Weekly Reader | Lead Story

Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden

hen you invite 15 of your friends over to your house for cake and presents, that’s a party. But what if your guest list were 50,000 names long? What if it included people from every state and even foreign countries? That’s what the Democratic National Convention (DNC), held Aug. 25–28 in Denver, is like. It’s a chance for the political party to gather and celebrate the nomination of Senator Barack Obama for U.S. president.

Not just anybody can go to a political convention—you have to be invited. The party picked delegates from every state to attend. (About 4,400 delegates are expected at the DNC.) At the convention, held every four years, a roll call gives delegates the chance to say how their home states voted in presidential primaries and caucuses earlier this year.

Although delegates will be able to vote for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton and other candidates, Obama already has enough delegate votes to win the nomination. That will make him the first African American to be nominated for president by a major political party. Obama is scheduled to accept the nomination with his vice presidential running mate on Aug. 28, the last night of the convention. On August 23, Obama announced that Senator Joe Biden of Delaware is his vice presidential pick. He has been in Congress since 1972.

But picking a presidential candidate isn’t the only thing that happens at a political convention. It’s also the time when parties approve their platform. That isn’t a literal stage to stand on. Instead, a platform is a statement of a party’s beliefs and goals for the next four years. The platform says what the party wants to do about important issues facing the nation. For example, the platform announced at the DNC will very likely include support for changing the U.S. health care system. During the convention, delegates talk about the platform, suggest changes, and finally vote on it.

Critical Thinking Question

Imagine you have formed your own political party. What would be its platform?

And a convention wouldn’t be a convention without speeches from important people. Some of those who will be talking at the DNC include Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, many state governors, and former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Former Virginia Governor Mark Warner will give the keynote address.

After the DNC ends, the Republicans get their own turn at a convention. That will take place Sept. 1–4 in Minneapolis. Senator John McCain is expected to receive the Republican nomination for U.S. president.

Weekly Reader will have editors and student reporters at both conventions. Stay tuned for their stories!

Learn more about the road to the presidency, from Weekly Reader:
www.weeklyreader.com/election/index.asp

A guide to how conventions work
www.demconvention.com/convention-101

Let's Party! Try our convention word search!

Add to del.icio.us

Subscribe Now