2008 Dem Convention should be in Denver.

[AP]

They deserve it after the work they did this year.

Also, I think it would be interesting to use it as sort of stage for saying thank you to Gary Hart by giving him a high profile during the convention.

I really think that had Hart not had that little Monkey Business problem, he would have won that election, and would have encouraged the Democrats to move away from the North East intellectual thing and towards embracing the working class and I think that would have meant that the Democrats would be stronger today in the red states.

I also think it'd be interesting to have the media talk about the sex problems because it'd be a way to talk about Clinton without talking about Clinton in a sort of rehabilitative way. The media loves to be mean to Clinton, but would they be mean about Hart if they talked about him? Probably not. So it would make sex seem like the stupid issue that it is without having to use Clinton to make that argument.

The narrative they could use for the convention would be "what if Hart had won? What would the Democratic party look like today?" And the answer would be that it would look exactly the way it needs to look in 2008 to win: a party that fights in all 50 states with a message that is about wealth flowing down to the people who work hard to create it for society.

[iwantmycountryback]

1. That's actually a good idea

Just elected a Democratic senator and the Dems now control the State Senate and House. Colorado is turning blue and Bush won there by less than he "won" Ohio. Another state to try is Virginia, perhaps Richmond.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

2. NYC didn't vote Repub, why would it matter....just a thought. n/t

[Pirate Smile]

3. Great idea. Everybody would love to go there and it's a swing state.

But, hey New Yorkers and Bostonians, did the conventions piss people off more this year or were your cities happy to have them?

I remember a lot of complaints but you got great publicity.

[politicaholic]

4. Hmm, the DNC in a notorious Red State...why not have it in Houston?

Gary Hart, as nice a guy I'm sure he is, he demonstrated moronic conduct. I doubt that the DNC needs to celebrate their past with a nostalgic walk through the party's infidelity.

Get real. I'd like to say it should be in Seattle, but the next DNC should be in a swing state. Throw it in Miami. Now THAT'S a presence!

[latteromden]

5. Since when is Colorado NOT a swing state?

Bush only won by one point more in Colorado than he did in Florida. They have a new Democratic senator, and Democrats control both state houses now. It certainly seems like a swing state, dontcha think?

[politicaholic]

6. Since it has a minimal amount of electoral votes.

It just doesn't have the population or the volitility in swing voting to be a swing state. They fell in love with Reagan and pretty much haven't gotten their heads out of the snow since.

[latteromden]

7. 9 electoral votes in Colorado and we could see

the Southwest going our way - the "winnable" states there add up to 29 electoral votes. And had we won New Mexico and Iowa like last year, we wouldn't have won the presidency - but if we had carried Colorado, also, we would have gotten 273. I think it's worthwhile.

[Lenape85]

8. I believe we could start looking west

I believe that the battleground states of the West is what we should look to. These are Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. Had Kerry won them, he would have been president-elect Kerry.

What I've gauged from the west is that one of the major issues out there is guns. There tends to be more of a libertarian lean out there than most parts of the country. I believe that if we ran someone that believed in more lax gun laws, we could pull those states to our side.

In fact, if we do run a gun-friendly candidate, some other states, like Montana, could come into play.

[cire4]

9. Colorado will definitely be a swing state in '08

So will Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico.

With the rapidly changing demographics, the 2008 elections is going to be the "Its the Southwest, stupid" election.

[IrateCitizen]

20. It's not about a state, it's about a REGION...

The Mountain West, outside of Utah, is pretty much up-for-grabs nowadays. Hispanic populations in this region are burgeoning, and it provides Democrats with some excellent opportunities. CO just elected a Dem Senator and several Dem representatives, one I know of replacing a formerly Republican seat.

CO may only have 9 electoral votes. But if you add together the votes of this region (CO, NV, NM, AZ), it's quite significant.

Of course, we could stick to the East Coast or use the West Coast and simply reinforce the notion that we're just a bunch of coastal liberals who are out of touch with America....

[Adams Wulff]

10. We've got a brand new convention center just WAITIN' for ya!

2.6 million square feet! Bring the whole family!

[JohnKleeb]

11. Denver would be neat

A city I'd like to see honestly. I'd go to that but it would be a long way out there.

[Radical Activist]

12. I'm not sure the message is a good idea

The convention has to be forward looking and centered on the nominee. Looking back and wondering about Gary Hart doesn't sound like a way to win the election. It might make a good subtext to the convention, especially within Colorado, but the overall theme is something the future nominee will have to set.

Denver sounds like a decent idea though. I think we need to be somewhere off the coasts and Colorado will be a swing state. That could help us. Does Denver have a Democratic mayor?

[JohnKleeb]

13. I think they do

and a former mayor is in contention for the DNC, Wellington Webb, I think his name is, I think he was the mayor who really pissed off Heston and the NRA when he told them to get out after Columbine. Yep Colorado will be a swing state.

[Radical Activist]

15. Oh yes, Columbine

Another issue to bring up then will be the Republicans repealing the assault weapons ban.

[slackmaster]

16. The federal "assault weapons" ban repealed itself automatically

The sunset clause was one of several compromises needed to get it passed by a single vote in the House of Representatives when Democrats held majorities in both houses of Congress in 1994. Its supporters in both parties had 10 full years to justify its continuation, and either neglected or failed to do so.

I say good riddance to an ineffective and unjust feel-good law that did nothing to enhance public safety. The AW ban served as a right-wing talking point to pull voters away from the Democratic Party, and it would be self-defeating for us to bring up the subject.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. Gary Hart is awesome

He is so articulate. I really miss his presence on the national scene.

[ShaneGR]

17. Columbus, Ohio is also a possibility

They certainly have the facilites for it.

[mattclearing]

21. Yeah, let's own this state from now on.

eom

[CornField]

18. Bring it to the heartland

Kansas City -- Des Moines -- Omaha

[DinahMoeHum]

19. Let's counter the 'Pukes' "Southern Strategy" with a "Western Strategy"

The Far West states went "blue". Montana and Colorado went "purple" with their elections of a Dem governor (Montana) and control of the state houses (Colorado) plus election of two brothers (Salazar) to the US House and Senate.

Some very valuable lessons here that could spell victory for us in 2006 and 2008:

Link:
http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/features/2004/0412.sirota.html

Link:
http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?section=root&name=ViewWeb&articleId=8917

Denver would be a great choice. And it would also be a chance to stick it to the RW "bible-thumpers" in nearby Colorado Springs.

:kick: