Question about national conventions

[dulcemariamar]

This is probably a silly question, but can the general public attend the national conventions or do you have be invited to get in? Do you have to be a registered member of the political party of the convention to get in?

I always thought it would be interesting to go to one.
Has anybody on this board been to one before?

[mominatrix]

I don't know for sure, but my guess is that, given the number of actual delegates, you couldn't get in without credentials.

[earlgreyhot]

I've never been but my DH is going to the RNC with is company. He's had to submit quite a bit of info just to get within the perimeter, but is not allowed into the official convention. He'll be hanging around his co's booth and sponsored events.

[y4m]

You generally have to be a delegate or otherwise connected to get in. They don't just sell tickets to the general public. At least for RNC. DH went in NYC in 04, and he's going to Tampa this year.

[ChillyMcFreeze]

I went to Boston in '04, and I think you have to be somebody to get in. Delegates' families had to enter a lottery to get tickets for one night. The big kerfuffle that year was the "free speech zone"--a fenced in area outside of the entrance. There is major security to get into the arena. My mom and I got tickets for the night Obama spoke (my dad was a delegate)... our seats were so bad, we left, picked up lobster rolls and watched it from the hotel.

[redheadbaker]

When I was in college, I worked in an OfficeMax copy center. I was sent to the Republican National Convention when it was in Philly (doing on-the-spot copies, newsletters, business cards, etc), but I was in a separate area, almost like a trade-show convention. I wasn't allowed near the "real" convention.

[GailGoldie]

Univ of Tampa is requiring it's freshman this year to take a course ... and many will be interns at the RNC for it - so you could sign up for college and maybe get in

www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/19/republican-national-convention-course_n_1607238.html

[MrsAxilla]

Aug 19, 2012 18:38:15 GMT -5 earlgreyhot said:

I've never been but my DH is going to the RNC with is company. He's had to submit quite a bit of info just to get within the perimeter, but is not allowed into the official convention. He'll be hanging around his co's booth and sponsored events.

haha! Rs are paranoid! I went to the Obama convention and all I had to have was a ticket, my ID and an Obama button. Ok, I'm kidding about the button.

You do have to be connected somehow to get in. I got a ticket to one night from a friend who had a friend who knew the Speaker of the CO House pretty well.

[NitaX]

Aug 19, 2012 18:43:39 GMT -5 y4m said:

You generally have to be a delegate or otherwise connected to get in. They don't just sell tickets to the general public. At least for RNC. DH went in NYC in 04, and he's going to Tampa this year.

Right. We (local and state Dems) voted for the delegates that we are sending to the convention.

[SusanBAnthony]

DH's cousin went to th Rnc in Minnesota. He bought his way in by donating huge sums of money. And he will tell anyone with ears about how awesome he and his money is.

[CallingAllAngels]

I got a ticket to Obama's speech at this year's DNC through a local university. Since the speech is in a large football stadium, it is open to more people than a traditional convention, I guess.