The Democratic Convention's Parents Brigade

Managing the Democratic National Convention has just gotten easier. All those parents of convention organizers who arrive just to "help" their kids are finally being put to work. "Come convention time," says spokeswoman Natalie Wyeth, "everyone comes out of the woodwork, this year more than ever." In past years, Democratic officials have had parents show up a week early, only to sit around their office pestering their adult kids for something to do. "You know what they say about idle hands," says Wyeth. So, for the first time, the party has created the "Parents Program," to put mom and dad to work driving big shots around or handing out press credentials. "It's part of our effort to keep our parents busy," says Wyeth. And because parents like to brag that their kid is running the show, the party is considering printing T-shirts for the parents that say just that.