It's an opportunity for image marketing. It's also a perfect place to buttonhole governors, says Ted Welch, a Tennessee businessman and Republican fundraiser extraordinaire. Welch says he plans to take full advantage of that opportunity this week. With his floor pass as a Bush delegate granting him access, he will chat up state officials on behalf of an educational technology firm that is looking for new business. It's a special opportunity for this company to get some face time with some important people.
Corporations also are prominent sponsors of the conventions.
Cable provider Comcast is piping the Republican convention to as many as 65 million homes. They are jumping through hoops to be of public service and to get face time. However, the ethics panels say any event sponsored by the convention host committee or political party is exempt from the ban. It's not particularly difficult to attract 25 people to events featuring free booze and jumbo shrimp. They can do anything they want, and we won't know it.