While the rumors of a shortened convention have faded, this morning the Obama campaign announced their plans for the final day of the 2008 Democratic National Convention. Senator Obama, the thousands of delegates and convention-goers, the media, and thousands of spectators will leave the Pepsi Center and head across the street to Invesco Field at Mile High for his acceptance speech. 75,000 people will watch the next president of the United States make his argument to the American people.

“When we said we wanted to ‘bring down the walls,’ open up this Convention like never before and truly speak to the American people, we meant it,” said Leah D. Daughtry, CEO of the DNCC. “On August 28, we will offer grassroots Democrats, who have turned out in record numbers this year, the opportunity to witness history shoulder to shoulder with thousands of Americans standing up for the change our country desperately needs.”

“Senator Obama and the DNCC have truly brought the community into the Convention,” said Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. “This decision will enable thousands of residents from Colorado, the Rocky Mountain West and across the nation to witness history first hand. What a way to fire up our grassroots activists as we head into the fall campaign.”

Last time the Democratic nominee accepted the nomination outdoors? President John F. Kenney at the Coliseum in Los Angeles in 1960. Video after the jump.

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Two things are certain right now.

1. Rep. Bob Ney is going to jail
2. The Presidential contest is well underway for 2008

With that in mind, cities around the country are putting together their bids to host the 2008 Democratic Convention and among the more serious bidders will be Denver, Colorado.

In fact, Denver just hired well-known Democratic convention planner and consultant Debbie Willhite to lead the effort on behalf of the city.

From the Rocky Mountain News:

Debbie Willhite, a key Democratic Party political strategist and national convention organizer for Bill Clinton’s presidential campaigns, has been named executive director of the Denver 2008 Host Committee, showing the city’s determination to win the 2008 convention.

She said a Denver convention would help the Democratic Party advance its successful strategy of attracting independent voters in the Mountain West to win back the White House.

“I think the No. 1 purpose of the convention is to be a launching pad for the presidential nominee,” Willhite said. “Denver serves that purpose in a number of ways. The most important way is that it stretches the electoral map and shows that the Democrats are reaching out to the Rocky Mountain West.”

She said that gives Denver an edge over the other two competitors for the Democratic convention - New York and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

I think Denver makes a lot of sense for Democrats in 2008. It’s a region of the country that we’ve made some inroads in, but we still have lots of work to do.

What do you think?…post a comment below.

Colorado could turn bright blue in 2006. Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Bill Ritter is putting up good poll numbers and it seems he’s got the momentum in this race. Give ‘em hell, Bill!

Remember, a strong Democratic Governor in Colorado means the Dems will have a great chance of winning the state in 2008. If you live in Colorado, get to work!

From the Denver Post:

Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Bill Ritter would probably defeat Republican opponent Bob Beauprez if the election were held today, according to a poll conducted for The Denver Post.

But Ritter’s edge is slim, leading Beauprez by only 7 percentage points, with 42 percent to the Arvada congressman’s 35 percent. The poll, conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The results are almost identical to a poll conducted for The Post in February, which showed Ritter leading Beauprez 43 percent to 37 percent.