2004 Democratic National Convention

The 2004 Democratic National Convention was a United States presidential nominating convention that took place from July 26 to July 29, 2004 at the TD Banknorth Garden, then called FleetCenter, in Boston, Massachusetts. The convention was one of a series of historic quadrennial meetings of the Democratic Party with a primary focus on officially nominating a candidate for President and adopting a party platform. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson served as chairman while former presidential advisor to Bill Clinton, Lottie Shackelford, served as vice chairman.

Boston venue

The 2004 Democratic National Convention holds several distinctions — the first held in Boston, one of the few held in the home state of the presidential nominee and the first since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. During the convention, there was a memorial service to honor the victims of the attacks. With its bid to host the meeting, Boston leaders became a target of criticism by residents and businesses while others welcomed the bid with fanfare.

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Security

Frustration grew over increased counterterrorism measures nearly shutting-down the city. Counterterrorism measures included rigid regulation of transportation in and out of the city, closure of several major road arteries and the imposition of random baggage checks for metropolitan train system. Manhole covers were welded shut while garbage receptacles and postal boxes were removed from the streets for fear they would become tempting hiding places for explosives. DHS officially declared the 2004 Democratic National Convention an NSSE, making the Secret Service the lead agency responsible for security.

Related Topics:
Counterterrorism - Manhole cover - Welded - DHS - NSSE - Secret Service

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Free speech zone

One of the most controversial "counter-terrorism" measures was the declaration of a designated free speech zone for protesters, limiting where and when protesters could exercise their first amendment rights. Protesters through the American Civil Liberties Union mounted an unsuccessful lawsuit for the right to protest outside of the designated free speech zone, which the group claimed was unconstitutional. FleetCenter access promulgated tight security measures that frustrated even the news media. Credentials enabling reporters to enter and exit the meeting became the subject of strict rules forbidding the act of borrowing and sharing such passes, a common practice for the major media outlets in the past.

Related Topics:
Free speech zone - First amendment rights - American Civil Liberties Union - Lawsuit - News media

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Protesters inside the "free speech zone" drew parallels to Guantanamo Bay's Camp X-Ray, and staged a demonstration in which they wore hoods akin to those worn by Abu Ghraib detainees. Many demonstrators simply refused to enter the "free speech zone."

Related Topics:
Guantanamo Bay - Camp X-Ray - Abu Ghraib

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Police strike

Other Bostonians took advantage of the meeting as a national stage for specific agendas. The police union, for example, gained attention with threats of picketing of delegates from entering and exiting functions — a dilemma for Democrats as the party has traditionally been an ally of organized labor. Having worked without a contract for two years, the police union struck a deal with Boston mayor Thomas Menino for a new contract, avoiding a major embarrassment for the party.

Related Topics:
Organized labor - Thomas Menino

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Loss of business

In addition to the events -- such as a planned Tall Ships visit -- cancelled by the city, widely announced rapid transit and road closures provoked thousands of area businesses (even outside the city) to shut down for the duration, and tourists who would normally have visited Boston at that time stayed away in droves. Furthermore, the anticipated gain in business in the restaurant trades never materialized, as security and other considerations kept the delegates to restricted venues. The Boston Globe estimated the economic loss to the city inflicted by the convention to be in the tens of millions of dollars.

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