| The DNCC and Host Committee are getting hammered left and right by complaints and bad news. Good news from both organizations seems to be stagnant right now. All we've seen lately from the people running the convention are press releases about community service stories. Most of the media is writing about Democrats not attending the convention. To me this is a non-issue. I've seen just as many stories about Republicans not attending but they don't get as much play. What does concern me is the constant flow of stories like these:
"To have (the Labor Day parade) be disrupted and changed for the sole purpose of the convenience of the DNC is very disturbing to us," says Foster, who is president of the Southern Piedmont Central Labor Council and AFL-CIO in the Charlotte area. A late-stage decision to hold the Democratic National Convention kick-off festival Uptown, rather than at the Speedway, means Labor Day marchers will be relegated to the Second Ward parade route established for protest groups. City permit officials had already told Labor Day Parade organizers public march attracting thousands of onlookers "would not be logistically feasible" on Tryon Street this year because of DNC security. - WFAE
Vendors: DNC needs to get us more detailsEight weeks before the start of the Democratic National Convention, some vendors who hope to sell merchandise are frustrated they have no information. Convention organizers asked businesses last fall to sign up with an online directory to hear about opportunities. Some vendors said they hoped they’d hear by now about chances to sell souvenirs during the September event. But so far, they’ve heard nothing. “I’ve never gotten a direct email regarding the straight-up vendor side of the DNC,” said Salisbury, N.C., native Shequeta Smith, with Off My Chest Tees based in Los Angeles. “They haven’t told us anything.” - Herald Online
I'm seeing a widespread feeling of disorganization from the entire Charlotte convention. It's almost like they don't realize the whole world will be watching in less than two months. While Denver had its issues in the weeks ahead of the 2008 convention I don't remember anything like this. In 2008, Democratic Convention Watch was credentialed to attend the convention in Denver the first week of June. Now heading into the second week of July we still haven't heard whether we can go. And we're not the only ones. No one else waiting for credentials from the DNCC Press Gallery has an answer. At this point any hotel close to the city is over $300 a night... even for no-tell-motels. Growing up in North Carolina I hope more than anybody that it's a huge success. Right now I'm not too confident. |
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