Thinking Out Loud at 32,000 Feet and On the Ground - Denver08

by: rich

Mon Aug 25, 2008 at 12:34:49 PM EDT

In the Air

There are two competing forces at the convention:

The first is the reason for the convention itself: a four-day infommercial to showcase the party (of which I am a paid member) and it’s nominee for the presidency of the U.S.

The second is the actions of those of who would disrupt or attempt to hijack the message of the infommerical: protesters and Republicans. The latter, unless Obama or Biden makes some sort of gaffe, really have no chance. This is Obama's Week.

The convention itself is an excuse to party, to celebrate being a Democrat. This doesn’t hold much promise for news organizations looking to report what is commonly known as “news.” Infommercials are not news.

Barack Obama already has the party’s nomination. As ground-breaking an accomplishment as nominating the first black man for President, there’s no news in that anymore. The days of brokered conventions are long over. Gone is the behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing. It’s been replaced by a nomination process waged on the ground, mostly on television, and on the Internet.

That the city of Denver has all but declared Martial Law while the convention is in town is telling on so many levels. Protesters, especially the anti-war types, have gotten media attention not for their messages, but for the tactics they have promised not to use and for the looming threats that local officials have set for them, should the protesters “get out of hand:” lots of pepper spray, riot gear, and plenty of jail space. Congress allocated $50 million for the city of Denver to use for security and they’ve spent every penny.

The goal for Mayor Hickenlooper is to make sure nothing so much as an errant sign disturbs the delegates. Delegates will be bussed from their air conditioned hotels in air conditioned buses to the air conditioned Pepsi Center. Someone, I’m sure, is even monitoring the conditioning of the air, less it prove displeasing to the honored guests.

What attention the protesters have received other than what they’re facing in terms of Denver’s security is of the marginalizing kind: that there’s no point in protesting the Democrats, that they’re not welcome in Denver, etc. The Recreate ‘68 crowd haven’t helped their cause by giving themselves such a stupid name. Yeah, let’s recreate the year MLK and RFK were assassinated, the Chicago Police and protesters fought in the streets, and Richard Nixon was elected as President of the United States. Good times, indeed.

That is the where the news will be. Not inside the convention hall. Not in whether Bill and Hillary give adequately supportive enough speeches. The speeches will be interesting to a point; to see who might be a rising star and to hear what message Obama and the Democrats are going to deliver. If the infommercial gets disturbed by what happens outside the convention halls that will be news. If not, then all will have gone according to plan.

Remember, the air is much thinner at 32,000 feet.

On the Ground

Arrived in one piece at Casa Frankenoid. Sitting in the beautiful garden/back yard, eating tamales, watching tthe occasional pair of black patrol helicopters fly overhead, the consensus among Colorado bloggers and activists is that the protesters are barking up the wrong tree. This is not like ‘68. Obama spoke out against the War in Iraq back when it was unfashionable to do so. He’s committed to ending the occupation of Iraq sooner rather than later, unlike Sen. McCain.

Besides, most Denver citizens have to work, and they’d appreciate it if the protesters didn’t block their routes to work. They’re already dealing with closed streets and closed light rail station stops, and rerouted bus routes. (While riding the light rail line in the afternoon, a woman told me that she and the rest of the people of Denver feel like they're being invaded.)

Oh, and if you’re going to try to get your message across, make sure you know who you’re aiming it at and why: Republicans need the Anti-War message far more than the Democrats. Go to the Twin Cities.