Convention Etiquette

I am finally at the Manchester airport ready to embark on the great adventure to the DNC. As I sit here awaiting my Southwest flight to Chicago my mind begins to focus on what awaits. I keep getting emails from people telling me that I need to go to the receptions. “All the good stuff happens at the parties. ”That’s all well and good, but I haven’t been to a party in years. Since I am both a politics professor and an ordained minister I am rarely invited to parties. I’m up to date on funeral etiquette. I can handle myself at wedding receptions, provided I leave early. But how does one act at a Democratic party reception in Denver?

I can feel my blood pressure rise.

I am suddenly realizing that I don’t really know the first thing about DNC conversational etiquette. I know not to bring up religion, but that eliminate about half of my conversational arsenal. If much of politics is, in effect, off limits, due to the fact we’re “all on the same side, “ I’m going to be conversationally challenged. I need to prepare myself to do a lot of head nodding and make good use of facial expressions. (Note to self: Better get some ibuprofen)

What makes this even more difficult is that I have an etiquette “history” with New Hampshire Democrats. Many years ago when I was the founding director of the New Hampshire Institute of Politics, Jeanne Shaheen was governor and I was trying to arrange a meeting to introduce myself. One day I was flying back to Manchester from BWI after a long day in DC. I was the last person on the flight, took the last seat, a middle seat if I remember correctly, and I promptly fell asleep.I woke up when the plane hit the tarmac in Manchester. As I came to, I realized that I had fallen over and was sleeping on the shoulder of the passenger next to me.Worse, I was drooling.(I also snore). When I looked up there was the face of Governor Shaheen. Looking around there was her top aid Judy Reardon next to me.

Thankfully, I had the presence of mind not to introduce myself to either of them.

The problem is I never have.

For the good of the college and the institute I thought it was better that I never introduce myself.

But all of a sudden I wonder if my cover is going to get blown in Denver.

Better keep my sunglasses handy.