Contested convention topic of 'Denver Showdown' at Dole
The Dole Institute of Politics will host a discussion on political conventions titled "Denver Showdown? Clinton, Obama and the 2008 Conventions." The event takes place at 7:30 p.m. April 28 at the institute.
The event is free and open to the public. Topics of discussion will include speculation on the upcoming Democratic nomination and convention, Democratic Party unity and how the Republican convention will help nominee Sen. John McCain. The last contested major-party convention was the 1976 Republican convention in Kansas City, Mo., between California Gov. Ronald Reagan and President Gerald Ford.
The discussion will feature Costas Panagopoulos, editor of "Lights, Camera, Nominate: National Political Conventions in the Media Age."
Panagopoulos is an assistant professor of political science, director of the Center for Electoral Politics and Democracy and director of the graduate program in elections and campaign management at Fordham University. He also is a founder and previous director of the master's program in political campaign management in the Department of Politics at New York University. Panagopoulos is a leading expert on campaigns and elections, voting behavior, public opinion and campaign finance. He was part of the decision desk team at NBC News during the 2006 election cycle.
"There hasn't been a contested major party convention since the Republicans in 1976," said Bill Lacy, director of the Dole Institute. "This year, with the close race on the Democratic side, there is a chance that, for the first time in three decades, a convention could actually mean something. In light of this contest, the Republican convention will also be important as John McCain looks for a boost from his own party to challenge the eventual Democratic nominee."
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