DCist

Lockdown at Dulles Airport

Kriston Capps — 2009-05-02T16:00:37-05:00

Dulles police confirmed reports from sources that Dulles Airport is on security lockdown. Flights are neither arriving nor departing at this time, and no passengers are passing through airport security. Police could not say at what time airport activities were put on hold, and police would not comment on the cause. Flight status as of 5:25 p.m. is still showing normal departures and arrivals. Transportation Security Administration agents said that no one at the information call center had any knowledge of the lockdown.

Developing. . . .

Photo used with permission under a Creative Commons license with ehpien

Don't Let My People Go

Josh Novikoff — 2008-12-24T17:00:51-05:00

If you're looking for a singles party tonight, do not go to the Let My People Go ball at Love Nightclub. Let My People Go abruptly shut down "The Ball" in Washington and apparently most other cities where they had planned to introduce or expand their successful New York City party. While party planners had hoped for 1,000 guests, their revised estimate found only 250 willing partiers, a number they said would be a disappointment. Organizers did not answer other questions about the cancellation and Love could not be reached for comment. So on Okie Street tonight, not a creature will be stirring. One less competitor for the Matzo Ball and Gefilte Fish Gala to worry about.

View From the Floor: Invesco Field in Photos

Sommer Mathis — 2008-08-29T13:11:41-05:00

The experience of attending Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama's acceptance speech at Invesco Field in Denver on Thursday night was, simply put, staggering. From the very long lines to board a shuttle bus, to the exponentially longer security lines to get inside the stadium, just the process of getting to your seat took about two hours. Once inside however, the effect of such an imposing, enormous arena having been turned into a political spectacle was undeniably impressive. The sheer scale of the thing was difficult to take in. Veteran journalists who have covered a dozen conventions could be overheard on the stadium floor saying things like, "I've never seen anything like this." It was easy to believe them.

For most of the attendees, Obama was but a tiny figure standing at a podium far, far away. The view from the District of Columbia's section of the floor wasn't great, but considering we could technically see the stage, it was by no means the worst seat in the house. The poor souls who were told they had 50 yard line seats in the stands, only to discover they were actually sitting behind the stately, Greek temple-themed stage set, were much less fortunate.

]]> The fire marshal issue again came up at the larger venue, though it seemed only to affect the actual floor section where the delegates were sitting, atop the football field. Sometime around 5 p.m. local time, access to the floor became limited, and by 6 p.m. no one else was allowed through.

Notable for the D.C. delegation watchers:

Mayor Fenty actually did join his fellow delegates on the floor, arriving at about 5 p.m. local time and taking the time to pose for photos with anyone who asked. Fenty had been notably absent from most other delegation functions during the week, with the exception of the voting rights rally at the U.S. Mint. The mayor did disappear for about 90 minutes, but eventually came back to sit with the delegation during Obama's speech. He even waved the big American flag handed out to each delegation toward the end of the speech.
Ward 8 Council member Marion Barry was there, having gotten his hands on an extra floor pass for the first time all week. Barry, who is not a delegate but came to the convention for the schmoozing, reportedly spent the week going to a lot of parties, and never made it inside the Pepsi Center.
Ward 4 Council member Muriel Bowser was interviewed by The Daily Show's John Oliver right on the floor, about 45 minutes before Obama's speech began. It was far too loud to hear what they talked about, but Oliver and Bowser were dancing during the entire bit. Could Bowser become the fake news show's new favorite D.C. gal, replacing Eleanor Holmes Norton? We'll have to wait and see if the segment makes it into the show.

As for being on the floor during the speech itself, it was just as exhausting, loud and fun as you might expect. I frankly need to watch a recording of the speech again, since the roar of the stadium often kept me from being able to hear certain words, and the urge to people watch was a constant distraction.

]]>

Conventionist: Lessons Learned from DNC Day 2

Sommer Mathis — 2008-08-27T16:48:40-05:00

Tuesday was Hillary Clinton Day at the Democratic National Convention in Denver. The senator and former presidential candidate gave a rousing speech that most pundits agreed accomplished what she had promised to do: leave no doubt that she is fully behind the candidacy of her former rival, Sen. Barack Obama.

Before the speech, all any journalist trolling for stories inside the Pepsi Center wanted to do was figure out any sort of fresh angle on Clinton they could manage, and all any delegate or guest wanted to do was to get inside for a prime viewing spot before she began. Which brings me to my first lesson of Day 2 of the DNC:

Be Careful When You Go to the Bathroom: Being a member of the State Blogger Corps, I have a seat reserved for me on the floor in the District of Columbia's section inside the Pepsi Center. But after taking a quick break outside to grab a soda and use the bathroom about 30 minutes before Clinton's speech was set to begin, I was denied entry to the floor upon my return. The Secret Service had shut down every access door to the delegate seats, apparently because the DNCC had issued far more floor passes than the Pepsi Center could actually handle. One sympathetic door staff employee told me she was sorry, but that the Secret Service and the fire marshal had just chewed her out for letting someone else inside before me. She wasn't supposed to let anyone else in, "no matter who they are."

I wasn't the only one who got stuck in the arena's concourse. Hundreds of frustrated pass holders sprinted from door to door, only to find the same situation at each one. By the time it was clear no one was getting inside, those left out began gathering around the many TV monitors in the hall to pay attention to the speech. There were so many people stuck outside that it was difficult even to get a clear view of the screens.

A couple more lessons after the jump.

Bring Band-Aids: The current number of blisters on my feet from hoofing it all over downtown Denver and the long march daily into the Pepsi Center: Five. The number of times I have wished I could get away with wearing sneakers everyday: Countless.

Look on the Bright Side: The inability to eat anywhere close to three meals a day (Tuesday I had one meal, lunch, and so far on Wednesday approaching 3 p.m. I've subsisted on two bites of bacon and a plate of cheese cubes) could actually just be a brilliant Democratic Party-sponsored weight loss program. Obesity! Diabetes! These are serious issues facing Americans, but at least everyone will leave the DNC looking trim.

Don't Leave Anything Behind: This lesson is directly related to Be Careful When You Go to the Bathroom: because I've been allocated internet access on the floor, my computer power cord was still plugged in next to my seat when I got locked out. As soon as the convention activity is done for the day, all doors become "exit only," meaning my cord was locked inside the Pepsi Center overnight. I ran out of juice at about 9:30 a.m. this morning, and wasn't able to retrieve it until well after noon.

]]>

Conventionist: Highlights From DNC Day 1

Sommer Mathis — 2008-08-26T12:15:45-05:00

One day down and three more to go here in Denver at the Democratic National Convention. Below are some of the top moments of Day 1 for DCist (and a couple lowlights for good measure).

]]>

Sen. Ted Kennedy's speech, obvs. The expectations going in were that this would be the senator's final public speech -- but Kennedy walked out on stage and continued standing during his entire speech, defying expectations that he would look different, appear to be very weak and need to sit on the stool that had been brought out for him due to his cancer treatment. Several delegates we were near had already started to get teary during the video tribute to Kennedy, so the emotional impact of the incredibly popular senator promising that he would "be there next January on the floor of the United States Senate" packed a real wallop. Kennedy was the hit of the night on the convention floor.

Michelle Obama's speech was a close second. I had to head out of the Pepsi Center while she was still talking, but the entire house was rapt as she described what she and her husband have in common: "He was raised by grandparents who were working class folks just like my parents, and by a single mother who struggled to pay the bills just like we did," she said. Mrs. Obama did a good job convincing the crowd that she is a working mother who can identify with the struggles of ordinary Americans, proving herself a real asset to the campaign.

At a party co-hosted by the Distilled Spirits Council of America and The Hill newspaper, Hill Editor-in-Chief Hugo Gurdon told DCist that he had hired some local band he couldn't remember the name of for the entertainment, largely because he couldn't justify spending $250,000 to hire someone like Tom Petty. That "local band" turned out to Denver's own DeVotchKa, who are certainly in my top 10 favorite bands, if not top five. I happily rocked out after being surprised when strains to "Queen of the Surface Streets" started spilling out of the club.

Not great moments: Getting in and out of the Pepsi Center. I already told you how it took a long time to get inside in the afternoon. Well I made a mistake on my way out and ended up getting myself stuck in the shuttle bus bay and forced to ride one in to downtown Denver, even though that wasn't actually where I had been intending to go. Naturally, traffic was so backed up that the bus ride took three times as long as it should. Hopefully tonight I'll be able to find out which way I have to go to be allowed to walk out of the perimeter and find a taxi.

The food in the Pepsi Center: not good. Basically there's just limited stadium concessions, things like hotdogs and pre-made deli sandwiches. Maybe the fancy big time media outlets are somehow managing to feed their reporters dinner, but I couldn't figure out any other option than to pay $6.50 for a mediocre hot dog. If anyone who's in Denver figured out some way to eat a meal while working last night, let me know!

]]>

What the DNC State Blogger Corps Really Gets You

Sommer Mathis — 2008-08-25T17:53:20-05:00

DCist is participating in a first of its kind credential program at this year's Democratic National Convention. We're serving as the selected blogger representing the District of Columbia in the DNC State Blogger Corps. Here's how The New York Times described the desirability of our credential:

For bloggers attending the Democratic convention at the Pepsi Center in Denver, two types of credentials are offered. The first is a national credential, which offers the same access granted to members of traditional news media organizations.

The second, more coveted credential is the state blogger credential. It allows one blogger per state to cover the convention alongside its state delegation, with unlimited floor access. Inspired by the strategy of Howard Dean, the D.N.C. chairman, to organize in all 50 states, the state-blogging credential was highly sought after, with as many as 14 blogs vying to represent a single state.

So, what does this "coveted" credential actually get you? To start with, a daily floor pass, with unlimited access to wander around the convention floor, take photos, and talk with anyone we please. We also have one seat within the allocated section reserved for the D.C. delegation, and a hard-wired internet hookup right at that seat. I'm typing this from the convention floor as we speak.

]]> It's not hard to understand why Howard Dean wanted an army of bloggers roaming the floor of the Pepsi Center. Other state bloggers are wandering around introducing themselves to each other, excited to be here and impressed by where they're standing. Big time TV news anchors are right there! Was that Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano who just walked by? This sure is a big, bright shiny room. And so on. State Blogger Corps: decidedly neat-o.

On the other hand, everything that's going to happen on stage is either being televised or is available to stream off the internet. Not to mention the generally accepted truth that conventions don't actually, uh, add up to much real news. It wouldn't be very interesting for me or for you if I just sit here and type up what's happening at the podium. What will I do instead? This sort of thing has never been done before, so I'm more or less making it up as I go along. Stick around to find out what DCist ends up doing as a member of the State Blogger Corps.

]]>

Conventionist: The Long Hot March to the Pepsi Center

Sommer Mathis — 2008-08-25T16:04:44-05:00

The Pepsi Center is located only a little over a mile away from the center of downtown Denver, but for credentialed delegates and media, getting inside the facility is a process that takes about one hour.

The Democratic National Convention Committee and the city of Denver arranged for shuttles to the Pepsi Center from prime spots downtown, like major hotels. Unfortunately the traffic jams caused by the convention makes the shuttles move at a snails pace. Maybe that's why the articulated shuttle bus we jumped on was nearly totally empty apart from a handful of other convention attendees and equal numbers of orange-shirted transportation organizers. Or maybe it was just because the shuttle stop was actually pretty hard to find.

]]> After exiting the shuttle, we still had a good 15 minute walk before we reached the outer security entrance. A large perimeter has been set up around the convention site, with no vehicles allowed inside. A smaller, inner perimeter is further limited to people with any kind of convention pass. Along the walk, companies, protesters and convention enthusiasts were setting up in the hopes of capturing the attention of the entire press corps, who are forced to make the same walk. Lots of Trojan and Lifestyles reps were handing out condoms. Two guys from Missouri holding a sign that read "Rednecks for Obama" were getting the most attention during our walk.

Once we reached the security tent, the line was long, but passing through the metal detectors was actually a pretty smooth process. Total travel time: about 50 minutes. Tomorrow, we'll likely walk the whole way.

Stay tuned for more from the convention floor!

]]>

Protester Detained by Police Outside Colorado Convention Center

Sommer Mathis — 2008-08-25T15:24:49-05:00

At least one protester was detained by police outside the Colorado Convention Center in downtown Denver just after noon on Monday, as the Democratic National Convention was getting underway. Four people wearing bandanas over their faces, who said they were protesting "capitalism," sat down on the sidewalk in front of the convention center, prompting a swarm of roughly 20 police officers to shut down one lane of traffic and subsequently put one of them in plastic handcuffs. Two of the other protesters told bystanders that they had not been told by police why their friend was being arrested, and claimed they had done nothing wrong.

The Colorado Convention Center is home to a large number of issue-based organizations during the DNC. Protesters are allowed to be in front of the building -- many others, including abortion protesters and individuals from PETA protesting the environmental impact of eating meat, were on the same sidewalk. The Democratic National Convention is taking place a couple of miles away, at the Pepsi Center.

Pope Benedict XVI's D.C. Popemobile Ride in Photos

Sommer Mathis — 2008-04-16T13:34:23-05:00

Pope Benedict XVI took to his popemobile after meeting with President Bush at the White House this morning. The pontiff, who is celebrating his 81st birthday today, rode west beginning around noon on Pennsylvania Ave. through Washington Circle before heading north on Rock Creek Parkway before exiting at Massachusetts Ave. to arrive at the Vatican embassy. A large, enthusiastic crowd of about 10,000 gathered to cheer on the Pope as he rode by, rather swiftly we might add. People waved flags, played and sang music and held large signs welcoming Benedict to the United States. And then it was over almost as quickly as it began.

]]>