What Dems Are Doing in Denver While Republicans Ready for St. Paul

Conventions Come and Gone

POISED AND PERFECT: Michelle Obama, the Harvard- and Princeton-educated wife of Democratic Party presidential candidate Barack Obama, addressed the convention on Monday. She spoke about her life, her family, and her view of America's future.

For the past few days, independent.com’s correspondents have been furiously blogging about the Democratic National Convention in Denver, and hundreds of Santa Barbarans have already tuned in to hear their first impressions, their interviews with regional delegates such as Rob Egenolf and Mike Getto, and their analysis of each day’s main events.

As the convention comes to a close this week, we offer staff writer Chris Meagher’s report, filed just before deadline on Wednesday morning. For the latest from Meagher, delegate/former county supervisor Susan Rose, and Laguna Blanca High student Willy Chotzen-Freund in Denver-or from political analyst Jerry Roberts, who’s watching from the comfort of his Santa Barbara couch-head to independent.com/dnc2008.

In the meantime, the Republicans are readying for their convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, so we also have a preview of that event, in the form of an interview with David Lack, one of Santa Barbara’s stalwart Grand Old Party-ers.

• Countdown to Obama’s Big Day – by Chris Meagher

• GOP Preps for Powwow in Minnesota – by Ben Preston