Amid convention scrambling, rift shows: City, campaign split on mission

[Freddie Stubbs]

By Rick Klein and Donovan Slack | May 24, 2004

Senator John F. Kerry’s suggestion that he would delay accepting the presidential nomination until after the Democratic National Convention, floated on Friday, has provided the clearest evidence yet of a growing divide between city officials and party officials planning the event.

With Kerry and the Democratic National Convention Committee on one side, and Mayor Thomas M. Menino and his convention host committee on the other, an inherent tension exists, owing to their disparate missions and different political stakes. Until now, that tension has stayed largely below the surface, with private grumbling rarely making it to the public arena.

But yesterday, Menino again called on Kerry to accept his party’s nomination at the Democratic National Convention, in keeping with the practice at previous conventions. He said Kerry’s goal of leveling the spending playing field, while worthwhile, can be accomplished by other means than delaying the nomination process.

Rather than affect convention planning that has been proceeding for more than 18 months, Kerry should seek to have Congress change the Federal Election Commission rules, Menino said. Both political parties should have the same start date for the official "general election cycle," regardless of when their conventions are held, he said.

more: http://www.boston.com/news/politics/president/kerry/articles/2004/05/24/amid_convention_scrambling_rift_shows/

[ClintonTyree]

1. Sure................

a Republican controlled Congress will be more than happy to change the rules so that everything is fair and equitable. I'm sure of it. :silly:

[WI_DEM]

2. I tend to agree with the Mayor

This convention has been in the works for months and I think it would slow momentum for Kerry to put off accepting the nomination at the convention--before thousands of happy, enthusiastic delegates. The networks might not even cover the convention at all if he does this.