Delegates Drowning in Swag in Denver

By Jerry Brady, 8-25-08

For delegates, this convention is an embarrassment of riches.

First comes a blue bag stuffed with promotional giveaway stuff from those who want to bend delegates minds:  a pedometer from something called AstraZeneca; ten dollars off my next FedEx shipment; numerous pens, keychains and candies; a box of macaroni and cheese adorned with a donkey holding a “Democrats in 2008!” sign and fitness juice. 

And my favorite, a soft plastic replica of a lump of coal from Peabody Coal, the famous strip-miner and subject of a folk song about the company carrying away West Virginia.  Advertising for “clean coal” is everywhere here.  Montana Governor Brian Schweitzer will be pleased when he arrives to address the convention.

Then there are the newspapers and magazines which arrive by the pound outside delegates doors:  National Journal, Roll Call, The Hill, The New Republic, Congressional Quarterly.  When is one supposed to read them? 

The Idaho Democratic Party executive director, Jim Hansen, has given delegates an unusual mission:  collect lots of stuff that can be auctioned off back home at county fund raisers.  That’s what the blue bags are for.  Will the bottle of antibacterial hand sanitizer from the big Washington law firm of Hogan and Hartson be worth anything in Grangeville?

At every corner and in every hallway, it seems, T-shirts, water bottles and an immense variety of buttons are for sale.  My advice is:  wait until Friday.

There are, what, about 4,500 delegates?  At them is aimed millions upon millions of advertising.  A pretty high cost per-delegate

And I haven’t even gotten to the Pepsi Center where the convention is being held. At very turn is one form of advertising or another. 

Jerry Brady was the Democratic candidate for governor in the last two cycles and has headed the family and employee-owned Post Register in Idaho Falls for the last 20 years.  He also serves as publisher of the weekly Wood River Journal in Hailey.