I know there was a lot of bad blood coming out of how the CDP Convention wrapped up, but consider this: that controversy was over how we passed one resolution on Iraq and not another. It's not like it was about something like this:
Don Larsen, chairman of legislative District 65 for the Utah County Republican Party, had submitted a resolution warning that Satan's minions want to eliminate national borders and do away with sovereignty.
In a speech at the convention, Larsen told those gathered that illegal immigrants "hate American people" and "are determined to destroy this country, and there is nothing they won't do."
Illegal aliens are in control of the media, and working in tandem with Democrats, are trying to "destroy Christian America" and replace it with "a godless new world order - and that is not extremism, that is fact," Larsen said. […]
Republican officials then allowed speakers to defend and refute the resolution. One speaker, who was identified as "Joe," said illegal immigrants were Marxist and under the influence of the devil. Another, who declined to give her name to the Daily Herald, said illegal immigrants should not be allowed because "they are not going to become Republicans…."
No matter what the intra-party squabbles are, let's understand that the real whackadoos are in that other party. We can resolve differences between ourselves as reasonable people. We don't think Satan is an undocumented immigrant.
Another thing to consider: one of the resolutions that the CDP passed yesterday was in support of high-speed rail, which we learned yesterday that the governor may be trying to defund and effectively stop. One of the resolutions we DIDN'T pass was in support of Clean Money, which actually is moving through the legislative process, with a hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. So resolutions pale in comparison to what's really happening in Sacramento. Just a little perspective.
(Good, positive stuff. Thanks, Carl. Also at dKos - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
Two and a half days, six presidential candidates, 2,264 delegates. Fiery rhetoric, sloppy speechifying, backslapping. Cheerleading. Words and words and words. Out of Iraq universal health care choice Darfur education impeachment toll road Katrina. The best Democratic state party anywhere; the best primary slate ever; the great Chairman Art Torres.
Elections have consequences. Not another nickle; not another dime. Not another soldier; not this time. Turn the page.
I want to give a big shout-out to the Calitics community and everybody who contributed to this tremendous coverage of this year's convention. Juls, Brian, blogswarm, hekebolos, Lucas, atdleft, Todd, jra, da, midvalley, and I hope I'm not missing anybody else did an unbelievable job. I've never seen a convention covered so thoroughly by a state blog since... the invention of state blogs. We ran circles around traditional media at this event. So we all should be very proud of ourselves.
Now we need to expand that role. Obviously getting information out about the convention is vital, and I've had plenty of people say they were looking to Calitics for the latest news and perspective. But if we want to help be a lever for change, we need to also understand that there are things we can do as activists on the floor that can help bring that change about. That means connecting with the grassroots progressives, preparing and planning for contingencies, and most important electing more officers and candidates and delegates who want to join us in this program for party reform and growth.
And let's take up the gracious offer by Garry Shay to offer input into how the resolutions proecdure can be reviewed. And by all means let's those of us who are elected delegates try to get on standing committees. Our ball has just inched off the top of the hill. Let's keep it rolling downward.
I thought I'd give a little bit more detail about what happened at the end of the convention, which ended with a quorum call and an abrupt close to business.
Let me first say that I do not have this inflated sense about the importance of CDP resolutions. They reflect the spirit and the passion of the activist community of delegates, but they are not pieces of legislation that can be enforced. They are a nice endorsement for certain issues, and the delegates can feel like they have done something. But they are not binding. It has to amuse me, in a cynical way, that this entire brouhaha is over a nonbinding resolution on Iraq, brought to you by many of the same people who decried the Congress' nonbinding resolution on Iraq.
That said, I do think it's a serious issue from the standpoint of small-d democracy and the ability for the will of the delegation to be expressed, as well as what it bodes for the real structural reforms that are needed in the party.
On Friday, Raymond Lutz, intrepid President of the East County Democratic Club, presented a late resolution opposing Blackwater West to the resolutions committee at the California Democratic Convention. That committee meeting started at 3:30pm and didn't end until they got through all 104 timely resolutions and then finally got to the late ones. Raymond wasn't up until after 7pm. Unfortunately, after he presented his resolution, there was an objection from the committee, which rendered the resolution dead. They wouldn't even hear it. The committee member who objected cited the fact that California has dealings with Blackwater (do we now?) and he had an issue with the second resolved phrase of the resolution. The only reason we know the objector's reasoning was that Raymond got up after the objection and passionately pleaded to be able to take the resolution to the floor. The committee chair was moved enough to dig into it deeper but the objection stood. Join me...
As expected, he is mostly playing up his diplomatic experience. He's also laying out his priorities of what he'll do as president. 1st day in office: out of Iraq, no residual troops. 2nd day in office: announce an Apollo energy program. 3rd day in office: plan to revitalize education. Minimum wage for teachers: $40,000/year. 4th day in office: universal healthcare. 5th day: jobs program.
John Edwards has just been introduced. As you might expect for a Sunday at 10am timeslot, the crowds and energy that accompanied Obama to the stage are not present for Edwards, but it also allows him to work the delegate crowd as Barack was not able to. He just took the stage and he's being greeted by a standing ovation. This place loves this guy.
The place is now chanting "Edwards! Edwards!"
More over the flip...
UPDATE: Edwards called for a US-led global campaign to provide free primary education for every child...in the world.
And he said:
"When I am president of the United States, on the first day I'm in office, you have my word that Guantanamo will be closed!"
UPDATE2: You should see how quickly the press is running to the press conference. There's the feeling that something important just happened here. Still have chills. Going to the press conference. And by the way, he left the stage to "There goes My Hero" by Foo Fighters. Indeed.
Net neutrality, as a resolution for this convention, is in effect dead. The resolution has been referred to the Labor Caucus, and that ruling will stand.
Now there is some good news. Brad Parker, a member of PDA and a staunch supporter of Net Neutrality, is on the Labor Caucus. He has spoken to people on that caucus and people on the Resolutions Committee, and he believes that he can get a strong resolution to the floor by the next convention. So it's a waiting game.
What has not been resolved is the idea that you can refer a resolution to a caucus, which as I said is unprecedented. Parker intends to take it up in the Resolutions Committee happening right now, and if not there then in the Rules Committee. The shenanigans pulled here were unconscionable.
About the impeachment resolution: there is no doubt in my mind that the new substitute language will become one of the top 10 resolutions brought to the floor tomorrow. The Resolutions Committee members would not be able to leave that room if they didn't place it in the top 10.
No word on getting the Audit Committee to a floor vote, I'll check on that.
And the Calitics staff did an exclusive interview with Sen. Christopher Dodd, we should have something on that (with pics) soon.
The CDP created a new rule with regard to resolutions in this convention. In order to be able to bring a resolution to a floor vote, it either has to make it through the Resolutions committee or be outright rejected. If it is referred or tabled, it cannot be brought to the floor. This is a brand new rule that nobody anticipated, that was not voted on by the delegates, and that seems, dare I say, undemocratic.
And this is exactly what was done with the Net Neutrality resolution at the convention. Worse, they referred it to the Labor Caucus. Now, there is absolutely no precedent for referring a resolution to a caucus. It's never been done before. There's no mechanism for the Labor Caucus to do anything with it. This was simply a way to push aside the Net Neutrality resolution in order to hope it is forgotten. We in the netroots cannot let this happen. It's antithetical to the notion of democracy and a free & open Internet.
(BTW, this was also done with respect to other resolutions, including impeachment, Iraq, and Iran resolutions put forward by Progressive Democrats of America. I spoke with Marcy Winograd about this earlier, and there will be some fireworks at the next resolutions committee meeting at 5pm PT.)
At the press conference I posted about over at ATM Watch, a journalist told Hillary the following regarding the delegates on the floor:
"Obama has their heart, you have their head."
Now, Obama hasn't spoken yet (he's on at 2pm) but his campaign is certainly the most visible here at the convention and you get the sense that his supporters are the most passionate. And while there was some excitement on the floor in anticipation of Hillary's speech, mostly among young women, there was very little as she was actually speaking. And her speech reflected why. She committed the cardinal Democratic sin: making a laundry list of what she will do as president.
At the press conference I posted about over at ATM Watch, a journalist told Hillary the following regarding the delegates on the floor:
"Obama has their heart, you have their head."
Now, Obama hasn't spoken yet (he's on at 2pm) but his campaign is certainly the most visible here at the convention and you get the sense that his supporters are the most passionate. And while there was some excitement on the floor in anticipation of Hillary's speech, mostly among young women, there was very little as she was actually speaking. And her speech reflected why. She committed the cardinal Democratic sin: making a laundry list of what she will do as president.
Ouch. Senator Hillary devoted barely any time to Iraq in her CDP Convention speech. She didn't admit she made a mistake, even though she had the perfect opportunity. Really, I'm shocked by what she didn't say.
She had a nice laundry list, but how can she avoid the biggest issue in the race? When she finally mentioned Iraq, she lost the crowd. I really don't see how she can campaign in this environment without admitting her mistake.
Iraq is the issue and the fact Clinton refuses to acknowledge her mistake is going to dog her through the race -- ending up in every newspaper article about the race. Why is she listening to the people who are telling her this makes sense?
Tonight's party is going to be huge. But not nearly as huge as the rock star treatment Congressman McNerney and Charlie Brown are received. They are getting mobbed in the hallways, huge applause when they speak and many of the conversations involve the potential of a Special Election in the fourth congressional district.
California Democrats are fired up and the appears to be nearly universal agreement that we simply must win these to seats. These two are the toast of the convention and everyone is excited about their people-powered campaigns.
So even if you can't join us tonight, please make a contribution and be part of the movement to win both seats!
CDP Chair Art Torres is welcoming the press. This is the first convention in San Diego -- which he makes a point to stress is now a blue city. Nancy Pelosi rocks. Torres is also proud of Feinstein and Boxer and Miller and Lantos. Charlie Brown is one of the best candidates Democrats have had in a long time. The early primary is great for the state. Eight video cameras and around 40 journalists. Good stuff.
UPDATE: I got to ask a question on the 58 state strategy, Torres gave huge props to Dean and said it is strategically imperative for us to increase our registrations everywhere, specifically mentioning McNerney and Brown.
Just got to San Diego for the convention--I'm posting from my satellite internet connection. I'm at the workshop for new delegates right now, with rebelatheart sitting right behind me and cmanaster sitting right beside me. rebel says hi to the whole calitics audience!
Hi everyone!! This is rebelatheart - I just wandered into the New Delegate session and was lucky to sit behind hekebolos =). I'm going to be running around alot so won't be able to blog as much as some of the other guys, but I trust they will do a great job. See everyone who's goinig to the blograiser tonight!!!
Art Torres just got done welcoming us all, and made specific mention of Jerry McNerney and Charlie Brown, as well as the CA-42 race for us Southern Californians. Don't forget to attend the Brew House!
Brian and I were on a flight that was appropriately titled the Hack Express. We had consultants behind us, next to us, ahead of us -- it was pretty ridiculous. Hell, even Jonell was on the flight. Juls met us at the SD airport and reported a similar experience on her flight from Sacto. I'm sitting in the media room, next to Carla Maranucci, who wrote:
The reception given the candidates, appearing before the Democratic true believers in the nation's most populous state, will be scrutinized for their ability to fire up the grass roots and reach out to the thousands of potential backers. And they'll be judged by political pundits on their reception from the crowd and the strength of their organization's effectiveness at the convention.
With nearly a year to go until the Feb. 5 primary, the unusually robust presence of presidential candidates at a state convention dramatizes not only the increased clout of the donation-rich California in the 2008 presidential race, but the increased excitement of Democrats regarding their potential to take back the White House.
Everyone is excited about tonight's party. More as it comes.
The approximate schedule for the convention, per Art Torres, is as follows:
Friday evening: Chair's Welcome Reception, with Presidential candidate Senator Mike Gravel and Congressman Jerry McNerney.
Saturday morning: Speakers include California's Democratic statewide Constitutional officers and U. S. Senator Hillary Clinton.
Saturday lunch: Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, Senate President pro Tempore Don Perata, and Congressmember Zoe Lofgren.
Saturday afternoon: Speakers include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, U. S. Senator Barack Obama, U. S. Senator Christopher Dodd, and Congressman Dennis Kucinich.
Sunday morning: Speakers include former U. S. Senator John Edwards and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson.
Apparently demand is so high that observers will not be allowed in if they haven't purchased entry already, and the lunch and dinner events are sold out. The party definitely has some energy this year, and that's a good thing.
Another tidbit: as a delegate, I've been getting nonstop calls and mailers from various interest groups. And without question, the most organized and persistent group is the one opposed to the tollway through San Onofre Beach. I've received 2 mailers, 4 phone calls and several emails. There's some do-re-mi behind that organization.
There's obviously been a lot of chatter about what resolutions to support at the CDP Convention this weekend (incidentally, the Resolutions Committee will only allow about 10 to get to the floor, and unless you get a buttload of signatures, that's all that will be voted upon, so choose wisely). I'm going to make a plea for one that would actually change the way that the Party conducts its business. I don't think there can be any more important a proposal, one that would demand accountability from the CDP and move us on a course to a 58-county strategy, than the resolution to form a standing Audit Committee as a change in CDP Bylaws.
Ouch. Senator Hillary devoted barely any time to Iraq in her CDP Convention speech. She didn't admit she made a mistake, even though she had the perfect opportunity. Really, I'm shocked by what she didn't say.
Tonight's 
