My View: Democratic National Convention

By News Director Bob Longo

POSTED: 5:02 pm EDT July 25, 2004

This just in. There is Real News happening in Boston. That's right. Real, Pittsburgh-based news coming from the Democratic National Convention. National headline-making Real News before the convention even officially began.

How could this be possible? Could most the pundits who've been telling us for weeks not to expect anything substantive coming from Boston this week really be wrong? Bet on it.

We can thank Teresa Heinz Kerry for livening up the convention before it even got started. But don't take my word for it. Watch the video taken Sunday exclusively by WTAE 4 Photographer Eric Hinnebusch and Anchor Scott Baker.

The video shows a verbal confrontation between Teresa Heinz Kerry and a reporter from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review following remarks Heinz made moments earlier where she spoke about civility and politics. She was trying to point out that some of the harping and positioning going on in the campaign was rough and off the mark. She called some of that "un-American" behavior. The reporter heard it, our camera caught it and the reporter was asking Heinz what she meant by the comment. The video, unedited and played longform so you can get a feel for it aired exclusively on WTAE's Action News at 11 p.m. Sunday night.

You can watch it here.

Stations around the country will no doubt clamor for it. Controversy makes headlines and headlines sell newspapers and get people interested in the story, something many Americans have not been up until now. Call it ironic that a speech about rough and tumble politics and "un-American behavior" is what grabs the headlines.

Earlier on Sunday, I had posted a column here that talked about the lack of interest and how people should pay attention because the conventions are still important. I hadn't counted on something like this proving my point and almost wish it hadn't.

There was a time, not too long ago, when these national political conventions were full of news, full of surprise and full of importance. I guess they are still full of surprises. Up until today, the DNC seemed about as suspenseful as a Bucs-Yankees game.

Now that the spotlight will shine, maybe people, and the media will pay attention to the many stories unfolding in Boston this week. Hundreds of reporters will be looking for stories from sensational to sleazy and everything in between. And with nightly parties like MTV's Rock The Vote bash, there will be plenty of stories of that ilk to see.

But there is meat in Boston too. If there weren't, the Republicans wouldn't have set up a spin zone down the street from the Fleet Center. The Democrats will be focusing on delivering their messages to the masses. Each day of the convention will have a theme. Speakers will deliver dozens of speeches from the platform.

The Democrats party platform, their stance and their beliefs they would put into law if given the chance of attaining the White House will be espoused on real life issues like healthcare, jobs & the economy, national defense and more. Love 'em or hate 'em, we all get nearly a full week to figure the Democrats out and see what they're allabout. But in order to do that, we need to pay attention. Look through and past the inane and silly for the stories of the day. The information you glean will come in handy when you've pulled the curtain in November and havea moment to gather your thoughts before pulling the lever.

That's why WTAE and thepittsburghchannel.com have sent a team of reporters, led by WTAE Anchor Scott Baker to Boston. Scott and Reporters from WTAE's Washington DC Bureau begin filing stories Sunday night and don't stop until after the balloons drop Thursday. They'll report on the messages and the themes espoused during the week. Scott will also focus on Pittsburgh angles. That's why he was standing next to Teresa Heinz Sunday, camera rolling. If WTAE had opted out of covering this convention like other stations, you wouldn't see the video of that particular story mentioned earlier.

Teresa Heinz Kerry and family are from the 'burgh" and have already taken a front and center role in this campaign. Who they are, what they have to say and how they say it, plus what they're up to in Boston this week are all assignments Scott & Company are working. Oh, and he's trying to get into the MTV bash too!

I know it is summer. We're all distracted. But give it a go. Pay attention. Plug in to the coverage. It is still too important to kiss off as a distraction.

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