Democrats at Boston Convention Prepare for Moderate and Cautious Election Campaign

Interview with John Nichols, Washington correspondent, The Nation magazine, conducted by Scott Harris

As thousands of Democratic Party delegates converged on Boston for their nominating convention, police put in place an extraordinary array of security measures across the city, including the closure of an interstate highway. Near the FleetCenter convention site, protesters were restricted to a so-called "free speech zone" that the federal judge presiding over the case challenging the controlled space, likened to an internment camp.

As has been the trend with both major political parties in recent years, their conventions are highly-scripted events with tight restrictions applied even to messages written on placards held by delegates. With the predictability and lack of dramatic news stories at today's conventions, broadcast television is devoting decreasing amounts of coverage. This year, the major networks will only air one hour of coverage on three of the four nights of both conventions.

While Democrats appear to be united in the campaign to defeat President Bush in November, the delegates who are gathered in Boston to nominate John Kerry as their candidate for the White House differ with the Massachusetts senator on some key issues. An overwhelming majority of delegates opposed the Iraq invasion from the beginning, unlike Kerry, who voted to give Bush the authority to launch the war. Between the Lines' Scott Harris spoke with John Nichols, Washington correspondent with The Nation magazine, who was in Boston covering the convention. He assesses the platform and strategy of the Democrats as they prepare for what many describe as the most important election in their lifetime.

Read John Nichols' columns in the pages of The Nation or online at www.thenation.com

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