Today it begins. The Democratic Party National Convention opens in Denver. It looks to be 4 days of celebrating a new beginning, a Party party for flushing away the past 8 years of fear, incompetence, selfishness and self-righteousness (okay - maybe we'll still have a little of that last one). It will be 4 days of amazing speakers and music.

Last night was a celebratory concert. It included performers and speakers Dave Matthews (with Tim Reynolds), Sheryl Crow, Sugarland, Laurie David, Van Jones, Bill McDonough, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Bruce Springsteen will be playing the last night after Barack's speech. It's almost like LiveAid. Meanwhile, the Republican convention is more like Rolaid. :P

Seriously - the Republican's convention planners must be having some stomach pains about now. Their website still doesn't list a schedule. It DOES, however, have an FAQ about how many balloons are going to be dropped. Well THAT'S certainly compelling information. Considering the problems at the 2004 DNC with the balloons, it seems a little ... "suspicious" that they have that one there. Note: If you're interested in the schedule, you can actually get it here, if you have the stomach for it. I hope they distribute plenty of No-Doze...

Meanwhile, back at the DNC, the schedule can be found here. Tonight will feature a tribute to Ted Kennedy (he may even show up and speak himself, if allowed by doctors), and the evening's main speech by Michelle Obama. The list of other speakers tonight (and every night) shows a diversity of ideas and support that should be very inspiring. We will have Jesse Jackson, the head of the service worker's union, the head of NARAL, and the heads of the NEA and the AFT. And that's just the first night!

There will be other events happening around the convention that are interesting as well (for those that want to be there for this historic event, but cannot get inside). They include art programs, cinema, roundtable discussions, and a women's panel discussion. It's as diverse and forward-thinking as the RNC is not.

The one major disappointment that seems to be developing as the norm for these things is the "free speech zone" (isn't that what the United States used to be known as?). Forcing protesters into a giant chicken wire cage in a parking lot at the Pepsi Center is not my idea of "free speech". This time they are calling it a "Demonstation Zone", apparently to avoid the previous irony, but let's call it what it is. Supposedly, this is all at the request of the Secret Service, but I believe they could be overridden.

Perhaps they're afraid of people using naughty words (audio not worksafe):



(note the audio at around the 2:20 mark. Thanks to Random in yesterday's blog comments...)

Regardless, like the candidates themselves, I will accept the bad (for now) because it is more than overpowered by all the good. This is the final stretch to The End of an Error, and it finally feels like we really will be getting our country back.

Bonus Click: apropos of nothing and presented without comment, here is a "white paper" on the conventions from FAUX News...

Get your confetti ready!