Monthly Archives: September 2006

Democratic Convention Watch: Hurricanes hurt Tampa’s GOP bid

Friday, September 29, 2006

Hurricanes hurt Tampa’s GOP bid

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

I’ve argued here and here that it’s just not fair to rule out coastal cities as hosts of political conventions because of hurricanes. Five conventions have been held in hurricane prone cities in recent years: Houston – 1992, New Orleans – 1988, Miami Beach: 1968 (Rep) and 1972 (both Dem and Rep). Add Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Charlotte, and even Philadelphia, New York and Boston, and you’ve got a lot of potential cities that could be hit by a hurricane. Well unfortunately for Tampa, Tropical Storm Ernesto was headed toward Florida in late August, and it looks like the GOP did not want to take a chance:

Tampa bid organizers said [Ken] Mehlman, [chairman of the Republican National Committee] told them the threat of hurricanes cost them the convention. Continue Reading...

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Democratic Convention Watch: Denver gets a union hotel – update

Friday, September 29, 2006

Denver gets a union hotel – update

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

Great news for Denver’s bid for the 2008 Democratic Convention: A key hotel, the Hyatt Regency Denver at the Colorado Convention Center, is being unionized:

Workers at the Hyatt Regency Denver at Colorado Convention Center have formed a union, organizers reported today. The city-bonded Hyatt has been the focus of union and political attention since organized labor voted earlier this year to oppose Denver’s bid for the 2008 Democratic National Convention unless the hotel was unionized. Continue Reading...

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Democratic Convention Watch: Wasn’t Denver our first choice anyway?

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Wasn’t Denver our first choice anyway?

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

There is a lot of whining in the blogosphere today about how the Democrats got beat by Republicans to St. Paul, and why did the Democrats move so slow. Enough.

Denver, Minnepolis/St. Paul and New Orleans have been the three favorites to host the convention all year long, and for many of us, Denver has been the most attractive choice. St. Paul is out, and New Orleans decided not to bid. I think we all agree that Denver will make a fantastic host for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, and hopefully Dean and the DNC will choose Denver to host the convention. Continue Reading...

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Democratic Convention Watch: Did the GOP play fair?

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Did the GOP play fair?

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

Now we don’t expect the GOP to really ever play fair, but I argued in the comments below that I thought the GOP decision to pre-emptively choose St. Paul was smart, not dirty politics. But a Minnesota Democrat says otherwise:

Rick Stafford, a member of the executive committee of the Democratic National Committee from Minneapolis, said negotiations set for next week “would have pretty much cemented the deal.” He said the GOP’s decision showed that Republicans “cannot keep their honor in the site-selection process.” He said as the non-incumbent party, Democrats should have been able to choose their site first in keeping with tradition. Continue Reading...

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Democratic Convention Watch: Democrats were close to deciding?!?! – updated

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Democrats were close to deciding?!?! – updated

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

They always put the good stuff at the bottom of the article:

By Wednesday, the race had come down to the wire. National Democrats were to meet on Friday in New York to make their pick. National Republicans had already closed in on the Twin Cities. Continue Reading...

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Democratic Convention Watch: Hotline says Denver back in play

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Hotline says Denver back in play

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

I normally try not to show a full article, but the latest from the Hotline on the 2008 Democratic National Convention has nothing that can be skipped:

The city of Denver, which as recently as early September stood a small chance of securing the Democratic National Convention in ’08, is a contender once again. Continue Reading...

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Democratic Convention Watch: GOP selects St. Paul/Minneapolis

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

GOP selects St. Paul/Minneapolis

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

While the Democrats moved first in picking convention dates and visiting cities, the GOP, realizing they needed to move fast to get their first choice, announced today that they have chosen St. Paul/Minneapolis as the site of their 2008 convention. New York, Cleveland and Tampa/St. Petersburg were also in the running. The convention will be held at St. Paul’s Xcel Center, just as the Democrats were going to do. This leaves the Democrats with Denver and New York as their final two choices.

CQ notes: Continue Reading...

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Democratic Convention Watch: Denver Dem expects a mid-November decision

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Denver Dem expects a mid-November decision

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

The Denver Business Journal reports:

Denver attorney Steve Farber, a partner at Brownstein Hyatt & Farber and a chair of the [Denver 2008] host committee [said] “They’ll probably negotiate two contracts and pick one. I think we’ll hear [from the Democratic National Committee] in mid-November.” Continue Reading...

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Democratic Convention Watch: Dems still have the better date

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Dems still have the better date

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

Over at Daily Kos, various commenters are asking that the Democrats change their 2008 convention date to go after the GOP. Again, here’s why the Democrats have the better date, and why they shouldn’t change:

  1. The GOP is starting their convention on Labor Day – bad for viewership
  2. The GOP is going right after the Democrats, causing all the media to have to do back-to-back conventions, and losing their Labor Day weekend. Can you say “cranky media”
  3. Ending the convention on the Thursday before Labor Day leads into a great weekend of campaigning
  4. Doing the convention the following week runs into the start of the new TV season, giving the networks more reasons to reduce their coverage
  5. Doing the convention the following week causes the acceptance speech to occur on 9/11/08, which can only distract from the focus of the day.
  6. Doing the convention the following week could cause problems for all the teachers who are delegates, and teachers make up a large proportion of delegates at the Democratic Convention.
  7. There are some state-specific laws having to do with ballot access that pretty much prevent us from holding it much later than the GOP in 2008. (Thanks to Dan Slater’s comment at Daily Kos)

The Democrats picked the better week. Continue Reading...

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Democratic Convention Watch: Could St. Paul have gone for the Democrats today?

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Could St. Paul have gone for the Democrats today?

WE’VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com

From CQPolitics.com:

Jeremy Hanson, a spokesman for Democratic Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, said the cities were in a “flurry” of final negotiations with both parties Wednesday, and Republicans moved to seal the deal first. Continue Reading...

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