Networks ignoring key speakers

Networks ignoring key speakers

National political conventions have become, in NBC’s Brian Williams’ words, “four-day infomercials.” But it’s not always clear the message is getting through.

The tension between convention planners and television news organizations that don’t want to be seen as doing the politicians’ bidding was obvious at the start of the Democratic meeting that will nominate Sen. Barack Obama for president.

When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was addressing the convention Monday, Fox News Channel’s Bill O’Reilly was in a booth far above the delegates interviewing a pollster and waving in the direction of Mrs. Pelosi on stage with a dismissive hand: “Now we have Nancy Pelosi bloviating, and I say that in an affectionate way, behind us.”

Same thing for CNN at the time, where Wolf Blitzer was holding court as Mrs. Pelosi talked. Among the cable news networks, only MSNBC gave her speech any real attention. Three hours later, as CNN analysts were wrapping up the night, several talked about the absence of “red meat” attacks on the Republicans. But Democratic activist Hilary Rosen noted that Mrs. Pelosi was doing that - only CNN wasn’t really listening.

Dean: Party-crossing helps Obama more

Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean tried to quell talk of intraparty divisions by pointing to an enthusiasm gap between the two parties for their respective candidates.

During a barbecue luncheon with bloggers Tuesday, Mr. Dean cited polls showing lower percentages of Republicans supporting likely Republicn nominee Sen. John McCain than percentages of Democrats backing soon-to-be-named nominee Sen. Barack Obama.

“You know, the mainstream media and the Republicans are all talking about the division. There is no division in this convention,” Mr. Dean told the crowd of some 120 bloggers gathered in a tent just outside the Pepsi Center.

Sen. Obama “gets a significant percentage of Republicans, but he gets a higher percentage of Democrats voting for him than John McCain gets of Republicans voting for him.”

’Granny’ mingles among Obama fans

Traveling with the Creative Coalition to a list of Hollywood events Tuesday was 94-year-old Ann Deschanel, grandmother of actress Zooey Deschanel.

Mrs. Deschanel - called “Granny,” by Zooey Deschanel - mingled with TV and movie stars such as “Desperate Housewives” star Dana Delany , director Spike Lee and actress Ellen Burstyn at a lunch in Denver on Tuesday. But she is really tagging along because she is a lifelong Democrat and big Barack Obama supporter.

Activists remove pro-life sign

Pro-life activists unfurled a huge sign Tuesday on a mesa west of Denver equating the Democratic National Convention with abortion, but later removed it at the request of authorities.

The three-line sign on Table Mountain in Golden said “Destroys uNborn Children,” with the capital letters DNC lined up vertically. Denver-based American Right to Life Action said it placed the sign on the 6,551-foot flattop mountain.

About 50 people hiked up the mesa Tuesday to post the sign, but the heat and the exertion took their toll. Deputies sent to the scene gave those in distress food and water, Jefferson County sheriff’s spokeswoman Andrea Burns said.

Some of the protesters agreed to hike back up and take down the sign, made of more than 2,000 queen-size sheets sewn together to form individual letters. It was displayed for about three hours, and group president Steve Curtis said the letters were visible from west Denver about 10 miles away.

From wire dispatches and staff reports