Convention Morning
11:50 AM - Brian Melendez just presented a picture of Gov. Tim Pawlenty and an audio clip of his saying, "I can tell you what your worst nightmare is. It's one of the big-spendin', tax-raisin', abortion-promotin', gay marriage-embracin', more welfare-without-accountability lovin', school reform-resistin', illegal immigration-supportin' Democrats for governor who think Hillary Clinton should be president of the United States." Melendez went on to say "I'm a God-fearin', America lovin', property tax payin', Minnesota law-abidin' citizen, and I think the President should be too. Governor, I read my Bible, but I don't think that makes me better than anyone else and I don't try to jam it down anyone's throat. I read my Constitution too, by the way, and I like hunting, I like fishing, and I like the Second Amendment."
11:39 AM - Mr. Brodkorb just sent up a post or two about how few delegates are here. I disagree, because while there's not a full house yet it is still early enough that delegates are still filing in constantly. The Senate nomination isn't until three, so the number in attendance at that time will be a better indicator of the attendance here. Even better will be the count tomorrow for the governor's race.
11:37 AM - Brian Melendez just announced that the convention is about to come back to order.
11:28 AM - More than a moment it has now been over twenty minutes. I took a brief trip to the floor to visit my delegation. On the way I said hello to Mark Ritchie and saw Rebecca Otto again. I also spoke to one of my high school teachers who is also a delegate here - it's a small world. He was undecided on the governor's race, and I tried to swing him. Mr. Brodkorb just pointed Mike Hatch out to me on the floor, and he's surrounded by staffers, media (he's got a TV camera and a reporter on him) and assorted others.
11:04 AM - We just accepted the rules as moved by the rules committee. We're recessing for a moment to allow the credentials committee to complete the upgrading of alternates to delegates where applicable.
11:00 AM - Mr. Brodkorb leaned over a minute ago and told me that he was impressed by the organization of the convention, and he posted the same. That's high praise from a Republican blogger.
10:54 AM - We just took our first vote on electing convention co-chairs. We're now hearing a report from the rules committee.
10:52 AM - Brian Melendez just said, "How does Mark Kennedy know he's independent from President Bush?...He read it in some White House talking points."
10:50 AM - We're back. The credentials committee has just reported that there are 759 delegates and alternates are in attendance, representing 498.4 votes.
10:44 AM - The break is to elect delegation co-chairs. It's almost over.
10:29 AM - Brian Melendez has just finished making some routine announcements and adjourned the convention for about twenty minutes for...something or other. I'm a little surprised at how few bloggers are here - up in our section so far it's just myself and Mr. Brodkorb. I made a pass through some of the blogs that might have people here to look for other bloggers. apparently Aaron Landry of Minvolved is blogging somewhere in the building, "rew" of DFL Senate should be here for Amy Klobuchar's endorsement, MNCR is on his/her way, and Jon-David Schlough of MN Publius was here last night.
10:15 AM - Affirmative Action statement is being read. I didn't catch her name (I assume it's state AA officer Megan Thomas) but the woman at the podium is talking about the accommodations that have been made for the disabled, as well as the number of caucuses for all kinds of people.
10:09 AM - Tina Liebling and Andy Welti, two legislators from here in Rochester, are delivering the introduction to the convention. Liebling is talking about how Rochester's growth is linked to the investment we make in it, by funding education, health care. Fairness, justice, and diversity is important to our future. Talking about the party that isn't about giving more to the wealthy. Welti is talking about the progress Democrats have made in Rochester and how he believes that progress will continue this year.
10:03 AM - State party chair Brian Melendez has just called the convention to order. Flag ceremony (Native American color guard from St. Paul) is in progress.
9:58 AM - I'm now in the blogger area sitting with Michael Brodkorb, who is apparently the only blogger here so far. I've taken a few pictures of the auditorium and I will post those in a second.
9:35 AM - Becky, along with press secretary Jim Robins and two other staffers, just left. As a note, the stuff I'm writing as people speak is not my own opinion, it's paraphrasing of the candidates' own statements.
9:27 AM - More people including CDM President Alex Valen just walked in. Becky Lourey just arrived as well. She is buliding her campaign on people who have come to stand in line and talk about a better state. She is running because she feels she has the best chance to beat Tim Pawlenty. A man she met said, "I watched you on Almanac and I like your spunk...I can see you debating Pawlenty." "We need a governor who is old and wise enough to be Tim Pawlenty's mother, so that she can tell Tim that he's been a bad boy!" We need universal health coverage, one of her employees said he wouldn't leave her business because the coverage the business provides is so good. She was on the first health care access commission, and she has helped set up MinnesotaCare. Lots of details about her health care experience. She's excited about her lieutenant gubernatorial candidate, Tim Baylor. She remembers when college was affordable, and it will be so again under her own administration. If they graduate from high school, students should be able to go to college. College is the key to self-sufficiency. Transportation and energy independence for Minnesota by 2030. Key to creating a vibrant economy. I asked her also about when she sees the race ending and she said she would win on the fourth ballot.
9:19 AM - Ruth Johnson has just come into the room. She is talking about her own involvement in MYDFL/CDM and how important it is that everyone's voices are heard. "Clean for Gene" McCarthy. Goldwater supporter at 15, but came to college and voted Democrat. Asked for our support but talked about how important a unified convention is.
9:13 AM - Steve Kelley is addressing us and a few more people have come into the room. He is speaking about how there are more young (high-school/college) DFL delegates than at any other time in recent memory and how good it is to get people into the party and engaged. He has has started to talk about why we should be supporting him for governor. He is focusing on opportunity and investment in the future - education, health care, renewable energy. He'll work in the suburbs, where John Kerry did so well, and work to build up legislative strength in those areas as well, areas which have been traditionally ceded to the GOP (Edina, Minnetonka, Excelsior, Woodbury). I just asked him how many ballots he is predicting his race to go to, and he says seven. Another guy here (Hennepin County resident) just expressed his displeasure with Kelley's Twins stadium cheerleading. Kelley responded by saying that people have told him that they elected him to exercise his judgement, and that he has staked out a pro position on the stadiums. We wouldn't use tax dollars for education or health care, that money is for infrastructure, and the stadium is infrastructure.
9:09 AM - Steve Kelley just came into the room!
9:07 AM - Former UDFL president and incoming U of M student body president Max Page has arrived.
9:05 AM - I've been here for about fifteen minutes so far and I've already seen a lot of political names. Michael Brodkorb of Minnesota Democrats Exposed was signed up immediately in front of me on the blogger sign-in list, and I've already seen Steve Kelley and Becky Lourey today and Rebecca Otto last night. Steve Kelley is apparently about to stop in at our caucus meeting.
8:59 AM - I'm now officially credentialed as a blogger (I registered as a delegate last night) and I'm here in the Legions Suite of the Mayo Civic Center awaiting the beginning of the MYDFL/CDM caucus. Unfortunately, attendance is pretty sparse so far - there are four of us sitting here.
- DL
11:39 AM - Mr. Brodkorb just sent up a post or two about how few delegates are here. I disagree, because while there's not a full house yet it is still early enough that delegates are still filing in constantly. The Senate nomination isn't until three, so the number in attendance at that time will be a better indicator of the attendance here. Even better will be the count tomorrow for the governor's race.
11:37 AM - Brian Melendez just announced that the convention is about to come back to order.
11:28 AM - More than a moment it has now been over twenty minutes. I took a brief trip to the floor to visit my delegation. On the way I said hello to Mark Ritchie and saw Rebecca Otto again. I also spoke to one of my high school teachers who is also a delegate here - it's a small world. He was undecided on the governor's race, and I tried to swing him. Mr. Brodkorb just pointed Mike Hatch out to me on the floor, and he's surrounded by staffers, media (he's got a TV camera and a reporter on him) and assorted others.
11:04 AM - We just accepted the rules as moved by the rules committee. We're recessing for a moment to allow the credentials committee to complete the upgrading of alternates to delegates where applicable.
11:00 AM - Mr. Brodkorb leaned over a minute ago and told me that he was impressed by the organization of the convention, and he posted the same. That's high praise from a Republican blogger.
10:54 AM - We just took our first vote on electing convention co-chairs. We're now hearing a report from the rules committee.
10:52 AM - Brian Melendez just said, "How does Mark Kennedy know he's independent from President Bush?...He read it in some White House talking points."
10:50 AM - We're back. The credentials committee has just reported that there are 759 delegates and alternates are in attendance, representing 498.4 votes.
10:44 AM - The break is to elect delegation co-chairs. It's almost over.
10:29 AM - Brian Melendez has just finished making some routine announcements and adjourned the convention for about twenty minutes for...something or other. I'm a little surprised at how few bloggers are here - up in our section so far it's just myself and Mr. Brodkorb. I made a pass through some of the blogs that might have people here to look for other bloggers. apparently Aaron Landry of Minvolved is blogging somewhere in the building, "rew" of DFL Senate should be here for Amy Klobuchar's endorsement, MNCR is on his/her way, and Jon-David Schlough of MN Publius was here last night.
10:15 AM - Affirmative Action statement is being read. I didn't catch her name (I assume it's state AA officer Megan Thomas) but the woman at the podium is talking about the accommodations that have been made for the disabled, as well as the number of caucuses for all kinds of people.
10:09 AM - Tina Liebling and Andy Welti, two legislators from here in Rochester, are delivering the introduction to the convention. Liebling is talking about how Rochester's growth is linked to the investment we make in it, by funding education, health care. Fairness, justice, and diversity is important to our future. Talking about the party that isn't about giving more to the wealthy. Welti is talking about the progress Democrats have made in Rochester and how he believes that progress will continue this year.
10:03 AM - State party chair Brian Melendez has just called the convention to order. Flag ceremony (Native American color guard from St. Paul) is in progress.
9:58 AM - I'm now in the blogger area sitting with Michael Brodkorb, who is apparently the only blogger here so far. I've taken a few pictures of the auditorium and I will post those in a second.
9:35 AM - Becky, along with press secretary Jim Robins and two other staffers, just left. As a note, the stuff I'm writing as people speak is not my own opinion, it's paraphrasing of the candidates' own statements.
9:27 AM - More people including CDM President Alex Valen just walked in. Becky Lourey just arrived as well. She is buliding her campaign on people who have come to stand in line and talk about a better state. She is running because she feels she has the best chance to beat Tim Pawlenty. A man she met said, "I watched you on Almanac and I like your spunk...I can see you debating Pawlenty." "We need a governor who is old and wise enough to be Tim Pawlenty's mother, so that she can tell Tim that he's been a bad boy!" We need universal health coverage, one of her employees said he wouldn't leave her business because the coverage the business provides is so good. She was on the first health care access commission, and she has helped set up MinnesotaCare. Lots of details about her health care experience. She's excited about her lieutenant gubernatorial candidate, Tim Baylor. She remembers when college was affordable, and it will be so again under her own administration. If they graduate from high school, students should be able to go to college. College is the key to self-sufficiency. Transportation and energy independence for Minnesota by 2030. Key to creating a vibrant economy. I asked her also about when she sees the race ending and she said she would win on the fourth ballot.
9:19 AM - Ruth Johnson has just come into the room. She is talking about her own involvement in MYDFL/CDM and how important it is that everyone's voices are heard. "Clean for Gene" McCarthy. Goldwater supporter at 15, but came to college and voted Democrat. Asked for our support but talked about how important a unified convention is.
9:13 AM - Steve Kelley is addressing us and a few more people have come into the room. He is speaking about how there are more young (high-school/college) DFL delegates than at any other time in recent memory and how good it is to get people into the party and engaged. He has has started to talk about why we should be supporting him for governor. He is focusing on opportunity and investment in the future - education, health care, renewable energy. He'll work in the suburbs, where John Kerry did so well, and work to build up legislative strength in those areas as well, areas which have been traditionally ceded to the GOP (Edina, Minnetonka, Excelsior, Woodbury). I just asked him how many ballots he is predicting his race to go to, and he says seven. Another guy here (Hennepin County resident) just expressed his displeasure with Kelley's Twins stadium cheerleading. Kelley responded by saying that people have told him that they elected him to exercise his judgement, and that he has staked out a pro position on the stadiums. We wouldn't use tax dollars for education or health care, that money is for infrastructure, and the stadium is infrastructure.
9:09 AM - Steve Kelley just came into the room!
9:07 AM - Former UDFL president and incoming U of M student body president Max Page has arrived.
9:05 AM - I've been here for about fifteen minutes so far and I've already seen a lot of political names. Michael Brodkorb of Minnesota Democrats Exposed was signed up immediately in front of me on the blogger sign-in list, and I've already seen Steve Kelley and Becky Lourey today and Rebecca Otto last night. Steve Kelley is apparently about to stop in at our caucus meeting.
8:59 AM - I'm now officially credentialed as a blogger (I registered as a delegate last night) and I'm here in the Legions Suite of the Mayo Civic Center awaiting the beginning of the MYDFL/CDM caucus. Unfortunately, attendance is pretty sparse so far - there are four of us sitting here.
- DL
posted by U-DFL @ 6/09/2006 09:02:00 AM
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