Hidden Beneath all the Hype Exists a Great Democratic Divide

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'First and foremost we need to focus on the giant elephant in the room. Though it's racking me inside, we need to do as Dennis has done and give Kerry our support, for the sake of party unity.'

But Haldeman is crystal clear about one thing. There should be more debate allowed on the Convention floor.

'I think there should be more debate prior to this, but not at the convention,' said Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. 'The convention should be the momentum point for when we start to move. But there should be more substantive debate beforehand and not just petty show.'

According to the official bylaws of the DNC, no banners -- only buttons, stickers, and, in Haldeman's case, scarves -- are allowed in the hands of delegates unless the party, itself, hands them out. And those distributed by hundreds of Democratic Party representatives both inside the Fleet Center and all over downtown Boston are intentionally devoid of controversial 'issues.' While the names of senators, representatives, civil rights leaders and former presidents dot the crowds, an 'issue' like the word 'peace' is not allowed, raising the question, 'Since when did peace become an 'issue?'

Of course, issues have long since been swept out the door so that the Democratic Party could sterilize Boston, dress it in banners of red, white, and blue, position photographs of John Kerry in his Vietnam regalia in key entrances to the Fleet Center arena and corral the protestors into the draconian Free Speech Zone outside.

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