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Goodbye, Columbus … Or Philly, Or Brooklyn?
Overall, maybe they rather would be in Philadelphia . . . or Brooklyn, or even Columbus, Ohio. Those three cities reportedly are on the short list for host site of the 2016 Democratic National Convention. W.C. Fields jokes aside (the late comedian also supposedly said: “I once spent a year in Philadelphia; I think it was on a Sunday”) what do the cities say about the Democratic existence in the next election?
Brooklyn (the Barclay Center, home of the NBA’s Nets and a home-away-from-home for Beyonce and Jay Z) has three things going for it: an enormous fundraising base to underwrite the effort; proximity to Chappaqua (about 40 miles as the crow flies) if the nominee ends up being a certain New York resident; and a sentimental bookend as Bill Clinton accepted the party’s nomination in 1992 in Madison Square Garden (odds of a Fleetwood Mac reunion at DNC 2016?).
Philly offers geography (an easy train ride from either NYC or DC) and a lot of historical overtones if the Democrats want to party like it’s 1776 — plus, ironically, a good example in the form of the 2000 Republican National Convention.
As for Columbus, need we state the obvious? With the Republicans already set to gather in Cleveland, Democrats could counter with a Buckeye move of their own — and a chance to sell the party as something other than a coastal entity (Columbus being the fastest growing city in the Midwest).
Final note: for all the hoopla over the importance of convention locals, consider the recent track record:
2012: Democrats in Charlotte, Republicans in Florida; Democrats lose North Carolina, Republicans lose Florida.
2008: Democrats in Denver, Republicans in Minneapolis; Democrats win Colorado, Republicans lose Minnesota.
2004: Democrats in Boston, Republicans in New York City; Democrats win Massachusetts, Republicans lose New York.
2000: Democrats in Los Angeles, Republicans in Philadelphia; Democrats carry California; Republicans lose Pennsylvania.
1996: Democrats in Chicago, Republicans in San Diego; Democrats win Illinois, Republicans lose California.
1992: Democrats in New York City, Republicans in Houston. Democrats win New York, Republicans win Texas.
So if a city is selling a party on the importance on geography, it would seem a sucker bet.
Then again, never give a sucker an even break.
Published in General
ugh.
I’m scared to death they’re going to choose Columbus. I want to be compensated for the disruption to my life.
Mike, be ready to start a balloon company at a moment’s notice just in case.
I don’t know why they haven’t chosen Detroit, where liberalism has come full circle. I hear there is a lot of available space there, now that so many have fled the place.
I vote for Columbus or Philadelphia.