WE'VE MOVED! Democratic Convention Watch is now at http://www.DemocraticConventionWatch.com
Utah's top-ranking Democrat will skip the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Denver next month. Rep. Jim Matheson tells The Salt Lake Tribune that the event will mostly be pageantry because Barack Obama has effectively secured the party's nomination for president. - Local News 8 Richardson said Thursday he wouldn't attend the presidential nominating convention if the Legislature was still meeting in a special session. "I'll stay here. This is my priority," Richardson said at a news conference. - Las Cruces Sun-News
Not everyone is excited for the convention... Utah congressman Jim Matheson has announced that he won't be making the trip to Denver next month.
Matheson has also skipped the last two conventions.
New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson may have to miss the conventionA slow moving legislative session could cause Gov. Bill Richardson to skip the Democratic National Convention next month.
While there are a couple possible no-shows from the Democratic side, the Republicans are saying no thanks en masse.
Nine of 12 targeted Republicans running in the most competitive Senate races this fall are either skipping the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minn., or have not decided whether to attend.
Among those who will not attend are Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska, who is not close to presumptive presidential nominee Sen. John McCain of Arizona, and Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, who is a McCain loyalist. Stevens and Collins will use the convention week to focus on their campaigns.
Also sending regrets is former Rep. Bob Schaffer of Colorado, running for the seat being vacated by retiring GOP Sen. Wayne Allard. - CongressDaily
Springsteen Watch: From the RMN:
Brown told me that (NJ Governor) Corzine has asked Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi to come to the DNC. No word on whether they've accepted the invite.
We've Come a long way... The Colorado Independent has a great article focusing on racial issues during Denver's 1908 Democratic National Convention
A hundred years ago, Denver hosted its first Democratic National Convention, an event that put the city on the national map. But unbeknownst to many convention-goers at the time — and more than likely to attendees at the upcoming DNC — Denver was also at the center of a heated debate among the nation's black political activists, a debate that helped launch the migration of African-American voters from their traditional home in the Republican party to the Democratic party.
And finally... Matt points out this interesting coincidence. The song Please Come to Boston, originally released by Dave Loggins in 1974, mentions 3 cities: Los Angeles, Boston and Denver. The last 3 Democratic National Conventions? Los Angeles, Boston and Denver. One of the first things I learned about Matt is that he has a memory like a steel trap.
Here's Kenny Chesney's version:
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