The Party's Over, Denver

(CBS)  The spotlight now shifts to St. Paul, Minnesota where the Republicans open their party's convention tomorrow. Contributor Mo Rocca has some thoughts on the city that's been left behind…

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I'm concerned about Denver right now.

For almost a year that hot-shot big spender known as The Media lavished attention on the DNC's host city, telling Denver it was the most important city in the world, sweeping the Mile-High City even higher off its feet.

It culminated in a heady week of spectacle, capped off on Thursday by a stadium extravaganza with a cavalcade of stars like Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow and Barack Obama!

That night 38 million people watched Senator Obama accept his nomination in Denver. The city had never looked lovelier.

And then … it was over.

By early Friday, The Media had packed its bags and skipped town before Denver even woke up.

No goodbye. Not even a note.

"Do you feel a little bit of a letdown?" Rocca asked one resident.

"It's kind of like, yeah, it's like post-partum."

One woman told Rocca that caffeine helps her deal with what he termed post-convention stress disorder.

Now The Media is off to romp with those twin cities, Minneapolis and St. Paul. Oh, they'll get caught up competing for the affections of The Media. But make no mistake. Next week, they'll be left high and dry, spinster twin cities.

Every four years the state of Iowa goes through the same thing. The political circus comes to town and spends millions. Then as soon as the caucus votes are counted, it's over.

Iowa is wise to this.

But Denver's only other political convention was in 1908. Like the fabled Scottish village of "Brigadoon," must Denver wait another 100 years before coming back to life for us? Until then, should Denver just wipe off its makeup and forget that this ever happened?

Maybe it would be better if the convention had never happened at all.

"Minneapolis-St. Paul is basking in the spotlight right now," Rocca asked one Denverite, "but it will be over for them, too. What advice do you have for them?"

"I think to savor the moment," he replied.

Yes, Denver, another convention will come along. And if one doesn't, so be it: It is better to have loved and lost national Media attention than to have never had any Media at all.

[brett49--2008]

Mo, this piece was lame. Of course life will go back to normal in Denver. It''s not like Denver was created for the convention and now will become a ghost town.

The day after Burning Man ends would be a better story.

It may have been better to focus on the people who dropped their normal lives for a few weeks to sell convention related items and services and now have to go back to their "old lives", or perhaps look at the incredible amount of military that moved in for the event and now have to pack up and go home.

Really Mo, spend more time on your next piece!

b

[gatorwomn01]

Okay, what was the purpose of this segment, to waste
our time? Perhaps a good time for a bathroom break or
to get more coffee. Other that that, it was a nothing
piece.

[lewiston14]

That is no way to think. Picture Denver as the superbowl or anyother large event. A Week of hype the game is over and everybody goes home. Least you had your moment.

[kafka9]

We should all vote for Obama unless we want eights more
years of bush