I have arrived in Denver for the 2008 Democratic National Convention. I will be posting observations, analysis, interviews, and whatever else comes to mind over the next four days. The energy level surrounding the convention center downtown is quite high, as delegates, media and observers from all over the country gather here in the Mile High City to nominate Senator Barack Obama as the Democratic candidate for President.

Alas for anyone seeking minute-by-minute coverage all day and all night long, I have a day job to keep up with as well. However, I will do my best to provide regular updates and reports. Liveblogging from the convention center itself should begin this afternoon. I will be joined in my coverage by David Jones of the excellent Denver blog ResurrectionSong, and possibly by a Blogger To Be Named Later, in the coming days.

Brief impressions to date: the convention logistics are impressively smooth. The Denver police are annoyed by the protesters but quite friendly to the convention participants and media. I’ll have more coverage on the protesters from both left and right later. The delegates and Democratic staffers are upbeat and enthusiastic; the current tie in the polls between Obama and McCain does not seem to bother them very much. Tonight’s main event is Michelle Obama’s speech, which I will be liveblogging from the press box at the convention center. I have not seen any sign of tension between the Clinton and Obama camps, although there hasn’t been much opportunity for it to be expressed as of yet.

Although I intend to hit the high points of the formal convention, I am much more interested in the people who are here, the issues in play, and the tension in the campaign and in the party. As always, I will attempt to be fair and even-handed in my reporting. I am also interested in what you, the blog readers, want to see covered – please feel free to use the comments section of this and my subsequent posts to make suggestions, ask questions, etc.

More later.