Sleepless in Denver and Minn-St. Paul

Panic is starting to settle in for many of those traveling to the presidential nominating conventions just over two months away, Whispers hears. The problem: Hotels are booking fast. Organizers for the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul and the Democratic Convention in Denver say some hotel rooms close to the venues are being gobbled up by scalpers who are offering them for $800 a night or more. "And they want prepayment," says an organizer. Worse, fancy party rooms and ritzy hotel suites for media VIPs are hard to find.