The Democratic Convention in Worcester: typing in the dark
I wanted to cover the Democratic Convention June 4-5th so that I could compare it to the Republican Convention which was held April 16 and 17th, both were held at the DCU Convention Center in Worcester. As a free-lance writer with about a decade of columns unencumbered by Political Correctness, I have carved out a niche as a Conservative local columnist. That does not mean I get in print, especially in the Boston Papers though I did blog in Boston.com during the debate before Gay Marriage was legalized in 2007. ( See my article…
http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/lifestyle/columnists/x826450040)
At the Republican Convention I logged about 4000 words describing what happened there but the set up was very different for the second convention. Because they had more delegates they needed more floor space, I was told, and moved the press to the Super Box on the second floor. The seats were not wired for computers when I arrived and the electrician on duty was called to set up a few extension cords with power strips. I took my seat and began typing in the deluxe but dark area provided. When I powered up my desktop lit up for everyone behind me with a picture of Obama with an aura. I was outed.
The room temperature started to drop at that point, come to think of it, and youthful aids and interns must have been shocked that an infiltrator had arrived.
The paid professionals did not cover the speeches given on the opening night by Martha Coakley, Barney Frank, Jim McGovern and others, and a whole tableful of gourmet treats in the private press room went untouched. I was too busy rebooting my computer as I sat mostly alone and my laptop kept mysteriously losing power. The DCU was blamed for bad electronics but I had no such trouble at the Republican Convention and we could actually see our laptops. The journalists who showed up Saturday had no trouble typing in the dark and nobody lost power either. My colleague and the founder and director of COMFLM, “Senior Papparazzi” and constant videographer said there are some who are not above tampering with equipment. But in the end we were grateful to be allowed to share the Superbox with the mainstream press. Thanks to those who made it possible.
We in alternative media may not be liberals like almost all our colleagues covering the news but we all believe in a Free Press, don’t we?
