Denver DNC 2008: What does it mean to me?

Typically I try to avoid any political discussion in this blog (other than the politics of dancing... ummtp-ummtp-tiga-ummpt-ummpt) but the DNC coverage is plastered all over every news station/newspaper/website/blog and since I live in the Denver area, we're particularly sensitive to this week's events.

Although Alan has been at the Pepsi Center for weeks building the voice and data infrastructure for the DNC, I hardly know anyone else locally who is even attending any events, notably Obama's acceptance speech. Everybody I know who works downtown has been asked to work from home, work from their designated DR site or to simply take the week off as (mandatory) vacation. Traffic sucks ass, the airport is a disaster, I-25 is being shut down and it doesn't feel like it's working out so well for the good citizens of our fair town. Though it makes me squirm with girlish delight that George Clooney and Oprah will be in town this week, I realize that the possibility of crossing paths with either of them is a complete disillusion. If this is what the Oscars or Sundance feels like, I'm glad that shit doesn't come to Denver.

Given that politicians attending the DNC (and the RNC next week) only work a fraction of the weeks throughout the year (and a fraction of weekdays in any of those weeks) why do they still need to put on ultra expensive conventions complete with elitist parties to congratulate each other on a job well done? Surely they need to give their corporate sponsors an opportunity to grease the wheels for their future campaigning. I suppose it doesn't cost the politicians anything (except perhaps some influence on future issues or votes) and I'm just mostly complaining because I'm not invited to said parties. Damn.

The good news though? For the first time in a super long time, politics is interesting again. People aspire to be agents of change. Words like "hope" are humming in the atmosphere, and seem to be gaining momentum. On any given radio station I can hear Marvin Gaye's, "What's goin' on". I feel giddy. I want to know more.

I'll be venturing downtown tomorrow to snap some shots of history in the making. I hope Lisa can come with, and I hope we get some pics worth posting. Wish me luck.