Monday, August 25, 2008

Quick Takes on Monday

Nancy Pelosi addressed the California delegation this morning asking for unity and also focusing on her opposition to offshore coastal drilling. Good to hear, except why then is she willing to let the House Republicans propose drilling when they gather this fall to debate a comprehensive energy bill?

While I tried to find her afterwards in the hallway, she was speaking with a small group of high-level CA delegates (I recognized San Francisco-based lesbian politico Roberta Actenberg) and then was whisked away through the service exit. If only I could have gotten to the Sheraton Hotel at 7 am when she held her official press conference. If only I hadn't stayed up until 1 am.

This really is like Burning Man, where you can be awake from dawn to dawn and still not see it all, hear it all, or find half of it.

I'm in the "Big Tent" right now blogging from a wired room sponsored by Daily Kos and Netroots Nation. Upstairs is a VIP lounge sponsored by Arianna Huffington. And she'll be here later to promote a book and speak on a panel.

People are walking around this large room with television cameras and laptops.. There's coffee in the corner and flat screen TVs set to CNN. The room itself is like an unfinished two-story building, supported by steel girders, but with walls made of tented material and huge banners promoting nonprofits, causes, and sponsors.

CNN, it appears, still has the real news. I'm seeing Rep. Barney Frank being interviewed. Drat! Can't hear a word above the din. But I'd like to speak to him and get his off-the-cuff comments on the housing crisis which everyone assumes will continue if not worsen.

So all I can offer thus far in the day is impressions:

--A ton of helmeted policemen. Some on horseback, all in riot gear with helmets. State Senator Art Torres said this would be the most security-focused convention in memory. The forces are out and patrolling.

--On Sunday, a small contigent of people mached through downtown to the nearby park with signs proclaiming "Nobama." I give credit for the clever word play. But there were also a few signs supporting McCain. Who are these people? Today's front page of the Denver Post had the one moment when a youthful protester screamed at a policeman. Otherwise, the paper said, the crowd was calm and polite and made a point to wait for traffic lights to change before marching down the street. Now, really--full riot gear for this? At least I did see a few policemen taking photos and getting into the excitment. The full-time work thing has its drawbacks.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I admire your skill at navigating to so many places without being smacked by some flack jacket zealot. Also you really know how to use that shutter finger without fear.
I am learning things I could not see, keep it up.