Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Welcome Oreo

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

I just wanted to note that Oreo will be co-blogging with me here. He’s already posted some great stuff, and between us we should be able to cover all the issues leading up to the convention. Welcome!

Posted by Matt at 10:32 PM Continue Reading...

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Convention schedules forces quick media turnaround

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

The Democratic and Republican conventions are in back-to-back weeks (never happened before in the television age), and this is forcing the media to put special plans in place:

A compressed 2008 primary calendar will force presidential candidates to sprint from state to state beginning with Iowa on Jan. 3. At the other end of the nominating pipeline, an unusually tight window between the Democratic and Republican national conventions will pose its own challenges for news organizations. Only four days separate the end of the Democratic National Convention in Denver and the start of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, a much shorter timeline than the near-month that separated the 2004 conventions. Continue Reading...

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Texas delegation’s hotel is 10 miles from downtown Denver

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

As Matt stated in earlier posts some states were given hotel assignments that they weren’t too happy about. Here’s yet another story from the great state of Texas.

Texas will be sharing a hotel with American Samoa ten miles from the Pepsi Center when the convention comes to town. According to the Dallas Morning News the Texas delegation will be staying in the Radisson Hotel Denver Southeast which is about a 20-30 minute drive to downtown Denver on a good day with no traffic and a tailwind. Continue Reading...

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

DNCC names convention security team

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

The DNCC has just named Frank Conner as the Director of Security and Jim Malone as the Deputy Directory of Security.

Conner, who spent 35 years with the Denver Police Department, will coordinate security needs with the police and the U.S. Secret Service. Continue Reading...

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Denver Police want to add surveillance cameras for the convention

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

The Denver Post reports that the Denver Police Department wants to add 20 surveillance cameras to several areas around downtown Denver. They are hoping that the added surveillance will make the convention more secure.

Police hope to install at least 20 high-tech video cameras by spring that can capture images as detailed as faces and license plates, said police Sgt. Ernie Martinez. Continue Reading...

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Application process now open for convention bloggers

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

The DNCC has opened the application process for bloggers to obtain credentials for the Democratic National Convention. You can get more info and apply for credentials here
or at the DNCC Blog

DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry answered some great questions from bloggers at RootsCamp about who can apply, volunteering, lodging and many other things. Continue Reading...

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Almost 900 people vie for delegate slots in Alabama

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

The Tuscaloosa News reports that almost 900 people have applied for delegate slots for the 2008 Democratic and Republican conventions. Denver will welcome 69 of the lucky delegates in August of next year.

The Democratic National Convention Committee website has a great interactive map that shows the number of delegates from each state. Continue Reading...

Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Still no availability at the Red Lion-Denver

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

A quick update on the stripping of Michigan’s delegates. Turns out Michigan’s been given 30 days notice:

The rule-making body of the Democratic National Committee … tentatively recommended stripping Michigan of all its 156 delegate slots at the August 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver for setting a primary date of Jan. 15. The DNC panel said the penalty would take effect in 30 days unless the state party submits a delegate selection plan that complies with DNC rules. Continue Reading...

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Are Michigan’s convention rooms available?

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

Last week the DNCC stayed consistent, and did not assign any hotel rooms to the Florida delegation, since there is officially no Florida delegation. Well, today, the DNC also stripped Michigan of their delegates:

Democratic leaders voted Saturday to strip Michigan of all its delegates to the national convention next year as punishment for scheduling an early presidential primary in violation of party rules. Michigan, with 156 delegates, has scheduled a Jan. 15 primary. Democratic Party rules prohibit states other than Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina from holding nominating contests before Feb. 5. Florida was hit with a similar penalty in August for scheduling a Jan. 29 primary. Continue Reading...