Reform Party National Convention was in town this weekend.

Not even covered by C-Span - just the local paper.

http://sun.yumasun.com/artman/publish/articles/story_20416.php

Reform Party leaders on Saturday said they will press on to rebuild their party despite the disappointment, delays and low turnout evident at their national convention going on this weekend in Yuma.

Party officials hop0ed hundreds would attend;= about two dozen people showed up Saturday at the political party's convention. Some delegates from three East Coast states missed their flights, said Rodney Martin, Yuma County party chairman.

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The Reform Party is trying to rebuild and regain access to ballots nationwide. They currently have ballot access in Yuma County but not in all 15 Arizona counties. The party, which had faced internal strife and splits since 2000, was more than $300,000 in debt just two months before the 2004 presidential election.

Nader's address, by phone from Washington, D.C., was the highlight of Saturday's agenda.

"It's quite clear that the problems in this country can be traced to excessive concentration of wealth and power in too few hands," Nader told attendees.

The Republican and Democratic parties constitute a "two-party dictatorship" that works in conjunction with special interest groups, lobbyists and big corporations to stifle competition and freeze out other political parties and candidates, Nader said, echoing themes of his 2004 campaign.

While national political figures and national political events attract both local and national press, only The Sun and two local television stations covered the convention. Major media outlets were not present and public affairs broadcaster C-SPAN did not show up even though for days they had contacted Martin and talked about sending a camera crew.