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$140,000 Spent on DNCC Podium and the Barackopolis UPDATED: Total Construction Costs at Invesco Total $5.3 Million With all the hullabaloo surrounding the RNC's expenditures on Sarah Palin's clothes, I thought it would be interesting to find out how much money was spent on Obama's Greek-columned stage at Invesco Field. You remember the Barackopolis--those "styrofoam Greek columns"--don't you? It turns out that the Democratic National Convention Committee spent over $140,000 on "podium production" (you can see the individual expenditures after the jump). It would seem that the construction of the Barackopolis would be included in this amount, but I can't...

Senior Democratic officials are expressing serious concerns about the political risks posed by Barack Obama's acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High tonight. From the elaborate stagecraft to the teeming crowd of 80,000 cheering partisans, from the vagaries of the weather to the unpredictable audience reaction, the optics surrounding the stadium event have heightened worries that the Obama campaign is engaging in a high-risk endeavor in an uncontrollable environment. A common concern: that the stadium appearance plays against Obama's convention goal of lowering his star wattage and connecting with average Americans and gives Republicans a chance to drive home...

Why and how did McCain catch up? The greatest consideration is Obama’s Hellenic hubris, which is different than simple arrogance. Hubris is a sort of fit, a haughtiness steeped in delusions of grandeur and divinity that takes over a weak individual, and soon encourages recklessness and overreaching (atê), all culminating in ruin and divine retribution (nemesis). So he transfers his speech to an outdoor forum, where tens of thousands of raving fans can watch him apotheosize in front of a faux Doric temple and accept nomination...

Today, workers at Invesco Field are putting the final touches on the newest wonder of the modern political world -- The Temple of Obama (“The Barackopolis”). It is upon this pulpit that Barack Obama will tomorrow night address thousands of screaming, adoring fans. There may be some confusion among the press about the venue and appropriate dress code for Barack Obama's big speech. To help out, we wanted to provide the following tips on appropriate attire. The toga may have gone out of style centuries ago, but after Obama's temple speech tomorrow night, they’re sure to be flying off the...