SIGNS POINT TO BOSTON FOR 2004 CONVENTION
Tue Nov 12 2002 21:29:55 ET
The final decision on the convention date and site of the 2004 Democratic National Convention rests with party chairman Terry McAuliffe -- but Boston sure thinks it has it wrapped up!
The DRUDGE REPORT has previewed a story set for Page Ones in Wednesday's BOSTON GLOBE which claims it was the involvement of Senator Edward M. Kennedy that has nearly secured Boston.
"Kennedy spearheaded efforts to raise the necessary private funding," reports the GLOBE's Glen Johnson in an exclusive.
It would be the first presidential nominating convention of a major party held in Boston, as well as the largest conference in the city's history.
"Detroit, Miami, and New York also bid for the convention, with New York thought to be Boston's closest competitor. Over the weekend, McAuliffe told both New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Senator Charles Schumer that the city had undercut its bid by failing to get private cash pledges toward its convention budget, and by refusing to stop seeking the Republican National Convention if it were awarded the Democratic meeting, some of the parties said."
According to the parties involved in the discussions, Miami and Detroit failed to come up with fat cash pledges.
And New York faces a budget deficit of $1 billion, with projections it could balloon. "Party officials are concerned that they could be blamed if a city had to cut budgets in one area to deliver on its cash commitment for the convention, one individual said."
Impacting... **Filed By Matt Drudge...
