Adventures
of Media Girl: Notes from the 2004 Democratic Convention
Boston, Massachusetts
26-29.July.2004
Judi
Paparelli, Reporter/Radio Host
Pre-Convention…
Late
Saturday night, 24.July.2004, I arrived, from Florida, at the Hyatt Harborside
hotel in Boston...one of 15,000 journalists to pour into the city from all over
the world.
Sunday
morning…
With
my specially coded invitation in hand, I attended the DNC Talk Radio Hosts
Breakfast at the Sheraton Hotel in Downtown Boston. Speakers Terry McAuliffe and Tad Devine each downplayed the
idea of a campaign poll "bounce" and laid out their hopes that the
country would have a chance to "get to know John Kerry."
Kandy
Stroud, DNC Director of National Radio Communications, who had contacted each of
us weeks before the convention to assess our broadcast and print needs, briefed
us on access to radio guests and officials.
Over
breakfast, I compared notes with other hosts/reporters regarding ridiculous cab
fares to and from hotels in the area (what should have been a 12 dollar ride
cost 42 dollars), and other forms of price-gouging which would become a daily
part of the Boston convention experience. My
cab driver explained to me that, because impending massive road closures left
cab drivers' ability to earn money during convention week in question, we should
expect extremely high fares all week. "Hey…we've got to make the fares
any way we can," he said.
Sunday
afternoon…
My
attempts to locate my friend, writer Paul Clerici, and his mother, at Bill
Clinton's Prudential Center book signing, failed, even after security guards,
who remembered me from my years in Boston, walked me through the long, winding
lines of people waiting to meet the former President. I never found them, but they found Bill Clinton.
So,
it was on to the Westin Hotel lobby to pick up convention credentials and
instructions regarding equipment set-up for the week's broadcasts.
Ellen Ratner, Adam Sharon and the staff of Talk Radio News Service (these
pros amaze me) carried out the almighty tasks of distributing credentials,
supervising equipment set-up and anticipating the coverage needs of scores of
radio and print types.
Next,
I headed toward the "east media entrance" to Boston's FleetCenter,
home of the 2004 DNC, with North Carolina radio host Jerry Agar and independent
film maker David Creech, who was putting together a documentary on Jerry's
convention experience.
Our
first of many security checks was a bit of a wait, but, overall, a surprisingly
painless experience. Once through
the barricades, we were met by bomb-sniffing dogs that examined our radio
equipment, secret service agents who questioned us and guards who hand-searched
our notebooks and bags. Their level of professionalism was impressive. My perfume was confiscated, but all of my radio equipment
made it through. Two checkpoints
later, we were inside the FleetCenter, and met with other hosts setting up their
equipment at Radio Row on the first and 4th levels.
My
set-up at the 9th level required a special pass each day, so I headed
up to my position alone, with the intention of finding Jerry and David after
set-up was complete. Hours later, I
could not find them anywhere and would find them only by telephone late that
night, back at the hotel. Trying to
hook up with colleagues proved to be no easy task throughout the week.
The
9th level of the FleetCenter is, by my standards, a perfect location
for broadcast and reporting purposes. My
assigned position, it turned out, offered me one of the best views in all of the
convention hall, as well as the ability to pen and describe what was happening
at all times, day and night. Once
my radio equipment was hooked up, line-tested and ready to operate, I was ready
to get started on-air early the next day.
During
a two-hour search for Jerry and David, I interviewed other journalists in the
process of setting up for convention coverage (many had no lines available with
just minutes to go before broadcasts began).
I had dinner in Boston's North End with a Boston TV reporter, one of many
Boston friends in the business I would catch up with during convention week.
We ate at the same restaurant where I had dined with my parents, years
ago, after carrying the Olympic Torch for the City of Boston.
The place was crawling with hungry media and security officials.
By
2am, I was tired from a long day of set-up and preparation, had spent one
hundred eighty-eight dollars on cab and parking fares, but was excited about all
the coverage to come.
Monday…
Day
1 of the DNC began at 5am and ended at 3am the next day.
On
my way out of the hotel, to start the day, I informed the Democrat volunteers
stationed at the DNC hotel information desk that media and delegates were having
a terrible time negotiating the city and finding proper entrances and exits to
and from the convention hall. This was to be a big story on Day 1…much bigger,
it turned out, than ramifications of the massive Boston road closures which
would come later in the day, for security purposes.
Fear of unimaginable traffic jams sent thousands of Boston residents out
of town for the week, and the horrific tie-ups never materialized. Neither, it
turned out, did the huge business boom that Boston Mayor Menino had promised
city residents.
By
7am, I had passed through FleetCenter security, grabbed some coffee and sat
ready to broadcast and write morning reports to stations and papers in several
states. From my 9th
level perch, I watched workers put final touches on the stage and convention
floor, listened as technicians tested microphones, and reported as Hillary
Clinton and her entourage arrived for an early-morning run-through of her
introduction to her husband's highly-anticipated prime time speech. Wherever Hillary strolled, throngs of reporters and TV
cameras followed, and it was clear on opening day of the convention, that Bill
and Hillary still ruled the Democrat world.
After
morning reports, I headed down to the lower levels to seek interviews and, while
walking toward the guarded 9th level elevator, was greeted by
Reverend Jesse Jackson, who boarded with his entourage.
Everyone who is anyone, from the Clintons, to Ben Affleck and P. Diddy,
travels with an entourage at the DNC.
Whipping
out my recording device, I asked Rev. Jackson if he might grant me a quick
interview on the elevator ride down. His
handlers said no, he was heading to several TV interviews, but Rev. Jackson
agreed, after learning that one of my stations, WFLM in Fort Pierce, Florida, is
based in his wife's hometown. As
the elevator doors opened at Level 1, Rev. Jackson was flooded with TV camera
lights, but stayed and completed his interview with me.
My
walkabout through the FleetCenter halls yielded interviews with Donna Brazille,
John Podesta, Al Franken, Michael Moore and many delegates arriving for their
first session.
Heading
outside the convention center, I saw more of the same confusion about which I
had warned the DNC volunteers. Delegates, most of them from out of town, were
being sent blocks and blocks out of their way by police officers and guards, who
seemed unable to give proper directions to lost visitors.
To further complicate matters, many of these misdirected delegates, once
outside the security barriers, were forced to wait in long security lines in
order to get back into the convention perimeter.
At
hotels all over Boston, DNC transportation officials did not know where buses
were dropping off and picking up delegates and media. Communication seemed
non-existent.
As
35,000-plus delegates and media poured out of the FleetCenter after Monday
night's prime time speeches by Bill and Hillary Clinton, most had no idea where
to walk, and many waited hours to find and board their delegate buses.
After
several telephone calls addressing this matter, I was informed by a DNC official
that "things will be different tomorrow."
Sure enough…they were.
The
ride back to my hotel each night with a busload of buzzing delegates provided a
wealth of convention info. After
Night 1, these delegates were calling for a ticket headed by Hillary, and there
was already anticipation of the appearance of the party's bright new star,
Barack Obama, who was set to deliver the keynote speech Tuesday night.
From
the perspective of political party planners, Monday had been a success. The DNC
was off to a fine start, with a high level of enthusiasm.
From my personal perspective…written reports, interviews and my radio
show had all gone smoothly.
The
long day ended at 3am.
Tuesday…
More
of the same. Morning reports,
daytime interviews, evening reports and a prime time speech roster highlighted
by Barack Obama, who, amazingly, surpassed the impossibly high expectations his
party had placed upon him. What a
star. What a gifted communicator.
The
Tuesday night ride back on the delegate bus featured talk of a Hillary Clinton/Barack
Obama ticket, and about the "strangeness" of Teresa Heinz Kerry.
One
delegate told me she just did not know "what to make" of this woman.
Celebrity
sightings included P. Diddy and, of course, Ben Affleck, who was EVERYWHERE, all
week long.
After
the session ended, VP candidate John Edwards, his wife Elizabeth and family
arrived at the FleetCenter for a run-through of their Wednesday night
appearances.
Again,
the long day ended at 3am.
Wednesday…
While
leaving my harborside hotel for the FleetCenter, I noticed an intense security
sweep of the area by Secret Service officers.
Convention
fatigue was setting in for delegates and media alike. The focus this day was on the arrival of John Edwards, who
was received enthusiastically, but was eclipsed by Al Sharpton, who gave a
rousing speech.
While
viewing the speeches from my 9th level position, I had a fascinating
discussion about media coverage with a producer of the PBS Jim Lehrer Report,
who sat next to me. We were amazed
at the audacity of the networks and cable news channels (with the exception of
PBS and CSPAN), who limited their coverage, and chose to feature commentary on
the speeches which were taking place, rather than airing the speeches
themselves.
Thursday…
THE
BIG DAY began with extreme fatigue, and lots of buzz about the arrival of John
Kerry, who was to make his grand entrance to Boston.
After
my morning reports, I rushed back to my hotel to do some sound editing for my
reports later in the day. While
editing, I glanced out of my hotel room window and saw the KERRY/EDWARDS
campaign plane heading in for a landing at Logan Airport.
Remembering
the secret service security sweep of the day before, I called a Boston reporter
friend to confirm that John Kerry would make his entrance via
Boston Harbor, in a boat, accompanied by his Vietnam swift boat crew.
Putting two and two together, I grabbed my recording device and ran to
the hotel's back entrance. Sure
enough, the place was crawling with secret service agents, who spotted me and
made it clear that no interviews were allowed, "unless the Senator
approaches you, himself." I
agreed, stood near the back door, where they had positioned me, and waited.
Moments later, John Kerry and his entourage came straight toward me, with
the Senator motioning to me that he'd "be out to talk in a moment" as
he had to "use the facilities." So,
as he exited the hotel doors, I had my quick moment to chat, and asked him if he
felt ready for Boston. He said,
"You bet I am," chatted a bit, and boarded his boat for the grand
entrance into Boston.
Armed
with my tape of Senator Kerry, I headed back to the FleetCenter. My cab driver
headed directly into the path of an oncoming protest march, which was headed off
by guards who moved in from every direction and swiftly ended the protest.
As
the final night's session began, exhaustion was rampant in the FleetCenter.
Police, guards, delegates, media and candidates were bleary-eyed and
running on pure adrenaline and caffeine overload.
The
crowd gave Senator Kerry a thunderous welcome, delegates gave his speech good
reviews, and all said they were tired, but energized for the campaign ahead.
The
balloon drop malfunctioned, and those of us who had interviewed the balloon
company's proud owner felt badly that the big moment had come up short.
As
the convention ended, the 9th level elevators were shut down to
accommodate wheelchair delegates on other levels. So…many of us packed up our heavy media equipment, and
hiked down nine flights of cement steps to exit the FleetCenter.
The
day ended at 4am.
DNC
Impressions…
Whatever
your political party, the DNC put on a beautifully produced convention.
The
event showcased the best and worst of media coverage.
Ironically,
despite the convention's "made for TV" nature, print and radio
journalists did a far better job of "painting the pictures" and
capturing the excitement of the DNC.
Television
coverage, with the notable exceptions of PBS and CSPAN, completely missed the
swift boat.
PBS
and CSPAN were rewarded with increased ratings, for letting the candidates,
speakers and their event speak for themselves. Other TV networks and cable news
channels insulted viewers by deciding what they should and should not see, and
by filling their self-limited airtime with commentary, rather than speeches.
They showed lack of respect for both their subject and their viewers.
Of
course political conventions are scripted events.
Of course they aim to place their candidates in the best possible light.
Viewers
know this. They do not need to be
"protected" from the views of each party. Rather, all media outlets should assume voters' intelligence
and ability to make up their own minds.
Let
the Democrats express themselves during their week.
Let the Republicans express themselves during their week.
Let
the puffed-up, ego-laden, banter-crazed, self-important TV commentators keep
their drivel to a minimum.
And
let Americans make up their own minds.
And
now…it's on to New York for the RNC.
~~~~
Veteran
Reporter/Radio Host Judi Paparelli
covered the 2004 Presidential Conventions for
U.S.A. radio stations and print publications.
~~~~