Party People

Anne Martens

That's it, we're done. Ticker tape's down, balloons are popped, trashcans can return to their ordinary locations (they were removed for security), hats and buttons are packed away, locals are happy, and talking heads have enough material to last at least a few days.

After four days of non-stop organized excitement, attention to speechifying, spontaneous and enforced enthusiasm, cop watching, security passes and credentialing, walking and cabbing, party hopping and party crashing, eating too much of nothing healthy and drinking way too much which we all know isn't healthy, my body is done.

Days of listening to cascades of name dropping, of sidling and finagling by those who are or those who want to be Very Self-Important People. We're Democrats, but that doesn't mean there's not a hierarchy. We would just never admit it in public. Access is power, and the coveted blue or suite credential, and the VIP party pass, were much sought after proof of rank. I got very lucky on both floor access and party access, and it makes me happy that a normal person like me who doesn't really prioritize schmoozing can still have a wonderful time and bring home some crazy stories.

So now it's over, and I have to say it was a great party. Yeah, we love JK and JE, we're unified like never before, and we really want to win. Some of the speeches were all-over wonderful (Clinton and Obama), and some had some awful bits and some great bits (JK, THK and JE). We are hope, help and optimism, sandwiched between assertions of strength and power and war. We throw and damn good party, and we hope you'll join us.

By Anne Martens July 30, 2004