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Sammy Hagar

A reader endorsement

The Hat Guy

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Nuff said.

This week's press passes

The republicans spent some money - these are really nice. The Dems passes were just colored paper but these are slick.
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Christie Findlay
Managing Editor
Politics magazine
CFindlay@politicsmagazine.com
O: 703-778-4026
C: 301-848-2234

What a relief! Our seats are awesome.

We've got a great angle to see the stage, which not all writing press have. And the coveted electrical outlet is so deep into our little area that we'll probably be able to keep all the sockets for our virtual battalion of laptops, Berries and GPS units. (There are mini wars over outlets here since we all come to a dead halt without power.)
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Christie Findlay
Managing Editor
Politics magazine
CFindlay@politicsmagazine.com
O: 703-778-4026
C: 301-848-2234

My first glimpse of Xcel center

Our home for the next week. Today its virtually empty but its the calm before the storm. Tomorrow it will take hours to get across the hall. And don't even think about going across and up a level.

We get two seats in the writing press stands this time

Seeing the name Politics mag on our booth is always such a thrill.  Right in front of us is Salon. Glamour and Harpers are to our left. New Yorker and Atlantic a little farther down.
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Christie Findlay
Managing Editor
Politics magazine
CFindlay@politicsmagazine.com
O: 703-778-4026
C: 301-848-2234

Party People

Yes, we'll be at the convention and live blogging, from about 4 pm to midnight, from Mon-Thurs. But a lot of the convention happens after hours. Here are our tentative plans:

Sun - Republican Governors Association reception

Tues - GRAMMY party, Politics mag party on a boat, and GQ/Makers Mark

Wed: Poker Players Alliance event, One Campaign/Recording Industry of America, and Gay O'l Party (The Log Cabin Republicans)

Thurs: American Conservative Union's 80's tribute. They're bringing in tons of old arcade games, like pac man, to a nightclub. This one will be nuts.

I took this pic for Brookie and Devin

They had a whole barn full of baby animals. This one was just a week old.

The Minnesota GOP just makes being a Dem sound so appealing

Reeeaallllly a lot of people

Really big gourds

The Minnesota state fair

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The temple looks better at night

Empty seats

The press stand on the floor

I feel lucky to be right here, right now

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Obama comes out

Dick Durbin

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Christie Findlay
Managing Editor
Politics magazine
CFindlay@politicsmagazine.com
O: 703-778-4026
C: 301-848-2234

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View from the press stand at Invesco

It's steamy outside, and chaotic. Inside? Cool. Electric. But removed from the action. Too bad that just going down there and back takes an hour and a half, since the secret service closed the stairwells and this place is mobbed.

Is it a temple? You decide

Earlier today....

HRC stepped up to a podium with an Obama placard, and told her 1900 delegates to do what they wanted, but she had voted for Obama in today's roll call. It's not that her people are anti Obama. They're just really pro Hillary.

Philly mayor Michael Nutter introducing Hillary

And the crowd goes wild

Inside the AP and DTV skybox

Jesse Jackson Jr with dutch tv's Joost Karhof

He came in right after my interview. PS Joost is smokin.

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Surprise guest seen from the Dutch National TV suite

Bill in the house

Delegate madness

There are a thousand people here, easily. HRC is about to meet with her delegates and 'release' them to vote for Obama.

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Christie Findlay
Managing Editor
Politics magazine
CFindlay@politicsmagazine.com
O: 703-778-4026
C: 301-848-2234

Hillary nails it

Nebraska delegate who refuses to vote for Obama

***
Christie Findlay
Managing Editor
Politics magazine
CFindlay@politicsmagazine.com
O: 703-778-4026
C: 301-848-2234

Normal folks

I hear they only give speakers a single practice. Watching gloria craven of north carolina, I wish they gave the normal folks some extra coaching.


***
Christie Findlay
Managing Editor
Politics magazine
CFindlay@politicsmagazine.com
O: 703-778-4026
C: 301-848-2234

Charles Barkley on radio row

***
Christie Findlay
Managing Editor
Politics magazine
CFindlay@politicsmagazine.com
O: 703-778-4026
C: 301-848-2234

Mmmmm carbs

Baked potatoes are the healthiest thing to eat here. I miss vegetables. And why does the whole Pepsi Center smell like waffles?

Mess 'O press passes

***
Christie Findlay
Managing Editor
Politics magazine
CFindlay@politicsmagazine.com
O: 703-778-4026
C: 301-848-2234

Yvette and Angela, our friendly (and very helpful!!!!) DNC volunteers

These lovely ladies will apparently have answers to our smallest logistics questions this week. And best of all, they're right in our hotel.

Questions

I'm packing up my laptop before flying out tomorrow. Some things I'm curious about:

1. Will Bill Clinton be talking about Barack Obama, Hillary - or himself?

2. Will HRC hit her speech out of the ballpark, or will she leave her die-hard fans still uneasy about supporting Obama?

3. Just how much of a problem will the die-hards be when given the chance to vote for HRC?

4. With HRC making the speech of a lifetime, how on earth can Biden top that?

5. Obama's got a lot of amazing speeches to live up to. But with all the soaring rhetoric and chills that go up Chris Matthew's legs (ew), will Obama be specific enough to satisfy swing voters?

6. Can Obama leave with a bounce big enough to hold him through the GOP convention, or will McCain - as history suggests - hit Sept. 5 with an even bigger lead in the national polls?

7. How little sleep can I get by with over the next two weeks?

Sneak Preview of the Sept. Issue

Our creative director is a genius. I can't wait to see how GOP delegates react to this.

Denver or bust

Our press creds have finally arrived for the DNC and GOP conventions - after eight months of paperwork. Political mayhem, here we come!