Grand Old Party Down: Where to Watch the GOP Convention

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FACT: Viewers love tension. The Democratic Convention crackled with the possibility that at any moment the Clintons might decide not to endorse Obama, that Joe Biden might stumble over his (or someone else's) words, that the very fabric of the Democratic Party might be shredded in the industrial fan of egos and stress and red, white and blue streamers.

The tension at the Republican convention has a similarly primal, but less controllable, source: Hurricane Gustav, which raked the Gulf Coast on Monday. How much of a convention there will be and what form it will take is still up in the air. And the storm's similarity to Hurricane Katrina has meant that many voters have their eyes trained on New Orleans rather than the convention site in St. Paul.

But we're Washingtonians. When John McCain, Sarah Palin and the rest of the GOP team take to the cameras, we'll be poised to listen. Here are some spots where you can convention-watch with company.

Those in Alexandria could try the party at Buzz Bakery on Thursday night at 8 p.m. You can watch John McCain's acceptance speech while guzzling convention-themed cocktails and eating what the senator's campaign site calls "McCain-themed cupcakes." Maybe there are 72 of them?

For a more classic D.C. experience, head to Bullfeathers of Capitol Hill. They'll be showing the convention all week, of course, and you can partake of delicious fried food while you watch Sarah Palin take on those pesky polar bears.

Finally, the Log Cabin Republicans are having their usual first-Thursday-of-the-month happy hour at Nellie's Sports Bar on Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. For a Republican road-less-traveled, join these guys for drink specials and McCain's big speech. Pink is the new red!

» Buzz Bakery, 901 Slaters Ln., Alexandria; 703-600-2899.
» Bullfeathers, 410 First St. SE; 202-543-5005. (Capitol South)
» Nellie's Sports Bar, 900 U St. NW; 202-332-6355. (U St.-Cardozo)

For more parties, you can check here.

Photo by Susan Biddle/The Washington Post