Alright let’s try and give some form and shape to the raging din around today’s DNC convention announcement.

First, a tiny bit of perspective. Charlotte did not best London, Rome, and Tokyo — not even Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York — so all the predictable “world class” stuff is just a little crazed. As we said from the beginning, the field was fantastically weak and really was just a two-horse race between a backward looking union bastion in St. Louis and a darn near perfect New South love story. Besides, did the 1988 convention fundamentally alter Atlanta for the better? So, chill.

Having said that the early line:

  • WINNERS
  1. Local Media: Boys and girls, ladies and gents, anchors and anchorettes you are about to have the times of lives. Covering three conventions — New York, Houston, and San Diego — was a non-stop shooting gallery of targets. Most with open bars, stupid spreads. In NYC in ’92 I wound up talking to Dennis Weaver (TV’s McCloud) at a Tennessee delegation blow-out in the Pan Am building. I have no idea. San Diego? Roger Clinton, Tim Russert, a bubble machine, and tequila. But first, the heavy lifting of reporting on the deal the city made with the DNC. Good luck. And always have a wingman.
  2. Bev Perdue: Yes, she is at risk of a crowd out effect as NC dollars flow to the DNC effort that would have otherwise gone to her re-election bid, but I think on balance the convention raises her profile considerably and invests national Dems somewhat in her re-election several weeks after the convention. Should certainly energize Dems statewide if nothing else.
  3. Pat McCrory: Pat is handed an opportunity to be the pointman of the GOP’s counter-DNC effort — if he chooses to take it. To the extent Jack Hawke was planning to run him against Bev Obama, McCrory cannot twin the two any better now. But that would mean crossing — to some extent — some of Pat’s long-time Uptown backers. If it is done on principle and on the issues, I still think an anti-DNC stance is a net positive for him.
  4. Sex Workers: Hey, we are adults here. This is a boon to Charlotte’s escorts and strippers. Home run. Not to be confused with around the world.
  5. Entertainment biz: If you rent any kind of party gear — golden ticket. Can you dance, sing, cater, run sound, set up, tear down, haul, lift — you get my drift. Assuming all this work has not been roped off for the Teamsters and related unions.
  6. Anthony Foxx: Positions him to eclipse Harvey Gantt in the Charlotte firmament — assuming he can get re-elected come November. Which just got a lot easier.
  • LOSERS
  1. The Uptown Crowd: Already tremendous over-promising for what is really just a big party — this time with a national cadre of reporters eager to figure out who got paid to do what. Charlotte is not prepared for that level of transparency. There could be casualties.
  2. Commuters: Forget about working while the DNC is in town, unless you know for certain no DNC events will interface with your routine. The VIP security will be off the charts.
  3. Taxpayers: The overtime claims on CMPD and related agencies could be immense, even assuming city officials did not give away the farm in order to “win” the DNC. And don’t forget the crowd out effect where non-DNC dollars stay home for that week. One of those things which will take months to sort out.
  4. Robin Hayes: Frankly I think Hayes is going to be exposed as no where near fast enough on his feet to respond effectively to DNC propaganda.
  5. Priorities: Could not make this up: The Charlotte city council bagged its retreat today because of the DNC announcement, as if this year’s city budget is less important than a big party in late summer of 2012. The distraction caused by this event could cost the community millions.

And that’s a wrap. Cannot wait to rent out my spare bedrooms.