An innocent soul asked me why political parties hold these conventions every four years. Theoretically, to finish the process, officializing the delegate count and electing the nominee. But given the rules governing Democrat state primaries and delegate apportionment these days, the convention is anti-climactic. Brokered conventions and backroom deals are a thing of the past. It's just a ceremonial formality now.

The real reasons for having these conventions is to reward party loyalists with a big out-of-town fling, give them a chance to wave signs and wear silly hats, have each delegation's spokesman announce to a national TV audience what his state is famous for and, of course, to give the party an opportunity to make a big media splash for its nominee. That's called a "convention bounce." That's why Barack Obama will make his acceptance speech in front of 75,000 wildly cheering fans at Invesco Field. To hell with its negative impact on global warming.

On that matter, if the Democrats really wanted "the greenest convention ever," they'd stay home and do it via teleconference. Tens of thousands of delegates, media, protesters, security forces and assorted hangers on trekking to Denver won't be a carbon footprint; it'll be a carbon Bigfoot.

There's little in this for Denver. Few people remember or care where past conventions were held. The first one that comes to mind is Chicago in 1968 only because it was a disaster. This is all about what's good for Democrats, who hope to exploit the Denver venue to improve their fortunes in Western states, formerly a Republican stronghold.

Whatever short-term economic benefit accrues to the city will fade quickly, offset by the massive overhead and cleanup expense, and the inconvenience to residents. Throw in the long-term costs of concessions made to labor unions in Colorado to secure Denver as the convention site, and it's clear that we'd have been better off if some other city had "won" this prize.

Then there's the very real risk of a black eye for Denver if radicals hell-bent on disruption succeed in "re-creating," as they defiantly proclaim, the violence of that 1968 Chicago convention. Norm Stamper was the police chief of Seattle - regarded as one of the nation's most "progressive cops" - who lost his job after radical protestors went on a destructive rampage in his city during the World Trade Organization meeting in 1999. Chief Stamper and Mayor Paul Schell thought they were ready. In his book, Snookered in Seattle: The WTO Riots, Stamper says he thought protest leaders would play by the rules and that his side was smarter than the anarchists. He was wrong on both counts. "I got snookered. Big Time," he admits, adding, "I thought I'd paid enough attention to my cops' concerns. I hadn't." Mayor Hickenlooper, despite good intentions, is in danger of repeating these mistakes.

In addition to the "Re-create 68" agitators, "Tent State University" anti-war protesters hope to camp out and sleep overnight in City Park during the convention week. Hick says the sleepover is against the law and that he won't allow it. When I asked him last week exactly how greatly outnumbered Denver cops could remove 20,000 to 50,000 young activists from the park at bedtime, he said Tent State organizer Adam Jung promised they'd leave peacefully. And if not, we might turn on the sprinklers.

Can you imagine thousands of rebellious college kids in Denver for their generation's Woodstock '08 - reveling in protests spiced with drugs, sex (don't kid yourself) and rock 'n' roll - instantly fleeing the park when the sprinklers come on? Right. More likely, they'll take off their clothes and party. And that's the best case. This and other confrontations could easily turn ugly as professional agitators infiltrate these events, intent on instigating violence and provoking the cops as "the whole world watches." It's what they do. Ask Norm Stamper. I'd have preferred that they do it someplace else.

Mike Rosen's radio show airs weekdays from 9 a.m. to noon on 850 KOA. He can be reached by e-mail at mikerosen@850koa.com.