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View Full Version : NY Times: Delays and Rising Costs for Convention Raise Worries for Democrats


Regis Philbin
Jul 8th, 2008, 04:18 PM
And their convention comes a week before the Minneapolis gathering of the Republicans, whose convention efforts have been much smoother.

Of course, Republicans know how to work. They know how to Git-R-Done! :nod:


http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/us/politics/06convention.html?_r=1&bl&ex=1215576000&en=861dbfab1568a36c&ei=5087%0A&oref=slogin

Delays and Rising Costs for Convention Raise Worries for Democrats

By LESLIE WAYNE
Published: July 6, 2008

For all Senator Barack Obama’s success at raising money and generating excitement among voters, he faces a daunting challenge as he prepares to claim the nomination in August: a Democratic convention effort marred by costly setbacks and embarrassing delays.

With the Denver convention less than two months away, problems range from the serious — upwardly spiraling costs on key contracts still being negotiated — to the mundane, like the reluctance of local caterers to participate because of stringent rules on what delegates will be eating, down to the color of the food. At last count, plans to renovate the inside of the Pepsi Center for the Democrats are $6 million over budget, which may force convention planners to scale back on their original design or increase their fund-raising goals.

The convention is being organized by the Democratic National Committee, which is run by Howard Dean, with his chief of staff, the Rev. Leah D. Daughtry, leading the effort. Only in the last month has the Obama campaign been able to take over management of the convention planning with the candidate claiming the nomination, and his aides are increasingly frustrated, as the event nears, at organizers who they believe spent too freely, planned too slowly and underestimated actual costs.

The Obama campaign has dispatched 10 people to Denver to help “get a handle on the budget and make hard decisions” about what has to be done and how to move forward, said Bill Burton, a campaign spokesman.

DoubleEdgeSword
Jul 8th, 2008, 04:26 PM
Does it really matter after McCain loses the election, Regis? lol

pinky
Jul 8th, 2008, 04:49 PM
Of course, Republicans know how to work. They know how to Git-R-Done! :nod:
Maybe we should ask them to actually get bin Laden then.

Oh, that's right, he's not a priority. :greyno:

db44
Jul 8th, 2008, 04:58 PM
Yeah, Republicans know how to run. They know they are going to embarass themselves, so the put the nomination against Giants-Redskins... Opening Thursday. :rolleyes:

DoubleEdgeSword
Jul 8th, 2008, 05:00 PM
Did they really? Against the start of the NFL season? lmao!!!

db44
Jul 8th, 2008, 06:09 PM
Yep, the GOP Convention ends the same day -- same night -- as the Super Bowl champion Giants (*cough cough*) hosting Redskins. The game starts at 7 p.m. Eastern, so if they were hoping McCain would speak in prime time, well, fat chance much of the nation will care.

DoubleEdgeSword
Jul 8th, 2008, 07:00 PM
Oh man! Talk about bad planning...

db44
Jul 8th, 2008, 07:04 PM
Or perfect planning. They know they're screwed one way or another.

pinky
Jul 8th, 2008, 09:11 PM
Go Skins!!!! :D

db44
Jul 9th, 2008, 10:18 AM
Sorry, what was that?

It's hard to hear all the way up here at the top.

pinky
Jul 9th, 2008, 10:40 AM
LMAO! And even I was a Giants fan that day.

Your time there is done, though.

db44
Jul 9th, 2008, 10:52 AM
Yeah, well, you still decided to say go Skins, which I presume is pretty much as bad as rooting for the Giants... 'Skins and Eagles are pretty much on even grounds for Giants fans.

DoubleEdgeSword
Jul 9th, 2008, 11:00 AM
Go Bucs!

Hey, a girl can dream... :)

pinky
Jul 9th, 2008, 11:08 AM
Actually, Dave, there's only one team on a par with the Giants in Philadelphia, and that would be the Cowboys. I don't know anyone who hates the Skins as much as those two, because the Skins have almost always been a classy organization.

And, lately, the Pats are in the same category as the Giants and Cowboys. ;)

db44
Jul 9th, 2008, 11:16 AM
Giants fans hate all three about the same. Maybe the Skins a little less than the other two in the division. The Eagles are primarily hated for their fans, no offense. Not you, the throw-snowballs-at-Santa-we-need-a-courtroom-in-our-stadium type.

pinky
Jul 9th, 2008, 11:23 AM
Hey, one of those fans is now the governor of Pennsylvania! :D

He once got caught throwing a snowball at a Dallas game. His friend bet him he couldn't hit the field with it (from the upper deck), and had to prove he could.

Pretty much guaranteed his election as mayor with that! :nod:

Oh, and if I were a male, I would have been taken out of the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh on a stretcher for comments made during a Flyers-Penguins game back in the 70s! :angel: