Democratic Convention

Denver: Impeach Bush, Let Nader Debate & Adventures in Rickshaws

By Maegan Carberry ⋅ August 25, 2008 ⋅   Email this post ⋅  Digg This ⋅  Share on Facebook ⋅  Print this post ⋅ Post a comment

Twenty-four hours into the DNC, I’ve been getting the lay of the land (which has been pretty interesting). It’s one of those limited resources situations where there’s a plethora of political enthusiasts representing their various causes, and because you’re a liberal you have to pay attention to them. For example, I experienced some progressive guilt yesterday when I went to Walgreens  to buy some toothpaste and when I came out, I was immediately sandwiched between  a help-the-homeless guy and an immigrants rights activist. I didn’t know whose pamphlet to take or who to listen to, and I really just wanted to get home to finish my writing. I wound up nodding and pretending to chase after the guys riding around the 16th Street Mall in an “Impeach Bush” rickwshaw.

And let’s talk about rickshaws. My previous experience with them consisted of that one episode of “Seinfeld” when Kramer buys one to great disaster. Today, though, after walking for an hour to pick up my tickets to this week’s various parties, it was hot and I was sweating so badly that I commissioned a rickshaw driver. I’ve always thought it was a little weird to be pulled in a person-drawn contraption and I felt very ackward chit chatting with my driver while I watched him peddle away. (Although, I was getting quite a workout trying to hang on to my laptop and grip the safety bar so as not to fall out on a particularly steep incline en route to the convention center!)

The streets were just lulling to action this morning on my walk. Lot of Obama buttons and Yosi’s HOPE shirts. Some enthusiastic Nader supporters protesting in a park. We’re all gearing up for the action to kick off tonight!

My pal, the brilliant Max and the Marginalized rocker-blogger, Max Bernstein, and I are stationed centrally in a lovely studio pad we found on Craig’s List. My posse, including Wilshire & Washington producer, Blaise Nutter, and my lovely intern, Melissa Velasco, just got to town and we’ll be hanging at the Starz Green Room across the street from the Pepsi Center all day before we head to Drinking Liberally’s 40 Leaders Under 40 party and Rock the Vote’s shindig tonight.