Convention News from DemConWatch

- There are 13 days left until the opening gavel.

- Coloradans will have their chance tomorrow to tape their questions or stories to be aired at the convention

AMERICA’S TOWN HALL ‘OPEN CALL’ TAPING
11:30 AM - 5:30 PM MT
16th Street Mall
Corner of 16th Street and California St
Denver, CO 80202

Info for the other Open Calls can be found here

- Watch The Big Tent Construction Cam. Live streaming video of an empty parking lot! Construction begins today



- Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper will speak on Monday and Colorado Governor will speak on Thursday.

Mark Squier, the producer, said that bookending the convention with prominent Colorado Democrats was part of a larger strategy to showcase the party's rise in what has become a political battleground. - Denver Post

- The Brown Palace Hotel is ready for its second convention.

On Aug. 12, 1892, The Brown Palace Hotel opened its doors in the heart of downtown Denver. The hotel has remained open every minute of every day since opening.

Every U.S. president has visited The Brown Palace since Teddy Roosevelt (1905), with the exception of Calvin Coolidge.

Four of the hotel's suites are named for their famous residents: The Beatles Suite, Eisenhower Suite, Reagan Suite, and Roosevelt Suite.

Teddy Roosevelt was the first president to stop at The Brown Palace Hotel. He came to Colorado to hunt bear in the spring of 1905. During his trip, he spoke to a group of businessmen at an elaborate banquet at the hotel. Roosevelt preceded the trend for cigar smoking; 1,500 cigars were smoked during the event.

- Ohio Governor Ted Strickland will speak on Tuesday night

Gov. Ted Strickland has been given a prime speaking spot at the Democratic National Convention to talk about the economy. Strickland told reporters in a conference call that the Barack Obama campaign asked him to speak Tuesday evening at the convention. - PolitickerOH

- Focus on the Family has removed their video asking everybody to pray for rain at Invesco.

- The DNCC announces "Countdown to America's Future" daily webcasts.

In recognition of the growing power of the Internet and online video, now the primary source of news to millions of Americans, the Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC) announced today the launch of “Countdown to America’s Future,” a series of daily webcasts about the 2008 Democratic Convention, featuring campaign officials and Convention insiders who know what’s happening behind the scenes and the inside scoop to watch for during each night’s televised Convention program.

- Our friends at Georgia Politics Unfiltered interviewed one of the finalists in the DNCC's "Why Are You A Democrat in 2008" contest. You can see the other videos and vote here.