(Green) Party Like It's 2008

By Alicia Dorr in News on Sep 4, 2007 6:27PM

Even though Illinois won't be inundated with presidential candidates like Iowa or New Hampshire, we will be able to boast one thing that residents of those states will not — the Green Party's national convention.

The Green Party will hold its convention July 10-13 next year at the Chicago Theatre. The recently renovated (and finally re-opened) Blackstone Hotel will serve as home base for 1,500 or more participants — though we doubt there will be anything even remotely resembling the "smoke-filled room."

The main attraction to the state is apparently the relatively strong showing in the gubernatorial race by Rich Whitney. Though he obviously didn't win, we still look back fondly to the race as proof that small is beautiful when it comes to elections. At the very least, a three-party race serves as a reminder that Democracy does not have to be limited to two sides, with all other parties told to make like a tree and get out.

The July date won't give the party's pick as much face time with the nation as other candidates, which we think is a relief. That's not because we're afraid of a threat (perceived or real) from a Nader-esque candidate who may steal votes from Democrats, but because we will be dead tired of presidential hopefuls all up in our grill for the past two years. Perhaps an anti-war, pro-environment candidate will seem like a knight in shining armor to some by that time, especially with all of the other horses beaten nearly to death. Then again, maybe he or she will seem like the court jester. Either way, it will spice things up a bit.

Image via home.ican.net.