Colorado & Denver News

  CBS4 went behind-the-scenes with the Democratic National Convention Committee in Denver this week to find out what goes into planning a presidential nominating meeting.

DENVER (CBS4) - The Democratic National Convention Committee has plenty of room to grow at its offices in the old Denver Post newsroom. They have two floors of office space and rows of cubicles, but most are empty.

Over the weeks and months ahead, the empty desks will be occupied by dozens of staffers, volunteers and interns as the DNCC bulks up to a fighting weight in late August. Upwards of 200 full-time staffers will be working in the office by convention time. Right now 60 people work in the office.

Key department heads (security, public affairs, intergovernmental affairs, operations inside and outside the hall) occupy different corner offices on the two floors and prepare to lead their army of supporters. Eventually the somewhat quiet office will be filled with a buzz of activity as the needed manpower to accomplish their goals is brought on board.

"I think it is difficult to really grasp the magnitude of the event and how much work there is that goes in to it even a year out," said Sky Gallegos, Deputy CEO of Intergovernmental Affairs. "Even if you've been a part of it before or been a part of large events … it is actually a very large undertaking, just the day-to-day and all the details that have to be worked out is surprising."

There is even a set of desks set aside for staffers from the party's presidential nominee. Those staffers will help coordinate the convention details with the nominee's campaign.

"It is really like building a small city," said Leah Daughtry, head of the DNCC. "You have your own housing system. You have your own transportation system. And there is already pre-existing infrastructure that we don't want to disrupt or abandon. So we're really building a city on top of a city. And that calls for a certain deftness in terms of relationships."

Chief Executive

Daughtry's official title is Chief Executive Officer of the DNCC. When not planning a national party convention, Daughtry is the chief of staff to Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean. Dean picked Daughtry to lead the convention staff.

"This is probably, in my four conventions, the most watched that I've felt," said Daughtry. "This is a really big deal, it has been 100 years since the last convention and so folks are paying attention now and have been paying attention since the city was announced. And so that's a bit of a challenge. We usually fly under the radar for a bit of time before people start paying attention."

Daughtry has experience in management as an assistant secretary of labor in the Clinton administration. She has also helped plan the last two Democratic National Conventions. (And she's the pastor of a chuch in Washington.)

"I've done a number of these, so I won't feel pressure until further down the line," Daughtry said.

She is not only the CEO in charge of the convention staff, but she also is the public face of the event in the community and with the party faithful.

Daughtry has held community forums across Colorado and the Rocky Mountain region to inform businesses and leaders about the convention and opportunities to showcase the Mountain West.

Daughtry and Rep. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., fielded a variety of questions at one forum inside the Belmar Center in Lakewood Monday. She shared ideas for leveraging business opportunities when the delegates are in town.

"In Lakewood, we have seven hotels with whom we've contracted," Daughtry told the forum. "And we will be housing members of the media, members of the Democratic family."

"Have happy hour specials for delegates," Daughtry said. "Offer special menu items like delegate fries."

She also took time to meet with a young journalist from Kent Denver after the forum. Jonathan (J.J.) Schpall is the editor of his school's student newspaper. Perlmutter helped arrange Schpall's interview with Daughtry for a series of stories he's planning on the convention.

Busy Schedule

Just like any chief executive, Daughtry's staff works to maintain her schedule and get her from meeting to meeting or event to event.

Before heading to the community forum in Lakewood, Daughtry was briefed on both the event and a student essay contest being held in conjunction with the convention.

Insider her downtown Denver office, Daughtry was brought up to speed on the posters advertising the essay contest by Deputy CEO of Public Affairs Jenni Engebretsen and Director of Public Programs Julie Rodriguez.

The Write to Lead contest will select middle and high school students from counties across Colorado to serve as ambassadors to delegations throughout the summer. Two overall winners will also get to go inside the convention hall. (Deadline to submit is April 18, learn more at demconvention.com)

"This is the cover letter that will go to teachers," said Engebretsen. "This is a mock-up of the quarter page ad."

Working Together

While national party conventions are only held once every four years, many of the senior staffers have done this before and often work together.

Sky Gallegos, Deputy CEO for Intergovernmental Affairs, is in charge of communicating with the Democratic elected officials from across the United States who will attend the convention.

"It is actually a relatively small world of operatives (and) we've all worked together over the last several campaigns," said Gallegos. "It usually works out fine. There are always competing interests."

Gallegos and Daughtry said there are no second chances in a national party convention. It happens when it happens and the staff has to be ready when the delegates fly in to Denver and the gavel drops.

Additional Resources

• View a slideshow of images inside the DNCC office.
• Watch the complete interview with Daughtry on Mar. 3.
• Watch Daughtry, Perlmutter and Lakewood's mayor prepare for the forum.
• Watch extended video of the community forum or view a slideshow. 
• Watch extended video of Daughtry's meeting with Schpall. 
• Watch extended video of the DNCC briefing with Daughtry. 
• Watch Gallegos' entire interview.
• For complete coverage of the planning for the 2008 Democratic convention in Denver, as well as information about how to volunteer and for a list of helpful links, visit the Denver 2008 DNC Convention Section.

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