Shady City Organizers

How some elite Villagers see the people.

We've noticed something about the hundreds of fabulous parties and events at this Democratic convention: They're hardly democratic. As we have rolled through downtown Denver, hopping from nightclub to amphitheater to swank bar, we've seen very few delegates. Surely we've missed some; not everyone was sporting a button or ribbon proudly declaring his or her state affiliation. But in all these guest-list-only fetes, we've noticed a common theme. They feel just like parties in Washington. Exclusive, self-conscious, and, let's be honest, tiring. And after taking the pulse of some of the party guests -- Dem political operatives all -- we found that they like it this way.

No one really wants to attend a party with the "prolies," one insider told us, referring to the delegates. A lot of them are city organizers and the kinds of folks he would prefer not to spend an evening with. "Shady" was the chosen adjective. He much preferred to run into friends from back home as he made the party circuit, and he was not disappointed. Other high-powered Dems concurred with this assessment, and one even offered that he had looked forward to Denver with the same relish as his annual retreats to Aspen and Miami. We pointed out that most of the convention delegates -- heck, most of the convention attendees, period -- aren't really in that jet set. He looked at us like we had just uttered the truest and most obvious statement of the week. When asked if he'd gone onto the convention floor while he was here, he replied, "Why would I do that?"