Are You Ready For A (Democratic) Convention???

CNN has pulled out all the stops in preparation for the conventions and the November elections. Chris Daughtry has rerecorded "Feels Like the First Time" as the theme song for CNN's The League of First Time Voters initiative. The single will appear on Daughtry Deluxe, the band's upcoming deluxe version of its debut album, due out Tuesday, Sept. 9. Here's the video:

Can you believe we have actually made it to the first of the two presidential conventions? It has been a long 19 months but CNN has been covering the story from all the angles since the beginning.

CNN is getting ready for the Democratic National Convention next week from Denver, Colorado.

Convention kickoff on CNN Domestic – Saturday and Sunday at 8:00PM EST

Democratic National Convention programming for the week of Aug. 25:
* A special convention edition of American Morning with John Roberts and Kiran Chetry will air Monday, Aug. 25 through Friday, Aug. 29 from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
* A special edition of CNN Newsroom from 9 a.m. to noon will feature anchor and special correspondent Soledad O’Brien and extended segments and frequent live shots from the convention site.
* For the noon hour, CNN will feature Soledad O’Brien and anchors Gerri Willis and Ali Velshi live from New York’s Election Center with guests and panel discussions live from CNN’s Grill. The hour will have a convention-focused theme with the role of the economy and other pocketbook issues in the election.
* CNN Newsroom will return from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. with Soledad O’Brien leading CNN’s special convention coverage.
* Beginning at 4 p.m., lead political anchor Wolf Blitzer will anchor The Situation Room from the convention floor. Each day, the convention will gavel to order while The Situation Room is in progress and offering the first look at that day’s activities.
* CNN will move into its primetime convention coverage beginning at approximately 6 p.m. Anchor Anderson Cooper, senior political analyst Gloria Borger, and chief national correspondent John King, along with the “magic wall,” will join Blitzer on CNN’s floor set in the Pepsi Center. The coverage will extend late into the night and lead into a special midnight edition of Larry King Live.
* On the final evening, CNN will relocate its political team and resources to Invesco Field at Mile High, where Sen. Obama is expected to accept his party’s nomination.
* Throughout the day and evening, CNN’s political team will offer the latest news and thoughtful analysis. Correspondents include Dana Bash, Candy Crowley, Joe Johns, Suzanne Malveaux, Bill Schneider and Jessica Yellin.

CNN Grills
CNN Worldwide returns to the convention scene in 2008 with the “CNN Grill,” providing both Democrats and Republicans with a distinct venue to mix good food and lively political debate. The CNN Grills take a cue from the immensely successful “CNN Diner” at the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York City.

The CNN Grill will be open for the duration of both the Democratic National Convention in Denver from Monday, Aug. 25, through Thursday, Aug. 28, In Denver, the CNN Grill will take over Brooklyn’s restaurant located adjacent to the Pepsi Center; Situated immediately adjacent to the delegate entrances at both conventions, the CNN Grills will serve as additional broadcast centers that bring newsmakers and the media together to participate in CNN live broadcasts both on-air and online at CNN.com and mingle with CNN guests. The Grills will be open each convention day for CNN hospitality and invited guests starting at 3 p.m. (MT) in Denver.

“All across the country, places where people gather for good food and lively conversation are top destinations for campaigners, so we wanted to bring that experience directly to both conventions,” said Scot Safon, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for CNN Worldwide. “Between the live CNN political team coverage and the great food, we expect the CNN Grills – as the CNN Diner was four years ago in New York City – to be must-visit destinations for convention-goers.”

The brick exterior of the CNN Grill in Denver will display an array of painted quotes about politics. Editors at CNNPolitics.com asked users to submit – in 10 words or less – what “politics” means to them. The political expressions that will appear on the Grill wall were selected from hundreds of submissions from across the country.

CNN pioneered the concept behind the CNN Grills in 2004 with the CNN Diner, which was located at the Tick Tock Diner. The campaign was honored in 2005 with PROMO magazine’s PRO Award in the “Best Use of Event Marketing” category

So if you are in the Denver area and get the opportunity to attend any of the events, let us know your firsthand accounts. Oh and if you see Bill Schneider, tell him Ms. Sapphire loves his hat!




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