The Daily Blogger Credential - Video Game Walk-through Edition

by: rich

Wed Aug 27, 2008 at 15:46:03 PM EDT

Every day this is what I go through to get and use my Blogger Credential. You must get a new credential for your blog every day; there’s a credential for each day of the week.

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Your first goal is to obtain the credential itself. To do this you must go to the hotel where the blogger credentials are being given out: the Hampton Inn and Suites.

Once inside the Hampton Inn, go to the elevators; make a right, then a quick left. Take the elevator to the third floor. Turn left. Turn left again. There you can enter the small conference room where the credentials are stored.

If there’s a line, you must wait until a DNC staffer tells you you can enter the room. The credentials are sorted alphabetically by blog name, with a person assigned to handing out the credentials for a particular group of letters (A-C, D-H, I-M, etc.).

When they let you into the room, you must wait against the wall behind the person who is currently obtaining their credential from the same alphabet group as you. Not a few steps behind, no right behind, but against the wall. Failure to do so may result in a very stern talking to, “What part of against the wall don’t you understand?”

No matter what time you go, there will be at least one blogger freaking out over some misinformation/miscommunication/perceived slight that they have been forced to endure. (Many bloggers have Big Egos. They think they’re as important as the people they write about.) They might exclaim that they’re “tired of getting the runaround!” or even storm off in a huff shouting, “This was a waste of my fucking time!” Stay calm and cool. This is the first time that the DNC has given so many bloggers so much access to the convention. There are bound to be mistakes...The staff is actually very helpful and they tell you as much as they know and are very willing to do what they can to help you in case there is a problem. Talk steadily to the staff and don’t shout.

When it’s your turn, have your ID ready. They’ll check your ID with your blog name and then have you sign for the day’s credential. Don’t be surprised if they ask you to sign “upside down.” That is, on the lines for Signature and Printed Name, the big binder won’t be turned around for you, so you’ll just sign and write your name on the appropriate lines. Don't let this be too confusing.

Now that you have your credential, your next goal is to go to the Big Tent or the Pepsi Center. As you’ll notice on the map below, the Hampton Inn (A) is over 1.5 miles form the Pepsi Center and a little less than that from the Big Tent (B).

One of the quickest is to go via the 16th street mall shuttle bus. It’s a free bus. But with all the conventioners it’s often very crowded. You could walk down 16th street or even 15th. But you’ll have to dodge all the people handing out pamphlets and things. Everything from Anti-Immigration flyers to people wanting to Stop Bird Porn.

Beware of the people handing out free water: in order to obtain the free bottled water you must accept a fan which you can use to fan yourself in the heat. One side of the fan says, "I'm a Clean Coal Fan." The other side has a whole bunch of bullet points proclaiming the glories of burning coal to generate electricity. This is especially tempting on hot August days. Acceptance of such water (in a bottle) from the “Clean” coal people will cause you to lose your liberal credentials. Penalties include: self-guilt, disdainful glares from others, and being flamed on the Internet.

Threading this gauntlet of conventioners and people handing out stuff can be tiring. But the rewards are definitely worth the trouble.

Once at the Big Tent, there is no hassle to getting in, as long as you bought your pass beforehand. Day passes are available, but expensive ($150/day).

For the Pepsi Center, be prepared to show your credential many times. You’ll have to show it to get inside the perimeter which is defined by all the huge metal barricades. The perimeter extends well over two blocks in a radius around the venue. Then to go through security, where they will scan your pass. After that you are subject to having your bags scanned and searched. To smooth your way through, put all metal objects in your laptop bag. This way you only have to put your bag on the conveyor belt for the scanner, and not empty your pockets into a special container, too.

If you bring a bottled drink, be prepared to take a sip of it as evidence, to security staff, that it is not a dangerous liquid of any kind.

After all of this, you might want to take advantage of the free vanilla ice cream that CNN is giving out, before entering the Pepsi Center. After all the walking and obstacle-avoiding, ice cream is a good way to refresh yourself, especially in the August heat.

To enter the Pepsi Center, you will have to show your credential.

As a blogger you have access to the Bloggers Lounge, which has ethernet connections and plenty of power strips for charging laptops, cameras, and cell phones. To get there you must go up the escalators to the right. Once at the top, turn left then walk to section 120. You can take the elevators, but you only need to go down one floor (Administration), and the elevators are infrequent. To get there more quickly, you can take Stairs 8, next to the elevators behind four sets of double doors. (You'll have to show your credential to enter the stairway.) Go down one flight, turn left, and go straight through two sets of doors. you’ll come out next to the elevators. Turn left and walk forward, the entrance to the extended press area is on the right.

The extended press area is located in the Denver Nuggets’ practice gym. The Bloggers Lounge is in what is normally weight room for the Denver Nuggets. the entrance is behind blue-padded doors on the right.  Inside there are floor-to-ceiling mirrors, so you can watch yourself blog.

And that is how you successfully get to where you need to go with your Blogger credential.

Note 1: for those without Floor credenitals, you can sign up in the Bloggers Lounge to use a Floor credential for up to one half hour.

Note 2: Possession of the Bobble Obama is no substitute for a DNC credential.

Special Addendum: Invesco Field.

Invesco Field requires an extra step. To make it into Invesco field, you will have to bring your Perimeter Pass that was given to you (in addition to your daily Hall or Floor Pass) on the first day of the convention to the Hampton Inn when you make your daily credential retrieval trip. There on the third floor, you will exchange it for an Arena pass specifically for Invesco Field. You can not enter Invesco field otherwise. (Good thing I didn’t throw that pass away.)