Flannery enjoying the DNC ride

Illinois lawmakers and politicians are used to being grilled by local political reporters, but this year they won't get fired up from Mike Flannery.

The big picture: Flannery, a longtime staple at political conventions, retired last year .

What they're saying: "I reported for 50 years," Flannery told Axios while hanging out near the media row at the United Center.

• "But now? This is fun."

Flashback: Flannery's first political convention was the 1980 Republican National Convention in Detroit with Ronald Reagan at the top of the ticket. Since then, he's reported on several conventions for stations like CBS 2 and Fox Chicago.

Yes, but: Things were different then. Today, press have a harder time getting access, he says.

• "Back in the day, the 10 o'clock news was getting huge ratings. The politicians were afraid to f**k with us."
• "Now, the audience numbers aren't there and the politicians know it. So now it's a lot easier for them to shove you around on the floor."

Zoom out: Journalists complained Monday night that DNC staff limited their access on the jam-packed floor of the United Center.

State of play: Flannery is still working, doing analysis of the convention for WBBM radio. But he's not looking to get back into reporting, even though he says the energy and adrenaline is addictive.

The bottom line: "I'm just reliving the old days."