Dems Get Down in Denver

By Broadside Interim Style Editor Emily Sharrer

Today through Thursday, members of the Democratic Party will gather to rally behind the Democratic Party as it introduces the candidates for president and vice president at the 45th Democratic National Convention in Denver. According to the camp’s website, the party has been planning for over two years to create a nominating process and Convention that display the party’s three main principles of openness, fairness and diversity.

Over 50,000 guests, including 4,400 delegates and 15,000 members of the media are expected to attend the 4-day celebration where Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, the first African American major party candidate, will officially accept the party’s nomination.

Speakers for the event include Michelle Obama, who will give an account of the presidential nominee’s life, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senator Hillary Clinton, Former President Bill Clinton, Senator John Kerry, former Senator Tom Daschle and Obama’s recently announced Vice Presidential Nominee, Joe Biden.

Coverage of each night of the Convention will be broadcast on the Public Broadcasting Service network (PBS), or Channel 6 on Comcast, and NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, providing viewers with the only primetime coverage of the convention.

On November 4, Obama will run against John McCain for the presidency in an election that marks the first time in U.S. history that two sitting senators will run against one another for the presidency.