Convention Location

[JohnLocke]

The Democrats have chosen to have their convention in Boston, Massachusetts. Is it a good idea to do this, or should the convention be held in an important electoral state, such as Florida, Ohio, Arizona, and New Mexico?

[Padraig18]

1. St. Louis would have been a GREAT location.

Great facilities, a midwestern/border state, an 'in play' state, etc. . :)

[JohnLocke]

4. I personally preferred Miami, Orlando, or Tampa.

Maybe Phoenix, Albuquerque, Charleston, Cincinnati, or Cleveland.

[Padraig18]

7. Phoenix. Cleveland or Cincinnati would have been good, too.

I'm not a fan of FL, for some odd reason. :P

[JohnLocke]

9. Hey!

I live in Florida.

[Cuban_Liberal]

19. So does about 3/4 of my family!

Down in Little Havana. ;)

[JohnLocke]

21. I live a little north of that, in northern Palm Beach County.

[readmylips]

12. Arizona...the best

beautiful state and the weather is best.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

2. Cradle of Liberty, Birth of the Revolution

I'm sure they'll be a lot of parallels drawn between the Democratic Party and the Founding Fathers, and those Revolutionaries that usurped "King George".

[trotsky]

3. Terrible, terrible idea.

If Kerry's the nominee, it will only reinforce the "northeastern liberal" image that the RNC is gonna tar him with.

The other thing that's going to hurt us is how much time there is between our convention and the Repukes'. All we can do is hope that their playing up 9/11 for political purposes will backfire.

[sallyseven]

5. Boston is great.

The heck with the repuks. We can just be proud of our democrats and not ashamed like the repuks are of their standard bearer. Boston is easily accessible by plane, bus, train and boat. I am happy it will be here.

[JohnLocke]

6. Wouldn't Miami be better?

[trotsky]

17. Don't get me wrong.

I think Boston is a great city. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit there, and loved the feeling of being in such a historical place.

I'm just saying that we have given the Repukes a big juicy bone to play with in the general election. It's not fair, no, but it's reality.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

11. The people that care about the "Northeastern Liberal" label

are going to vote Republican anyways.

Boston is a great, world-class city, and there is history on every corner. It will remind the public of how our country began-rebelling against a King George.

[Monte Carlo]

13. Kerry's never going to outrun the "northeastern liberal" label anyway...

... because he just can't run that fast. He IS a northeastern liberal.

If he's smart, he'd do what JFK did; embrace the label, and make it his own without the stigma.

[NashVegas]

15. Depends on How They Use It

Stump speech 1: 'here we are at the birthplace of American democracy, where x number brave men conducted the Boston Tea Party'

Stump speech 2: 'here we are at the birthplace of American democracy, where x number brave men conducted the Boston Tea Party to protest subsidies and giveaways to favored merchants working hand in hand with the government at the expense of local enterpreneurs.'

I don't know how much Rev War rhetoric they'll be able to get away with, though, considering Kerry and the party in general aren't beloved by the NRA crowd.

The Dems have spent the last 8 years doing most of the capitulating. If they go up on the stump and capitulate further to the elements that work against basic democracy, the ensuing irony will negate any tactical advantage.

[Renew Deal]

8. It could have been better.

Boston is a great city, but the North East is pretty locked up.

[JohnLocke]

10. Except for New Hampshire.

[UTUSN]

14. Wish It Had Been Some Southwestern Site

San Antonio. Phoenix. Giving a nod to the emerging majority of minorities, looking to the future and boosting turnout. Oh, well.

[ScotTissue]

16. Boston not a good idea, but to late to whine about it

It's happening and can't be changed at this late date. Imagine the stories if we *abandoned* Boston.

[JohnLocke]

18. Kick

[semass]

20. Is there any evidence

that the location of either national convention changed the way a state would have voted anyway?

[JohnLocke]

22. I'm not sure, but it doesn't hurt to try!

[MissMarple]

23. Denver or Kansas City, closer to the middle of America would have been

my suggestion. And Denver's climate is much better in the summer. :D

[mndemocrat_29]

24. They should've gone with a central state

Milwaukee, Detroit, St. Louis, St. Paul, or Cleveland.