Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Pepsi Center, Wal-Mart and the Iraq War



People are so packed into Pepsi Center, I can never get onto the convention floor. I barely have time to get down the stairs to the floor and back in the allotted half hour I have with my rotating floor pass. The other night the stairs were jammed and I was stuck with Teresa Heinz and John Kerry. She looked hot and bothered while Kerry was in his element, yucking it up and slapping the backs of every New York and Massachusetts delegate within reach. “Hey! there’s Darth he exclaimed,” leaning way over the railing to shake an outstretched hand. Smiling at the adoring crowd following his every move he continued, “We always called him Darth Vader. Isn’t that right Darth? ” Everyone laughed, even Darth.

Unfortunately I could not get a clear photograph of him, perhaps because he was so close, or the crowd was jostling us or my hands could not stop shaking. For the record, he did shake my hand and we exchanged a few words as we stood cheek by jowl on the crowded stairs of Pepsi Center.

Pepsi Center is a walking advertisement for corporate America. It’s home page sports the corporate logos of Pepsi, Qwest, Conoco, Coors and the Denver Post. Pepsi bought 20 year naming rights to the venue in 1999 for $3.4 million a year. It is privately owned by Kroenke Sports Enterprises, Inc., headed by sports entrepreneur Enos Stanley "Stan" Kroenke. His wife, Anne Walton is an heir to the WalMart fortune.

This morning at the California delegation breakfast, where John Kerry spoke along with Senators Barbara Boxer, and Claire McCaskill, someone made an announcement about Wal-Mart. They said. “Friends, it is important to support the unions and we have to talk about Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart is now telling all of its employees not to vote for Barack Obama. Remember that, whenever you think about shopping at Wal-Mart.” It seems odd, given Wal-Marts anti-union and anti-Barack stance that the Democrats brought their convention to a facility closely tied to Wal-Mart.

Listening to the proceedings, you would never know about corporate connections to the convention. It is more about the American Dream. Tuesday night Michelle Obama encapsulated that dream in a speech that even left the cynics gasping. She was poised elegant and personable. One die-hard Code Pink friend exclaimed. “I want her to be President.”

Meanwhile, outside Pepsi Center, Progressive Democrats of America are sponsoring forums, and a gathering place for conversations and tables of progressive political groups. This morning John Nichols of Free Press moderated a forum with Tom Hayden and Jim McDermott, Congressman from Washington, titled "Out of Iraq." As these progressive Democrats talked about responsible withdrawal from Iraq, an irate middle-aged spectator rose from his seat and exclaimed, “I am outraged. I want withdrawal. Forget responsible withdrawal. We have to get out of there now!”

Tom Hayden pointed out that the anti-war movement has to deal with domestic issues like the military draft, which would drive youth to vote in vastly greater numbers. He added that McCain has been quoted as saying the draft might be necessary. Hayden suggested that a group research, and then post a You Tube of McCain's position on the draft, and then contact the press to ask McCain about his position on the draft.

Out on the streets, the religious right is in force. They blocked the 16th street Mall. The next day saw at least two anti-abortion demonstrations by the religious right— one on the mall and one at the walk-in entrance to Pepsi Center. In both instances the police were present but did nothing to stop the disruption.

Tuesday morning there was a big puppet march downtown in a procession for the future and that afternoon Iraq Veterans Against the War carried out Operation First Casualty that recreates Baghdad combat scenes on the streets of Denver. Today, Iraq Veterans Against the War lead a march to Pepsi Center in conjunction to a Rage Against the Machine concert. I wonder what John Kerry, a founder of the Viet Nam Veterans Against the War, thinks about the insurgent Iraq Veterans Against the War. I should have asked him.

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