Until this presidential election season, Signal Mountain resident Justin Wilkins never had been inspired to get involved with politics.

But he will be one of the thousands of Democratic Party faithful in Denver today, cheering on presumptive presidential nominee Barack Obama at the national convention.

“I’ve never been to one of these things before, so I’m not sure what to expect,” said Mr. Wilkins, 27, a Tennessee delegate. “I’m one of these people that has never been involved in politics before, but last March, I read Obama’s book ‘Audacity of Hope,’ and I thought, ‘This is the real deal.’”

Democrats will be gathering for four days of speeches, pomp and circumstance leading up to Thursday’s keynote address from Sen. Obama, D-Ill.

Republicans hold their convention next week in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., when Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., is expected to be declared the GOP nominee.

With Sen. Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., having waged a tight — and sometimes bitter — battle for the nomination during the primary season, unity is the buzzword for Democrats attending the convention.

The weekend announcement of Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., as the vice presidential choice for the Democratic ticket ended the speculation as to whether Sen. Clinton might fill the spot.

Delegates supporting Sen. Clinton will be allowed to vote for her at the rally, but Democrats say they don’t expect that to derail any momentum for Sen. Obama’s candidacy.

“I think in the end, Democrats are going to vote the right way,” said Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen, who was barnstorming last week across Ohio for Sen. Obama.

Jane Kidd, chairwoman of the Georgia Democratic Party and also a superdelegate, said all the controversy about the animosity — perhaps perceived, perhaps not — between supporters of the two candidates is “much ado about very little.” Democrats will be united behind the cause of electing Sen. Obama, she said.

Bill Hobbs, spokesman for the Tennessee Republican Party, said the speeches at the Democratic convention will be full of hype and “a four-day extended Obama campaign commercial.”

“I would expect we’re going to hear a lot of rhetoric about hope and change, but we’re not going to hear anything specific,” he said. “They can’t focus on Obama’s accomplishments because he has none.”

LESS DRAMA, LESS COVERAGE

Party conventions today hold nowhere near the weight they once did, when each party’s nominee often wasn’t decided until all of the delegate votes were counted.

But even though news networks have cut back on coverage of the political conventions, and the nominees are decided through the primary process long before the extravaganzas are held, members of both parties said the conventions still are relevant as a launching point for the election’s stretch run.

“I think it’s a good thing the parties take some time and do a big national event,” Mr. Hobbs said. “It’s really a chance to connect to voters. I don’t think most people pay attention to the presidential campaigns until the last few months anyway.”

Dr. Larry Sabato, a political science professor and director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Politics, said the conventions are a chance for each nominee to address a national audience directly.

“Conventions still perform a valuable civic education function,” he said. “No question, conventions are stage-managed propaganda shows, but each nominee gets to tell his story before the media deconstruct it.”

Gov. Bredesen said the convention is Sen. Obama’s opportunity “to kind of put a stamp on the tone and what direction the next couple of months are going to be.”

LOTS OF EVENTS, HOOPLA

While they are in Denver, members of the Tennessee and Georgia delegations have a slate of receptions, parties, talks and presentations to attend in addition to the main program each evening.

Former President Jimmy Carter will address the Georgia delegation during one of its breakfasts and then later join members in a community service outing.

The Tennessee delegation will be feted by potential 2010 Democratic gubernatorial candidates, with rumored aspirants Kim McMillan, U.S. Rep. Lincoln Davis and former Rep. Harold Ford Jr. all hosting receptions during the week.

Several companies with local ties also are hosting delegation events as lobbying efforts. The Tennessee delegation’s schedule includes receptions by UnitedHealth Group, FedEx Corp. and BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee.

Scott Wilson, a spokesman for BlueCross, said the company will host a similar event at the Republican National Convention.

“Those delegates are, of course, Tennessee citizens, many of whom are decision makers in areas that affect the nearly 3 million Tennesseans who rely on us for their health care coverage,” he said. “These folks are part of the process, and that’s why we’re hosting these events.”

For Mr. Wilkins, who spent a few hundred dollars on a flight to Denver and is sharing a $230-a-night hotel room with other delegates from Tennessee, the experience is a chance for him to be inspired by the political process.

“No matter what side you’re on, we’re all in agreement that politics as usual hasn’t gotten our country in a better place,” he said.

Staff writer Andy Sher of the Nashville Bureau contributed to this story.

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