Things to do in Denver when your nation's sovereignty is being challenged

DENVER -- Davit Bakradze, chairman of the Georgian parliament, was far from his seat of power when major news arrived from Moscow on Monday: Russia had recognized two of his country's regions, South Ossetia and Abkhazia, as independent, bluntly challenging Georgia's sovereignty.

"My instinct was to head back immediately," Bakradze recalled in Denver, where he has been all week. "Then I realized it is more important to be here and explain to the world what is happening. What is happening here is in some ways more important than what's happening anywhere else."

Bakradze was part of a seven-member delegation from Georgia that came to the convention under the auspices of the non-profit National Democratic Institute, which brought domestic politicians from around the world to Denver. Unlike some delegations, Georgia brought along a prominent Washington lobbying and public-affairs firm, the Glover Park Group, to raise its profile among American political figures and media. That relationship began "about eight days ago," said Joy Drucker, a Glover Park senior vice president.

"We are very appreciative of the fact that this is a bipartisan issue in the U.S.," Bakradze said, hours before Joe Biden forcefully promised in his acceptance speech to hold "Russia accountable for its action and...help Georgia rebuild." Obama's reaction to Monday's events was 'a brilliant response," Bakradze said. "I would subscribe under that statement."

"There are two extremes with dealing with Russia, and both of them are certainly dangerous," Bakradze continued. "One is pushing Russia to the corner and one is appeasing Russia." He seemed to be referring to Obama's willingness to negotiate with unfriendly nations and to McCain's desire to create a League of Democracies that excludes Russia, but refused to directly address the candidates' approaches or say which he preferred.

"There are obvious differences between the two camps related to the future," he went on, his smile broadening. "Elections is all about making the choice between these two different camps."

Bakradze, who had been to Denver on a previous visit two decades ago as part of an exchange program for young Soviets and Americans, said the electoral pageantry he witnessed this week dwarfed that of party congresses in Georgia's young democracy. "The scale is much smaller and much more modest," he said.

Bakhadze is headed back to Tibilisi today, and a different group of Georgian leaders will go to St. Paul next week to make their case there. Bakhadze smiled again as he recalled that the one representative of the Russian government who made the trip to Denver, a member of the Duma, had returned home after only a couple of days.

"I'm glad that he left earlier than expected," Bakradze said. "Russia should not be given the opportunity to attend democratic gatherings like this."