| Well, it seems that some people can't read instructions on this site but what can I say, this race has brought a lot of people out of the woodwork. =)
While tomorrow may prove me wrong when official convention business gets underway, indications are that this convention may not be the most organized, nor will the TDP Chair election be calm or pretty. There is a reason that in the last two days, everyone from David Van Os, myself, Charlie Urbina-Jones, Glen Maxey and others offline have called for a reasonable reduction in divisiveness.
I fear this weekend will get uglier before it gets better and I pledge personally to report (when I can) on what is simply going on without personal analysis. It may be drier, but come Sunday we will have a chairman elected of the delegates of the convention.
Notes and stories today-
1) The inner convention hall looks awesome, far better than the Houston floor plan and there is wireless everywhere.
2) Apparently 40 rooms for SDEC members at the Hilton across from the convention center were somehow not taken care of and lost. Reportedly, many have transferred to a hotel 7 miles away and are not particularly happy.
3) Word from the SDEC meeting also leaked that Chairman Richie's personal assistant for the Party quit/resigned yesterday due to issues with organizing the convention. A fiery letter was sent to all SDEC members. Reportedly the locks of the Austin TDP offices were changed by the TDP Executive Director following her departure.
4) A comparison of the Chair candidate's rooms could be described as follows. Chairman Richie has a pretty swank pad on the backside of the convention hall with windows. Maxey's room is nearer the entrance but about 1/3 the size. No rooms were reported for Urbina-Jones or Rogers at this writing.
5) The first mini-issue erupted around 10 pm tonight. The convention center staff notified the campaigns that signs may not be attached to the walls with tape or any adhesive in order to maintain the paint. Maxey's campaign confirmed confirmation from the convention center staff and director that hanging signs with sting over protruding object on the wall would be allowable. Needless to say, certain TDP/Richie staff members were not excited to learn of this news seeing as how all the sign locations have now been filled. Tomorrow morning will tell what happens to the signs.
6) There is word that hundreds of copies of yesterday's Austin American smear piece on Democrats, specifically Glen Maxey are sitting in Richie's HQ. No confirmation on plans for distribution if at all. Going hard negative may win Richie a campaign, but it doesn't do a single thing to build or unite the party (which is what all candidates are here to talk about). Negativity coming directly from the campaign, rather than surrogates as both campaign have in he past, may be the most effective, but most prone to backfire as delegates look for forward thinking solution over ad hominem attacks. Hopefully all sides will refrain from these over the next two days.
7) The LaRouche people are here as usual handing out their material. While the Party has officially requested / made a requirement that Lakesha cannot talk about LaRouche in her convention speech or official material, I pretty sure no one expects her to actually follow that guideline. The Richie, Maxey, and Urbina-Jones campaigns' reaction is pretty much a non reaction, as each one of them looks to try to pick up the few scattered Lakesha delegate votes for a likely runoff.
Press reports concerning the convention include the Dallas Voice, Houston Chron, Express-News, and Star Telegram.
From Eye on Williamson, this historical perspective as well as an additional report.
The last time state delegates to the convention were asked to decide the party’s leader, Ronald Reagan was President and Bill Clements was Governor. The delegates met that year 30 miles away in Dallas, and were joined by a “Pillsbury Bake-off” of Democratic Presidential hopefuls for the 1984 campaign: then-U.S. Sens. Gary Hart of Colorado, Alan Cranston of California and Ernest F. Hollings of South Carolina, former Florida Gov. Reuben Askew and former Vice President Walter Mondale appeared to make speeches and test the political waters for a Presidential run. |
