Update: Howard Dean's press release
“I am delighted to announce that the city of Denver will host the 2008 Democratic National Convention. I congratulate Mayor Hickenlooper, Governor Ritter, Senator Salzar and the members of the Denver Host Committee for assembling an outstanding bid that demonstrates the community’s commitment to organizing a first-rate national convention that will put our nominee on the path to victory in 2008.
“There is no question that the West is important to the future of the Democratic Party. The recent Democratic gains in the West exemplify the principle that when we show up and ask for people's votes and talk about what we stand for, we can win in any part of the country. Additionally, we have a number of strong Democratic leaders in the West who will be a part of showcasing the vision of Democratic leadership for America as we introduce the next Democratic President in the Rocky Mountains.
“New York is a wonderful city but in the end, it was the strength of Denver’s bid that made it the best choice. From the state-of-the-art facilities to the commitment of community leaders to hosting an outstanding event, Mayor Hickenlooper and the host committee made clear that the Denver convention will be a great one. We thank the team for its hard-work during this process and look forward to working with them over the next year and a half to put on the best Democratic convention in history.”
Update: Colorado Senate President Joan Fitzgerald has released this statement:
The 2008 Democratic National Convention will be a great opportunity for Colorado. We can showcase to the world what Colorado has to offer.
There is a new Democratic West with policies based on pragmatism. We will display the new Democratic region that runs the length of the Rocky Mountains from Montana to New Mexico and stretches to the West. The West has always been a source of optimism for our country. It will help to have national candidates reflect the Rocky Mountain West.
Colorado has not had the opportunity until now to influence primary politics. We can show that Democrats are succeeding in a red state because of our proactive policies.
For the first time in 100 years we will have delegates coming to Colorado. These 35,000 to 40,000 people who come to Denver will realize what Colorado has to offer, in business opportunities as well as tourism.
