Sharing History with Your Family: The 2008 Democratic National Convention

July 30, 5:09 PMFatherhood ExaminerJoe Schatz

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Now, as a parent it may seem difficult to know where to begin when talking to your kids about politics but this year’s election gives all parents a great place to start. The upcoming 2008 Democratic National Convention is an excellent opportunity to begin talking to your kids about politics. Here are some answers to some basic questions regarding the DNC, and how the DNC is allowing both families and young people to participate in the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

What is the Democratic National Convention?

Natalie Wyeth, a spokeswoman and press secretary for The Democratic National Convention Committee (DNCC), said of this year’s convention, “It (the DNC) is an opportunity to celebrate the success of Barack Obama; it is an opportunity for the Democratic Party to come together and celebrate what they stand for; and it is the official place and time where delegates nominate the candidate to represent the party in this year’s election.”

How will the 2008 Convention be historic?

The nomination of Barack Obama marks the first time in U.S. history that either political party has given the presidential nomination to an African-American. The Democratic National Convention Committee wants to make this year’s convention not only historic but groundbreaking as well. In an effort to reflect the tone that surrounded the primaries the DNCC is “breaking down walls” to allow more open public access to convention meetings. “The primaries saw unprecedented voter turnout and that is something we (the Democratic Party) would like to celebrate.” Wyeth said. “Historically the convention has been a ‘credentialed’ event,” Wyeth said of this year’s convention, “this year the public can potentially gain a ‘community credential’ and have access to the fourth night of the convention at Invesco Field. This has never been done before and is an exciting development.”

How will this year’s Convention be more accessible for families?

The DNC will hold an unprecedented fourth night at Invesco Field. Invesco field has a seating capacity of seventy-five thousand and with the addition of the ‘community credential’ allowing public access for the first time in history many people will assuredly take advantage of this fact to be in attendance. Natalie said, “There will be plenty of families in attendance.”

Natalie Wyeth, spokeswoman for the DNCC, informed me that the daytime convention events will also be open to the public. The daytime events will be held at the Colorado Convention Center 10:00 am until 4:00 pm Monday thru Thursday the week of the Convention. These will be ticketed events where delegates will attend caucus meetings. “People are welcome to bring their kids down to see history being made. There will be governors, senators and while Michelle Obama has not been confirmed to attend, traditionally the candidates spouse attends the Women's Caucus. It is a great opportunity for the public to see the inner workings of the government.”

This year’s convention will be made available for internet users at http://www.demconvention.com/ where they can tune in and watch a streaming hi-definition, live broadcast of the convention. This is a way for families to stay in touch with the convention moment by moment right in the comfort of their home. So, if you are looking for a way to stay in touch during the convention and go places that are traditionally for “insiders only” I would suggest checking it out.

Will there be any youth at ‘credentialed’ nightly meetings?

The Democratic National Convention Committee, Post-News Educational Services and Qwest sponsored the “Write to Lead” youth essay contest. The contest encouraged students of Colorado middle and high schools to write essays on what are important qualities for leaders to possess. Out of a pool of nearly 1,200 applicants, fifty-four middle and high school students from across Colorado were selected as finalists in the “Write to Lead” youth essay contest. These finalists will serve as ambassadors to state and territorial delegations, while the two Presidential Winners – Jared Jolton, an eighth grade student at Colorado Academy, and Mari Tanabe, an eleventh grade student at Manitou Springs High School – will attend the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.  So, even though the nightly meetings are exclusively for ‘credentialed’ attendees, the Democratic Party puts a value on including youth in the process as marked by this contest.

Are there any specific groups for youth at the DNC?

One of the more exciting caucus meetings for families to attend will be the ‘Youth Caucus.’ The ‘Youth Caucus’ meeting schedule is not confirmed as of yet, but will take place during a daytime session at the Colorado Convention Center. The ‘Youth Caucus’ is traditionally for delegates under the age of thirty-years-old and this year there is a large number of first time, young delegates—perhaps record breaking. There are some delegates who will be turning eighteen the week of the convention. The caucus is a forum for elected officials to speak about issues facing the youth of America today and looks to be an interesting and energetic meeting to attend.

The week prior to the 2008 Democratic National Convention, the College Democrats of America will host its own convention at the University of Denver. At the College Democrats of America Convention, colleges will participate in: campaign training; collaborative efforts with state and regional delegations; and interact with leaders of the Democratic Party.

Summing it up

The 2008 Democratic National Convention will be historical in both the official business of the convention but also how open and accessible it will be for the general public. The Democratic Party is using the lesson of the presidential primaries and the ‘grassroots’ efforts in communities across the nation that ultimately helped Obama win the nomination, as a springboard for how they will operate the upcoming convention. Some focal points of the convention are: community involvement and participation, the strong youth movement in the Democratic Party, and accessibility through technology.

As the week of the convention marks the start of the school year for many children across the country it makes the 2008 Democratic National Convention a great place to start educating your children about politics and the political process. What is the right way to talk politics with your children? What is the wrong way? Next Wednesday, look for the first article in a series on, “How to talk politics with your kids” and stay tuned for coverage on the 2008 Republican National Convention.