed hard at that point).

The PA flip was a freak incident IMHO. As a note, here in Philly, the typical "3rd party" vote totals the past Presidential elections have been around 5,000 - 6,000 votes. This last election, it was over 14,000 (Jill Stein + Gary Johnson), so that was an usual spike and significant chunk of "wasted" votes (this was out of > 600,000 votes total cast from the city) compared to the past.

If the party is indicating they want to "speak to" those areas of the country that bemoan being "left behind", then they need to head away from the east coast (even though many here in the east were also "left behind" but don't seem to get the same press).

If not the "central" midwest, then possibly the southwest - like Arizona, where they are pushing hard for a flip.... or west to Nevada, a place that has recently flipped.

What the DNC may do is host some other significant event in Pittsburgh though - a way to troll Drumpf.

[StevieM]

30. I still hope the party picks Pittsburgh. But I definitely agree that Arizona can be flipped,

even in a close race.

I hope we seriously contest that state in 2020.

[RockCreek]

31. Pittsburgh would embrace it!!

I lived there when Obama was president, and the city was thrilled by his embrace. I would expect it to do whatever is needed, including renting individual rooms, to make it possible. It would mean much more to Pittsburgh than yo a "standard" city such as Chicago or Philadelphia.