I'm gonna send your vote to college!

July 8, 2008 7:27 PM

I want to attend the DNC in Denver this year. Really, I'd be satisfied with going to Obama's nomination speech. How?

I know this is pretty dang late, but I just realized that I could make it out there. I could volunteer, but a) most won't be placed at the convention and b) they're already using a waiting list, so it's likely pointless to sign up.

Things that might work in my favor:
--Transportation and lodging are no problem; I have helpful friends in Denver
--I have a demonstrated, lifelong history of Democratic involvement, though not a lot recently (including an internship with my current congresswoman when she was in the state assembly, though it was 11 years ago)
--I am a graduate student in journalism and work for our university's PR office; I could theoretically be considered a member of the press (note: I understand that press credentials for the convention have long since been given out, so I'd have to find some weird backdoor action)
--I KINDA "know people," though it would take a little finagling

I am a pleasant, clean, well-spoken woman in my late 20s who is very comfortable with this type of environment, having worked on nationally prominent issues in my current position for several years. Isn't there some big ol' donor who needs an executive assistant? Could my also-very-loyal Colorado-resident friends get me one of those Colorado resident tickets for the nomination speech? Whom do I have to... um... do a tapdance for to get in there?

posted by Madamina to law & government (6 comments total)

Er...

You are aware that he's going to be accepting the nomination in a football stadium, right? And that the entire point of doing that is to get huge numbers of people in?
posted by Tomorrowful at 7:35 PM on July 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

I am quite aware of that fact. I've worked on large-scale campaign events before, so I also know how advance teams work and how they recruit attendees, so I'm not entirely sure that some interloper from Wisconsin could get a reasonably decent spot.
posted by Madamina at 7:37 PM on July 8, 2008

Anyone contributing just $5 or more between now and midnight July 31st will be entered into a drawing to be one of 10 supporters chosen to be flown to Denver, spend two days and nights at the convention, meet Sen. Obama backstage, and attend the big speech!
posted by Kinbote at 7:38 PM on July 8, 2008 [1 favorite]

I heard on NPR that 20,000 people applied for 10,000 volunteer positions at the DNC, so I don't think volunteering is a possibility.

You can join a queue of people interested in attending the nomination, but I can't find the link for general seating, just the $5 donation link cited above (although you can enter the contest for free, just click at the bottom).
posted by arnicae at 7:50 PM on July 8, 2008

You can be a runner for one of the cable or networks. This would involve some of your investigative journalism skills. Or your "kinda" connections. Good luck.
posted by spec80 at 6:48 AM on July 9, 2008

Funny about the volunteer overflow for the DNC. Here in the Twin Cities, the GOP has the opposite problem
posted by mcstayinskool at 8:50 AM on July 9, 2008