Obstructed Democrats

Seating at the Democratic Convention is all about status. Colorado is front and center because it is hosting the event. Illinois and Delaware are up front too, since that is where the candidates are from.

Delegates from battleground states have some primo seats.

And Utah?

Utah's Democrats get to look at the behinds of dozens of photographers. The delegates can't even see the podium from many of the seats in the Utah section.

Looks like the Democrats haven't forgotten which state gave President Bush his biggest margin of victory in the last two presidential contests.

Daddy Dunn

Donald Dunn, the state director of Hillary Clinton's Utah campaign and a former state party chairman, was supposed to be at the convention in Denver this week, but had to cancel the trip.

He had a good excuse, though. His wife gave birth to a baby girl last week. But he still got to pay tribute to his presidential favorite.

The Dunns named their new daughter Kate Hillary. Mother and baby are doing well.

Dem-Made Signs

A heavy security presence is making sure no delegate smuggles in a bottle of water or a handmade sign into the Pepsi Center, but signs abound in the basketball arena-turned-convention floor.

They aren't exactly homemade. The party handed out the signs to each delegation with state specific slogan -"Utahns for Obama" - just another example on the managed spontaneity that is the modern political convention.