The party of the people

A good time for democrats in Denver....

An unruly crowd gathered outside a fancy lounge near the Pepsi Center for hours, pressing up against bouncers to get to the party inside. Anyone who made their way through the door found an open bar, a horde of lobbyists, political strategists and reporters and a handful of lawmakers. But first, you had to wait in line, then prove you were invited by finding your name on a pre-printed list. Unless, that is, you were former White House chief of staff John Podesta, in which case you hopped out of your black SUV, walked up to the door and strolled right in at around midnight with barely a nod at the security guys.

The nightlife at the Democratic convention has seen the usual celebrity hierarchy turned sort of upside down, with wonky Washington power brokers suddenly commanding the sort of VIP treatment at swanky clubs usually reserved for ex-reality TV stars. As soon as the night's speeches end -- and sometimes before then -- trendy bars and clubs around town have filled up with D.C. types wearing convention credentials around their necks. Performers from Kanye West to Willie Nelson have appeared on late-night stages, and most people in Denver could probably have managed to get through the week without spending a dime on dinner or drinks by bouncing from party to party.

There's a reason, of course, that even junior House aides are able to get into lavish events that keep them fed, drunk and entertained all week; the parties are sponsored by huge corporations with plenty of business pending before them when the whole scene heads back to Washington. With Democrats in charge of Congress, and aiming at the White House, corporate interests who only used to care about Republicans are using the convention to cozy up to the other side. In fact, according to tip sheets compiled by D.C. lobbying firm Quinn Gillespie (an equal-opportunity employer of Republicans and Democrats alike), there were far more evening receptions, cocktail parties and big blowouts this week in Denver than there will be next week in St. Paul. But the new interest in Washington's Democratic rulers made for some unusual juxtapositions between the party's platform and the anti-lobbyist rhetoric of Barack Obama's campaign.