No Free Lunches (Unless You're A Corporate Sponsor)

In a forthcoming Nation video, former Nation editor and publisher (and longtime conventionista) Victor Navasky explains how everything used to be free at political conventions--food, drinks and entertainment.

Not anymore, at least inside the convention hall (outside, at numerous other events, free food and booze are plentiful, if you're crafty enough to get invited to the mostly invitation-only bashes). The Pepsi Center, home to the Democrats this week, features mostly standard issue burgers, hot dogs and pretzels, at the usually inflated prices. But a lucky few can sip microbrews and nibble sushi at exclusive hospitality suites, sponsored by the likes of Anheuser-Busch, the Roche Group and Invesco, to name a few of the corporate sponsors I observed last night. The party's largest fundraisers, known officially as the DNC's Finance Committee, can relax in special cordoned off areas, undisturbed by us regular folk (journalists included).

Talk of food may seem inconsequential, but it always struck me as a revealing example of how VIPs are seperated from the masses. In fact, how food is served can determine whether or not a political party complies with the law, as strange as that may sound. My favorite example is the "toothpick rule." The Washington Monthly explains:

When the Democratic Congress passed lobbying-and ethics-reform measures [in 2007], it barred lawmakers and their aides from accepting almost all meals from lobbyists. But, as the Wall Street Journal reported recently, hors d'oeuvres--including any food eaten standing up and using a toothpick or one's fingers--remain kosher. The result, say some observers, has been nothing more consequential than a change in the menu. Out: pasta and steak dinners. In: risotto balls, and blinis with smoked salmon and crème fraiche.

You can't make this stuff up. For the record, I have observed a proliferation of toothpick appetizers in Denver, including some delicious chicken I sampled at the DNC's lobbyist-sponsored kickoff party at the Denver Art Museum.

If you care to further wet your appetite, Nancy Watzman of the Sunlight Foundation, Elizabeth Williamson of the Wall Street Journal and I discussed the intricacies of political partying on NPR's Kojo Nnamdi show yesterday.

Comments (24)

1. ooooohh, meat!

   Any naked pissy pretty Peta people protesting?

   Say that four times fast!

   Posted by Benchrest at 08/26/2008 @ 2:43pm

2. Mr Berman...

   how do you think Ms vanden Heuvel, Mr Navasky, perhaps yourself...

   are going to be dining on your CRUISE this fall????

   Measly po' boys and some RC Cola?

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/26/2008 @ 2:52pm

3. When's the last time you profered sacrifice, flinchbest?

   Posted by Sorelish at 08/26/2008 @ 3:01pm

4. Hey lefties, I don't know about you, but this convention is shaping up to me to be hugely entertaining, and not only that, I'm pleased to say it's following what I have predicted will be the scenario for major landslide material for McCain.

   First, we have the news that McCain has taken the lead after the Biden pick. Wait til Biden starts actually TALKING - we're talking major tankage in the polls!

   For yuks, what could beat Nancy Pelosi telling demonstrators to avoid 'victim politics'. LOL! As if the Democratic Party was about ANYTHING ELSE!

   I usually avoid Democratic Party coronations, but I may have to pull up a seat with some popcorn and watch you folks continue the process of self-destruction that happens every 4 years when you folks nominate a far, far lefty that is unacceptable to the majority of America!

   Posted by pontificus at 08/26/2008 @ 3:11pm

5. Thanks, PONTI, I was waiting for you to predict a "McCain landslide"....just tuck that away for later.

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/26/2008 @ 3:15pm

6. Posted by Sorelish at 08/26/2008 @ 3:01pm

   Look at my nick and guess.

   Posted by Benchrest at 08/26/2008 @ 3:25pm

7. BTW, in addition to having this thrown back in your face next time "The Nation" cruise comes up, Mr Berman.....

   "Talk of food may seem inconsequential, but it always struck me as a revealing example of how VIPs are seperated from the masses."

   Remember it's "a rat"...."separate".

   Posted by Maskdelta at 08/26/2008 @ 3:29pm

8. Posted by 2HAPPY at 08/26/2008 @ 3:34pm

   No.

   M82A1

   Posted by Benchrest at 08/26/2008 @ 3:38pm

9. Posted by Benchrest at 08/26/2008 @ 3:25pm

   Uhoh. Shall I write in Zell Miller for prexy?

   Posted by Sorelish at 08/26/2008 @ 3:42pm

10. Uhoh. Shall I write in Zell Miller for prexy?

    Posted by Sorelish at 08/26/2008 @ 3:42pm

    durn tootin!

    Posted by Benchrest at 08/26/2008 @ 3:45pm

11. Ponti-McCain hasn't picked a VP,yet making any polls about a VP pick rather irrelevant.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 08/26/2008 @ 3:45pm

12. And wait til we start talking up Obama's association with Bill Ayers, unrepentant domestic terrorist - and Obama retaliates by trying to censor media outlets trying to get the truth out...funny how he never seems to denounce his former colleagues who, like Jeremiah Wright, only seem to be abhorrent when they become inconvenient....

    "Obama seeks to silence ad tying him to 60s radical Aug 25 08:47 PM US/Eastern By JIM KUHNHENN Associated Press Writer

    Obama Connection to Capitol Bomber William Ayers Topic of New Ad

    Opponents Await Release of Documents That May Explain Obama's Links to '60s Radical

    DENVER (AP) - Barack Obama is striking back fiercely and swiftly to stamp out an ad that links him to a 1960s radical, eager to demonstrate a far more aggressive response to attacks than John Kerry did when faced with the 2004 "Swift Boat" campaign. "

    Posted by pontificus at 08/26/2008 @ 3:50pm

13. Posted by i'm nobody at 08/26/2008 @ 3:45pm

    Rumor is McDesperate will announce his Veep on Thursday to try to steal Obama's acceptance thunder.

    And of course, he's likely to pander to either women (in a vain attempt to woo Hillary voters) or the LVLIB Right (to shore up his base).

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/26/2008 @ 4:01pm

14. And wait til we start talking up Obama's association with Bill Ayers, unrepentant domestic terrorist----Posted by pontificus at 08/26/2008 @ 3:50pm

    Right....since you and Rush and Sean and the right-wing blogs have been so SILENT on it so far!

    Holding back for the Fall????

    LOL

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/26/2008 @ 4:05pm

15. Posted by pontificus at 08/26/2008 @ 3:50pm

    Been done already. I went over this with Happy already.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/26/2008 @ 5:12pm

16. Happy-You mean poor judgment like when McCain said that we could win war on the cheap, in Iraq, quickly and then flip flopped on that and decided that we needed more troops in Iraq after that became obvious?Guess he slept through the military history course where he was supposed to learn that no wars are won that are fought on the cheap, let alone quickly.

    Posted by i'm nobody at 08/26/2008 @ 7:11pm

17. I just wanted to share this little nugget from Cockburn on Counterpunch:

    "Face it, if you want to stay true to reason and conscience, the man to vote for is Bob Barr, the Libertarian candidate. Check out from Friday's CounterPunch site his stance on Georgia, an issue on which I haven't yet seen anything from Ralph . "Bad and over blown historical analogies won't help resolve the conflict," Barr writes, " If this war was like Adolf Hitler's attack on Poland, as some have suggested, Georgia would be occupied, its government would be ousted, and its residents would be on their way to concentration camps. No one would be traveling to Tbilisi and we wouldn't be talking to Moscow… The most important American interest is defending America; and intervening on behalf of Georgia against Russia has nothing to do with defending America."

    http://www.counterpunch.org/cockburn08232008.html

    While I dislike any talk of "defending America" - primarily because defense so often takes on "the best defense is a good offense" mentality, at least this kind of talk is sane.

    Posted by pontificus at 08/26/2008 @ 3:11pm

    You should make an effort to use correct terminology. Democrats aren't "leftist" by any objective measure.

    Posted by JOMAMMA at 08/26/2008 @ 3:38pm

    Ironic. Terms like "limousine liberals" really only have bite if you're poor. The difference between "limousine liberals" and "limousine conservatives" is that the former at least pretend that they care when the ride upon the backs of the poor and should pay for their privileges.

    Posted by frankgrits at 08/26/2008 @ 5:41pm

    Thank you for providing such a good example of why Democrats aren't leftists. I don't know any leftist that could stomach the idea of voting for McCain.

    Posted by srjenkins at 08/26/2008 @ 7:18pm

18. surrendering our sovereignty to the UN,

    Posted by lvliberty1 at 08/26/2008 @ 7:26pm

    You mean the same UN that you guys kept telling us we had to invade Iraq to uphold its "17 resolutions"?!??!??

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/26/2008 @ 8:04pm

19. As I've said, it will be up to the Clintons to win the Presidency for Obama because he definitely cannot do it by himself.----Posted by frankgrits at 08/26/2008 @ 5:41pm

    Actually FRANK, you said that "enough" Hillary supporters will win it for McCain.

    And as I said, if McCain DOES win, we'll be sure to credit HILLARY CLINTON suppporters for giving us "President McCain"...

    all the way to the 2012 Dem Primaries!

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/26/2008 @ 8:18pm

20. Posted by lvliberty1 at 08/26/2008 @ 7:26pm

    You're a funny guy.

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/26/2008 @ 8:24pm

21. Posted by Cccomfo1 at 08/26/2008 @ 8:24pm

    Can't you almost see LVLIBERTY lecturing Group Captain Mandrake on how he only drinks rainwater or distilled water and grain alcohol...

    due to flouridation from the International Leftist Abortion Conspiracy sapping and impurifying all his bodily fluids?

    Posted by Maskdelta at 08/26/2008 @ 9:48pm

22. Posted by lvliberty1 at 08/26/2008 @ 7:26pm

    McCain wouldn't know a winning foreign policy if it came up and malled him like a rabid pitbull. Further, you'd have to stretch seven ways till Sunday to argue that McCain has done anything supporting states rights. His support for the Patriot Act (the single greatest threat to the 1st Amendment in living memory and support that was also given by Obama and Clinton) also makes it quite clear how McCain regards the 1st Amendment.

    You really should make an effort to make better arguments. Particularly, you should leave off making false remarks asserting people are Marxist. Words have meaning, and as you should know by now, my politics aren't Marxist.

    Posted by srjenkins at 08/27/2008 @ 10:26am

23. This is the most "bought-out" convention ever---every 4 yrs its worse. Also, the "secutity" (police state) sucked, and , I talked to alot of people from other countries online who were being censored on websites for asking questions, etc. They were asking "What is happening to America??". Go ahead--tell me i'm "making it up", bust my balls, do as you will. But, the DNC looked like a bunch of rich mfer's this week, and maybe that's all they are.They SHOULD get the " poor" vote--but gas is expensive, and no one mentions you (its only "middle class"--does that really exist anymore?), so, why bother? That's what is going to happen. People in Ohio dont want to vote for McCain--at least not in my working class neighborhood! But, they feel dissed...and, I guess I have to agree with them, so far. Sure, its probably better if they vote Obama--but, in what way? I know--tax cuts (he says it will take 10 yrs to implement now--his definition or "rich" is FIVE TIMES the pay most Americans make!), the war (WHEN are we "getting out" now??), health care (unless youre the 15 m. who wont be covered)--throw us a bone, man!! I wouldnt vote McCain with a waterboarding Mao Tse Tung at my head--but Obama gets to be more of a stretch every day. Somebody wake him up--or me. Tell me this isnt happening after 8 yrs of W. And stop insulting the Clinton's--esp. Bill--some peope really like him. (I think hes is a snide charmer--but so is Obama, now that I think about it)

    Posted by kdelphi95 at 08/27/2008 @ 1:46pm

24. Why dont you refuse the "delicious chicken", the "facials and strawberry drinks at HuffPo" (or whatever the hell he said!) and make a statement to the average person about lobbying and privilege? Never mind--I know why.

    Posted by kdelphi95 at 08/27/2008 @ 1:48pm