'08 Democratic Convention ~ NYC, Denver, Minneapolis ~ Who will get it?

[snowbear]

Howard Dean is going to select either New York City, Denver, or Minneapolis to hold the 2008 Democratic Convention.

Denver and Minneapolis are definitely favored out of the three. One article states that Dr. Dean may narrow the list of three down to 2 as early as next month.

Out of the three choices remaining, which would you select?

(Remember.. these are Dean's final three choices so even if we have a sentimental favorite, it's going to be one of those three cities)..

Thank you to Matt and his great website "2008 Democratic Convention Watch" !! ~~ http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/

[BobRossi]

1. Baghdad. nt

[snowbear]

3. hmmmm...

Dunno bout that one Bob...

[nickshepDEM]

25. Denver.

[Dinger]

16. Would You Care To Elaborate bob? (nt)

[TheWatcher]

44. Probably not.

It probably took him about a week to come up with that clever response.

His brain will need at least a week to recover from the strain to foment another one.

[Contrary1]

52. Nah, Bob...

Beautiful Baghdad is where the Republics should hold their convention...amidst all
that democracy, freedom, hope, etc...that their war has and brought about.

I can think of no better place.

[iamjoy]

2. Please Not NYC!

Pick a moderate, swing or conservative city, not one that has a Liberal reputation. Besides, since the Repubs had their 2004 convention in NYC, we shouldn't have our next one there, look too much like we're following

[Johnny Noshoes]

47. This New Yorker seconds that

Please NOT here we have enough crap to deal with we don't need a convention on top of it all.

[Clark2008]

4. Dear Lord - what pablum

Seriously, they've narrowed it down to these three?

How obvious!

I think they should do Atlanta, Nashville or New Orleans. Move into a red state, folks, and stop being 'fraidy cats!

[snowbear]

7. A lot of cities initially bid... but due to $$ concerns...

..the list of cities that said they could handle it financially was eventually narrowed from something like 31 down to 11. One of those eleven was New Orleans, but they recently had to back out..

So it's not really who Dean would have wanted.. but which cities are able and willing. :shrug:

[NJ Democrats]

27. NO just drorpped out.

It was the final four until NO dropped out.

[paulk]

38. Colorado is a red state

just not southern

[DavidDvorkin]

39. Not so

Dems control the state legislature, and the Democratic candidate is likely to win the governorship in November.

For much of its history, Colorado has been centrist and moderate.

[flaminbats]

42. really?

then why did Clinton lose Colorado in 1996, Gore in 2000, and Kerry in 2004?

By the way...I think 1996 or 2000 would have been great years for Democrats to hold conventions in Denver, but if we do that now Republicans will have theirs in Minneapolis! Our mistake isn't picking Denver or Minneapolis, its allowing the Republicans to always make this same choice with more information. :shrug:

[DavidDvorkin]

43. Because how you color a state is a more complex matter

Than simply looking at which way it went at the presidential level.

[flaminbats]

45. so is choosing a city to hold a convention..

red and blue are ways to predict how states will lean in the electoral college. I think Denver would be great for having a convention. But I also believe we should wait and see which city Republicans choose. If they pick New York City or Minneapolis, then I think we should have the convention in Denver. If they choose Tampa or Cleveland, I feel Minneapolis would be best.

The last thing we should do is consider a city that doesn't wish to host a convention! If Republicans hold their convention in New Orleans, the negative publicity will be similar to what Democrats received at the 68' Chicago convention.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

5. who will get it? we all will, probably

if history is any guide.

[SaveElmer]

6. Minneapolis should get it...

What state has been the most loyal state in Presidential elections since 1976?

Of course...Minnesota...the ONLY state in the Union to go Democratic in every election starting in that year...including 1980 and 1984!!!

The midwest is in danger of moving red...Minnesota and Wisconsin have been close the last couple of cycles, and we lost Iowa last time around...

It's time the committee rewarded the loyalty shown by this great state, and at the same time it may help shore up support there!

[serryjw]

8. Do you know MN?

Describe the convention center and surrounding areas.I have never been there.

DENVER
Brand NEW convention center in the heart of downtown. Many new hotels less than a year old. Many restaurants,nightlife and our theater & arts district ALL within WALKING distance....NO car is needed.

[SaveElmer]

9. I grew up there...

And get back to visit a couple times a year...

Minneapolis has both the Metrodome and Target center which could easily handle a convention...

In St. Paul, the XCel Center could also handle it...

Minneapolis has one of the nicer downtown's of any major city...easy to get around, plenty of restaurants and night life...

[msn]

49. St. Paul should get it

Just to clarify, if Minneapolis/St. Paul get the convention, it will be held at the St. Paul Xcel Center, although the convention headquarters hotel will be in Minneapolis.

[SaveElmer]

53. As long as it is in Minnesota it doesn't matter,...

They really are deserving...and it help shore up the midwest!

[queenbdem87]

10. Definately Denver!

The Democratic Party of Colorado deserves this one for all of the great work they've been doing.

[longship]

11. The Dem Convention is huge.

Not any city can host it. The Repukes are a bit smaller, so they have more options.

Of these three, either Denver or Minneapolis would work fine.

Denver is probably more strategic.
Minneapolis could do good things for some of the tight races there.

I voted Denver because it's a redder state.

[MadMaddie]

12. The only draw back to having it in Minneapolis is that many

people attending the event would have to stay pretty far from the location of the Convention.....hotel rooms will be hard to find...unless they have a good transportation specifically for the convention...I worked on an IT convention in MN and this was a major problem...

I like Minneapolis alot...and I would have to say MN is one of the cleanest states I have ever lived in....

[saltpoint]

13. Three great cities as cities go. I think it will be Denver.

Democrats are looking West.

A headline or two from the Front Range would be a plus for our chances in 08. Good possibility that the VP nominee will be from west of the Mississippi, too.

[Zynx]

14. Denver. Democrats need to prove that we are not just a north and east

party.

[noel711]

15. No, no, no... not Colorado..

Colorado is a hotbed of conservative evangelicals...of course it appears to be liberal, but it's not... there'd be all manner of counter-demonstrations, that would highlight for the conservatives how 'far out' those crazy liberals are.
Stay away!

Minneapolis! Yes! Minnesota (and Wisconsin) are very progressive areas that highlight in a gentle 'nice' way the wrongs perpetuated on the people by the neocons...

[Hawkeye-X]

30. Umm.. Denver is not conservative at all. It's in fact, VERY liberal.

Denver is bluest of blue in a purplish state. Diana DeGette represents Denver. She's the one who pushed for stem cell research (Introduced, passed by both Congress, wound up being vetoed by Chimp)

Colorado has a excellent chance of SWEEPING out Rethuglicans out of Congress representing Colorado.

Angie Paccione can defeat Mariliyn Musgrave.
Bill Winter - veteran and ready to remove Xenophobic Tancredo.
Ed Perlmutter - ready to take the open seat from Beauprez
Jay Fawcett - he's getting Republican endorsement (he's a moderate in a very conservative district) - Lamborn is batshit nuts.

We already have 3 Dem incumbents (DeGette, Salazar and Udall), out of 7 districts, should be easily re-elected.

So Excellent chance of getting 7-0 in Dem side in Colorado

Plus we'll be putting in a Dem Governor in Bill Ritter.

So it is definetely trending blue and Denver is a excellent site for 2008 DNC convention. Mallard is already up for '08, so whoever is running against Mallard will kick him out in '08.

Hawkeye-X

[BlueCollar]

17. Since it won't be in Fort Worth, Texas

I'm in favour of Minneapolis with Denver as a second choice

[flaminbats]

18. I've got only one problem with Minneapolis..

this is one of the major cities the RNC is looking at for their convention in 2008. Otherwise it would be my first choice..NYC is still my last choice!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Republican_National_Convention

[Bjorn Against]

31. The Mayor of both Minneapolis and Saint Paul have said only one party....

will have their convention here, and they will take whatever party makes the first move. It is looking like the Democrats are moving quicker so if they do want a convention here they will probably be the ones to get it.

And by the way the convention is more likely to be in Saint Paul than Minneapolis. Party leaders toured the Twin Cities a few weeks back and decided that the XCel Center would be the best place to hold the convention.

[flaminbats]

37. Minneapolis won my vote in the poll..

but what you said about the Mayors makes me feel even better about Minneapolis. My fear was that it might become like Miami in 1972, where both parties held their conventions during the same election!

But considering that Minnesota has been won by Democrats all but once since 1960..and only the Republicans have held a convention there so far, I think our party has more than enough reasons to have a convention there. Especially when considering how close the last election was in that area..Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are all states we must hold if we hope to win in 2008!

[zann725]

19. I voted "Denver"...but Minn. would also be wonderfully Blue!

Either would be fine.

[LWolf]

20. Denver.

Why are the big political events always in the east? We vote in the west, too, and Denver is the closest to "west" on the list. ;)

[MaineDem]

21. I think the 2000 convention was in LA. n/t

[LWolf]

22. Yes, it was.

I lived in L.A. County at that time.

What would be even better, imo, would have been putting CA on the short list of states to join New Hampshire and Iowa for early primaries. Since it wasn't, I'll have to settle for a more westward convention.

[Ignacio Upton]

33. CA is too large in population to have an early primary

It would cost a fortune to campaign there and run ads in the LA and Bay Area media markets. Only the person with the most money would benefit from that.

[LWolf]

35. So that large block of voters,

the one that serves up 55 electoral votes, 21 more than the state with the second highest count, gets to wait until smaller states with fewer voters decide who the nominee will be, and the msm crowns him/her.

By the time the primary voting/caucusing begins, most people have decided on a candidate. How many wait until it's time to cast the ballot to make up their mind? More, or fewer, than those who don't show up or who change their vote because their first choice was left in the dust in the little states of Iowa and New Hampshire, (11 electoral votes combined), or has dropped out before they ever got a chance to cast the vote? Should a small number of voters be influencing the choices of larger numbers?

[Greyhound]

23. Denver has more upside potential as well as the location and

infrastructure not to mention that is is red going blue, giving us the chance to push it over into the light. The Democratic Party continues to ignore the west at its peril.

[randr]

24. Colorado is the shining example of the re-emergence of the traditional

Democratic West. Last election we Dems took over the state house. This election we will win the governorship as well as place a majority of Dems in congress. The repugs in ColoSprigs are trembling in their fake cowboy boots.
The entire West is poised to rise up as the "new south" of Democratic Values.
From immigration to the environment--major battles are shaping up and being resolved with the new Democratic blood

[Ignacio Upton]

34. This is why Denver should host the convention

We want to showcase the emerging western wing of our party, and hosting the convention in Denver is a great way to do this.

[NJ Democrats]

26. NYC!

Denver is my 2nd choice

[annabanana]

28. Ditto. . I'd love for the City to get the crappy taste of the GOP

Convention out of the place...

[NJ Democrats]

29. And NYC has plenty of space and hotels

for the delegates. And the would be great toget rid of that GOP Taste

[CrushTheDLC]

32. Seattle?

Or Denver, since that seems to be as west as it's going to get.

NYC? If that's the call, I'll read it as one more hint that "the fix is in", and you all know what that means. Look at where the last convention was located, if you aren't getting it........

[MaineDem]

48. Seattle isn't an option

I'd love it to be there, though.

[Simeon Salus]

36. New Orleans!

Did I miss the discussion of why holding the convention in the Superdome would be a bad idea?

Can you imagine the speeches? "In this very hall Americans were called refugees on TV because they were abandoned by their President and by the Republican Party."

Dems could spend part of the convention physically engaged in rebuilding the city, actually doing something useful.

In view of the GOPs spectacular exploitation of a New York which the gops knew would rise against them in marches, I think we should build consensus in the South, long betrayed by the GOP. IMHO.

[annabanana]

41. I'd like that.... We could lead by example..

Show the world in no uncertain terms the difference between us and them!

[msn]

50. New Orleans decided to focus elswehere

New Orleans decided last month not to go forward with a bid to host the convention, as they felt it would distract from more pressing needs. I think that was probably the right decision for the city.

Follow the convention news at 2008 Democratic Convention Watch.

[opihimoimoi]

40. ***sniff*** they forgot honowuwu.....the widdle city that could....

[newspeak]

46. hey, I thought Las Vegas NV was in the mix

what happened? The newspaper here had an article about Las Vegas hosting the Democratic convention.

[msn]

51. Vegas dropped out in May

Basically, the convention sites and hotels were already booked, so there was no added economic value to hosting the Democratic convention, so it didn't make sense. See 2008 Democratic Convention Watch for more information.

[Clarkie1]

54. Denver...it's in a region we need to work. nt