We’ve made a friendly wager with our counterparts at the 2008 Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul on the outcome of the NHL playoff series between the Colorado Avalanche and the Minnesota Wild.  With tonight’s victory by the Avs, the series is now tied at 2-2 after back-to-back games at the Pepsi Center here in Denver.

So we took our camera across town - right into the heart of the action - to find out what Avs fans think of the wager and this summer’s Convention.  Check out the video below for a great look at the local excitement - and some promising tips on cooking walleye.

Everyone we meet in Denver is so excited for the Democratic National Convention to come to town. For the younger people in the community, the Convention brings the chance to become involved in the democratic process, even for those too young to vote.

Such an opportunity became available yesterday, when the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) joined with Post-News Educational Services and Qwest Communications at East High School in Denver to unveil the “Write to Lead” youth essay contest and delegation ambassador program. Representatives from each of the partner organizations were joined by Sara Lass and Marlene Smith – two 11th grade student government leaders from East – for the big unveil.

Earlier this week, we posted here about our January DNCC Service Days outing at Manual High School with Governor Dean and the DNC Executive Committee. Watch this video to learn more about Manual and see how the DNCC staff worked with the local community to make this school with such a rich history an even brighter place.

As reported on our blog Wednesday, DNCC CEO Leah Daughtry packed an overnight bag this week and headed to Las Vegas for a Convention Conversations forum with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Congresswoman Shelley Berkley. In this video, you’ll see some of the great sites of Las Vegas and meet some of the people who came out to learn more about the Democratic National Convention and how they could get involved in the historic regional opportunities of 2008.

Today, the Colorado Democratic Party sponsored its second annual Faith and Politics Conference at the Iliff School of Theology. I had the honor of delivering the opening keynote.

The topic was Engaged Spirituality, and I chose to share with the audience much of my personal path. For me, politics was the path by which I could bring concrete change to the community I call home. And it was in the Democratic Party that I found a mirror to my own values. I talked about the founding of the Faith In Action Initiative - my baby - which is not about helping elected officials quote scripture or go to church and clap on the beat but about encouraging them to talk about their values and what drove them to public service.

Leah Daughtry has logged a lot of miles throughout the state of Colorado as she’s teamed up with Democratic leaders to engage Colorado residents and activists in a dialogue about the 2008 Democratic National Convention. On Wednesday, January 9th, the DNCC will take the "Convention Conversations" series over the Colorado state line for the first time. Leah is teaming up with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid for a community forum in Las Vegas — and we want you there. 
 

WHERE:

Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 525

760 North Lamb Blvd.

Las Vegas, Nevada 

WHEN:

1:00 p.m., Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Please RSVP to rsvp@demconvention.com or (720) DNC-2008

This week marked the much-anticipated opening of the credentialing process for media interested in covering the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver. While the bulk of media who will attend the Convention are credentialed through the U.S. Congressional Press Galleries, we do credential media — including bloggers — through the DNCC Press Gallery. 

At the close of week one (drumroll please), we are happy to report 51 applications from bloggers already in — including State Blogger Corps applicants from 20 states such as: California, Colorado,  Vermont, North Carolina and Kentucky. There’s plenty of time to ensure that no state is left behind on this unique Convention coverage opportunity. To apply for blogger credentials, click here. And be sure to check back for updates as applications continue to come in.

After weeks of planning and days of packing, the Democratic National Convention Committee moved from our temporary home in downtown Denver to our new home — seven floors down in the same building.  

Our new office space gives us plenty of room to grow as our team expands in the months leading up to the Convention next August: 15,000 square feet with five conference rooms, each named after a state in the Rocky Mountain West. Watch this video for a first-person highlights tour of the office, including several of our “green" features. Caution: wet paint.

Hello from Durango this time. Continuing on the Pat and Sky tour of Colorado, Pat and I held a Convention Briefing and Delegate Training in Durango this past Sunday. We missed the snow on both sides of the visit by days so we had a clear blue sky for the flight, which of course was gorgeous.  

Speaking of skies — the first thing I noticed when I got off the plane, was that the sky there was even bigger than it is in Denver. It’s a beautiful part of the state.Before heading over to the Durango Community Rec Center, Pat and I stopped for a quick breakfast (well, it was breakfast for me because I can eat huevos rancheros any time of day) at the Brickhouse Cafe. Very cute little place on Main Street.

The 2008 Democratic National Convention will be the most inclusive and accessible Convention in party history. We intend to break down the walls of the Pepsi Center using technology and other means to engage more people in our Convention experience in more meaningful ways than ever before. And bloggers and other new media will play a big role in that effort. 

But why wait until August to get involved?

Even before the Convention begins, the Democratic National Convention Committee is opening its doors to the online community. Watch this video to learn about some of the ways you can get involved with the 2008 Democratic National Convention Committee online.