So the convention thus far has been dominated by talk of Hillary and Bill Clinton, of disaffected supporters, or Joe Biden and foreign policy, and maybe, just maybe a bit about Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee.

Bob Herbert, writing in the NY Times, thinks Obama needs to come out strong, take a few swings and get the attention back on him.

"Mr. Obama likes to say he’s skinny but tough. But with all due respect, he hasn’t yet demonstrated the degree of toughness needed to prevail in a presidential campaign. There is nothing genteel about these contests," Herbert wrote.

But the convention is really only a part of what is happening. It's the center, but not the whole thing.

I'm staying about two miles south of Downtown Denver, in a lovely, tree-lined neighborhood with a park, cafes, shops – the amenities of an at-least semi-cultures urban center. It's walking distance to the light rail that ends in the heart of Downtown.

Downtown, there's the 16th Street Promenade, about 15 blocks of tourists, hustlers, homeless, musicians, magicians, swells from the neighboring condo towers, public art. A real City. A free shuttle runs from one end to the other, and it's intersected in two places by light rail.

There are three stadiums within walking distance – a pretty good walk, but doable – and parks on the edges of the central Downtown district.

Sunday, the convention was a growing presence, but not yet overwhelming. I haven’t gone down there yet today, as I'm writing this, and a group of veterans were planning a protest march against the war this morning. It is likely the protests – whether for Clinton or against the political system – will mount as the week intensifies.

Yesterday, at around 5 p.m. when we were taking the train to Downtown, someone said people were being tear-gassed at a protest. That turned out not to be true.

In the Market Street Station, I hear two transit cops talk. One says to the other, are you getting on shift or getting off? Off. How's it going? Oh, a lot of protestors, but no violence.

The Promenade leads to the Commons Park and Denver Skate Park to the west and north of Downtown. The Little Platte River runs along the parks, which is long and narrow. On the other side of the river is Cuernavaca Park. Condominium towers on the Downtown side line the streets, dozens of them from two or three stories to high rises more than 20 stories.

Tent State is set up in the park. Here's how they describe themselves: "Maybe you consider yourself a radical, maybe a democrat. Maybe you'll vote for Obama, or maybe you think the whole system is corrupt. And maybe you think Obama can end the war, and maybe he can. One thing is certain though, the war won't end without all of us demanding and forcing it. It doesn't matter what ideologies are held, if some of us are planning to vote for Obama or vote NO to the entire system, we're coming together in Denver this August to tell Sen. Obama and the Democratic Party that if they don't end the war, we will!"

That group is working with FightWithTools.org, which describes itself like this.

"This event will last from Sunday August 24th through August 28th. There will be several performers including: The Flobots, The Coup, Wayne Kramer, Son of Nuns, The Tossers, Blue Scholars, Jello Biafra, Dr. Juess, Dyslexic Dinosaurs, Pnuckel, Fulcrum, Apex Vibe, The Flash Mob, State Radio, David Robic, Kombat, DJ Russh, Paul Garcia and many more!!

"We are a community of empowered music fans dedicated to turning the power of the music into positive actions for social change. Street Team wants you to Wake UP, Activate, Transform, and Step UP to be the change you want."

Rus Cordova, one of the organizers, let me take his picture. He said the music was the message, a positive message, as differentiated with anarchists, who he said may or may not show up.

"Anarchists want to make change through violence," he said.

A few hundred people were in the park. Various organizations had tents and displays. Veterans for Peace caught my eye, because they had a placard about the San Patricios.

Across the river, mounted police arrayed, but looked a little bored.

On the train back to the apartment, I spoke briefly to Danielle, a 22-year-old with piercings and tattooes. She started almost every sentence by saying, "The way I look at life."

So, for example, I asked her if it was true that the police used rubber bullets. "Well, the way I look at life, it's about experiences," she said.

Like getting shot with a rubber bullet, I asked?

No, I was in the back.

Here is what the Denver Post wrote. The story does not mention rubber bullets, although that does not mean such tactics, which have become a staple of controlling political demonstrations, were not used.

I went to the apartment, took a few notes, and then to the Red Lion Inn, where I spoke with the El Paso delegates (the interview with Norma Fisher-Flores actually took place this morning via telephone).

By then, it was about 10 p.m. I was pretty fried. On the highway home, just before my exit, I passed a billboard truck.

Uncle Sam, about 10 feet tall, pointed his finger at me.

The sign said: "The U.S. needs your help. Vote Libertarian."