One of the hottest credentials in Denver is turning out to be the All-Access pass to the CNN Grill.
Much attention is paid at the convention to access — who has what credential to get into where, who has what invitation or hook-up to get into which party. Some of the most coveted documents around are complicated spreadsheets denoting hour-by-hour where the party is and who is taking RSVPs. There are only a couple of people at the convention who don’t require credentials to get into either the Pepsi Center or parties — Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and their wives. Pretty much everyone else has increasingly thick lanyards hanging from the neck.
One of the hottest credentials in Denver is turning out to be the All-Access pass to the CNN Grill, just inside the security perimeter next to the Pepsi Center.
The cable channel has taken over Brooklyn’s restaurant and spend a huge chunk of money — probably well into six figures—converting it into a political sports bar, complete with top shelf drinks, an extensive menu (including milkshakes, burgers, mac and cheese, giant salads, and even “make your own cupcakes”), electronics charging stations, and a score of large flatscreen TVs — there’s even a special CNN beer. The best part? It’s all free. As the convention proceeded just yards away, scores of politicos and journalists wandered through, drinking, eating, gossiping, and laughing. Dan Rather enjoyed a quiet table in one corner while the Daily Show correspondents chatted away and Howard Wolfson held court next to the bar.
Those without the credential aren’t entirely out of luck: outside by the fence CNN was handing out patriotic-themed ice cream sundaes.
Garrett Graff is in Denver all this week, reporting from the Democratic National Convention. Head here for his coverage of parties, people, politics and more.
Reporting From Denver: The CNN Grill Brings All the Bloggers to Its Bar
Garrett Graff is in Denver all this week, reporting live from the Democratic National Convention. Keep checking back in for his coverage.
Much attention is paid at the convention to access — who has what credential to get into where, who has what invitation or hook-up to get into which party. Some of the most coveted documents around are complicated spreadsheets denoting hour-by-hour where the party is and who is taking RSVPs. There are only a couple of people at the convention who don’t require credentials to get into either the Pepsi Center or parties — Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and their wives. Pretty much everyone else has increasingly thick lanyards hanging from the neck.
One of the hottest credentials in Denver is turning out to be the All-Access pass to the CNN Grill, just inside the security perimeter next to the Pepsi Center.
The cable channel has taken over Brooklyn’s restaurant and spend a huge chunk of money — probably well into six figures—converting it into a political sports bar, complete with top shelf drinks, an extensive menu (including milkshakes, burgers, mac and cheese, giant salads, and even “make your own cupcakes”), electronics charging stations, and a score of large flatscreen TVs — there’s even a special CNN beer. The best part? It’s all free. As the convention proceeded just yards away, scores of politicos and journalists wandered through, drinking, eating, gossiping, and laughing. Dan Rather enjoyed a quiet table in one corner while the Daily Show correspondents chatted away and Howard Wolfson held court next to the bar.
Those without the credential aren’t entirely out of luck: outside by the fence CNN was handing out patriotic-themed ice cream sundaes.
Garrett Graff is in Denver all this week, reporting from the Democratic National Convention. Head here for his coverage of parties, people, politics and more.
Most Popular in News & Politics
What It Felt Like for a Virginia Marching Band to Win Metallica’s Contest
Meet the 2023 Washingtonians of the Year
What’s IN and OUT in DC Restaurant Trends for 2024
Introducing 8 of DC’s Most Stylish
Washingtonian Magazine
May 2024: Great Getaways
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
13 Major Concerts and Music Festivals in the DC Area This Spring
Mary Timony on Her Emotional New Album, “Untame the Tiger”
The Beatles in DC: A New Exhibit in Maryland Looks Back on Early Beatlemania
Northern Virginia High School Wins Metallica’s Marching Band Competition
More from News & Politics
Former Fiola GM Convicted of Murder Is Now in a Netflix Docuseries
These 5 DC Traffic Cams Are Issuing the Most Tickets Right Now
Farewell to Crystal City Underground, the DC Area’s Strangest Mall
Washington DC’s 500 Most Influential People of 2024
Inside the Urgent Effort to Preserve Black Newspapers
Maryland Has Renamed an Invasive Fish. Will It Matter?
Meet the 2024 Washington Women in Journalism Award Winners
In the Doghouse: Kristi Noem and 5 Other Canine Political Scandals