No, not the national. The 2nd district Iowa Convention! Here be my synopsis of my experience as a delegate to the 2nd district convention. Note, that I probably got the speaches in the wrong order, but it was early in the morning. Please forgive me. And as usual the other warnings apply: I'm a Deaniac who is ABB, but still a Deaniac when it comes to conventions, I don't like funny business, and I'm falling asleep as I post this, so my inhibitions are falling with every key stroke (thank goodness I wrote most of it when I was awake!)
Now presenting for your enjoyment, a district convention!
This weekend I took part in the 2nd District Democratic Convention. I got up early, found my way to the vending machines and bought a pop tart and some chocolate milk. After consuming my breakfast with the passion found only in a morning when one is full of annicipation, I waited for Craig and his wife (Jena I think, I can never remember her name!) to arrive. They did almost perfectly on time and the trip was on.
We approched Danvill about an hour later...Danvill Iowa, not Illinois...a small town of probably 3000 people, at the max. After watching a train for a few minutes as it began its treck across the town, we went to the school. We passed the Dean table where I signed up for Democracy for America and then we wandered until we got to the registration room. I signed up as the alternate I was and proceeded to the convention floor...
Now a little geography here. In the center of this smallish school is a large auditorium/gym. Then there was, to the left (audience wise) was the registration area a few rooms over that was in the cafeteria, another gym sized room. And then behind the stage a few rooms over was another gym! Crazy for such a small town to be sure. But that's just an observation from someone who also comes from a smallish town.
So the convention was soon brought to order and a speaker appeared on stage. Quickly it was annonced that alternates were being seated, so me and Craig rushed back to the lunch room and signed up. Back to the floor, we caught the end of Art Small's buddies speach (Art Small's running against Senator Grasseley and both him and his budy look like Colonial Sanders for those who don't know). Then Dave Franker, whom I shook hands with at the door gave a speach. I believe that's when the audience participation started up with a call and response routine.
After that, the close of registration occured and some peliminary descriptions of what the hell was going on was given by the temporary chairs who where soon accepted as permenante. There was a vote on the time period needed to fill out the platform ballots. Since not even the normal delegates had gotten the convention packet at the required time, most people had to read throught the platform that day and were rushing to get their ballots finished. It took me almost an hour to get through all 400 some items. But the time was extended to after the lunch recess for the ballots to get in. But those ballots would eventually become a source of great annoyance...
A berage of state house and senate candidates came up togeather and gave short speaches. After that the initial report of the credentials committie was given annoncing the numbers for the delaget preferences. Of course Kerry has his two hundred some. Dean had a heafty 89 (I think, don't quote me on that or most of my numbers, its late) and Edwards was a little below that. Kucinich had around 30, Clark 1, and one uncommitted. Thus began the first realignment.
I found myself with a group of Dean people (because I am one) in a hallway and heard Dave Tingwall's (he kicks ass by the way) explaination of the general feelings and ideas that had been talked about by the other Dean people. Basically no one really wanted to offer the Kucinich people anything because they would ask for to much. I wandered a little bit after that and found myself going in the front entrance to the building as a short cut. While outside I spotted Senator Tom Harkin getting out of a car. So, as not to act weird, I rushed back in side to await his speach. The convention was basically paused until Harkin came in. I shook his hand and he smiled and then he was onto the next guy. But that's politics. Harkin's speach was very good. But not memerable. But that's okay. He's still cool in my book.
After that, a little more felageling and then the realignment was over and Edwards had gobbled up most of the Kucinich group to be a little ahead of Dean. At the lunch recess which happened soon after, I discovered the Edwards group had offered the Kucinich group a delegate if they joined them. A number of Dean people were upset and wanted to for the Dean group to caucus. Near the end of the lunch hour, a bunch of us finally got togeather, choose Dave Tingwall and that other lady of whom I can never remember her name either (because she never talks, and I'm crappy with names, especially for people who don't talk much, see Jena...I think...above), as our temporary group leaders/captains. They also explained what was done during the first realignment and why. They also expressed the general consensus that they wanted delegates that wouldn't try to play politics at the national convention, as they feared the Kucinich delegate might do no matter which group they were in. Also the beginings of plans to be more organized before the state convention was started.
After lunch, the second realignment started up, the Kucinich group caucused, and the rest of us soon found our selves bored. Long pauses started up where nothing was happening. So in order to break the silence, elections for state electors were started up. I nominated myself, because I was bored, was only the second person to even stand up, and always wanted to run for something cool and easy to do. But after the first round of voting, I was not in the top 4 (of 8) so I did not continue. But I did vote for Mayrose, a Deaniac of whom I've known from meetups. Eventually this other girl named Kiran got the spot and will hopefully go to Des Moines in December to cast her vote for Kerry (man, that still feels weird...Kerry...{takes deep breath}).
Second realignement over, and it was time to elect delegates. Of the six national delegates coming out of the 2nd district, Kerry got 3, Edwards* 2, and Dean 1. Plus a bunch of seats distributed likewise for the state committies. The start * of course hinting at the Kucinich delegate that isn't a Kucinich delegate. But were were glad to have our delegate and won't have egg on our face if something crazy happens. No offense to Kucinich people, but the die hards from my part of the state are of two varieties; stand with your man types, or realpolitik types. And I don't trust realpolitik types in any group, and they were most of the Kucinich group at the district convention. But at least things were civil...unless I missed something...which I could easily have with 400+ people.
But back to the story. Us Deaniacs gathered in the lunch room and began the long arduous process of electing our delegate and committie members. For delegate first time around I voted for a guy about my age (early 20s) from Cedar Rapids who was very passionate, committed, and the least like the others there (I'm all about affirmative action yo). He didn't get it after the first round of ballots and was eliminated from the running. But after the second, I was slightly releaved to not have the guy who had belittled the chair at the start of the convention when he was being pissed off as to why no one had gotten the convention materials on time.
Craig nominated me for platform committie, but I was unable to deline the nomination until I was giving my speach as for why the group should vote for me. I explained that I was the least qualfied up for the seat, and promptly sat down. A guy motioned me over and wispered to me that I need to at least try. I then explained that there was a second reason why I didn't want the potiton, timing. You see, I'm going to Fermilab this summer, and since the State convention is held after I'm out of the state, it isn't a good idea for me to assume any responsibility for it.
So we got our seats filled up. I'm kind of glad the annoying lady also from my meetup group, who is very nice, but also tends to grate on my and other people's nerves, didn't get on a committie. I'm pretty sure we were doing the rest of the committie a favor by sending too very enthusaistic young ladies in her stead.
At some point I found myself, by accident, signing up for Democracy for America's Iowa chapter again. I honestly thought it was the sign up for organizing before the state convention. Oops, I hope they can forgive me. Oh, and Brian Flairty was there as a Seragent at Arms. He was less stressed than at the county convention, but very sleepy looking.
We came back after electing all our people to the seat/positions that we had won and found the convention floor still fairly vacant. I got a couple donouts for $.50 (good ones too) at the consession stand (I didn't eat the catered meal and had missed the free pizza). Then we started waiting. And waiting. Finally, after an hour, the Kerry group returned. Then we waited. Then the convention started up again with the annoncement of Kiran winning the elector spot. Something else was about to happen, then they realized they weren't done counting stuff. Earlier, they had asked for help counting the platform ballots, but when I showed up to do that, they claimed that all the ballots had been counted. But I'm guessing that wasn't the case.
So we waited...and waited...then about 6:30 or so, Craig and Jena finally got fed up with things and wanted to go home. So we said our good bys to those around us and started back to Iowa City.
And I missed dinner too.
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So general thoughts feelings about the district convention:
- They were fairly unorganized. Late convention packets, unable to count votes (sure there were alot of things on the ballot, but six+ hours with a dozen people!?), and long pauses of no activity gave that away. Our county convention was a tighter ship to be sure, even if us poor Seargent at Arms were constantly in a state of panick. It kept us on our toes...
- I still hate it when people 'play' politics. I work politics, other play. Working politics is doing what is right to get what you want done. Playing politics is playing bait and switch and other games to get what you want. Our Dean delegate will vote for Kerry at the national convention, but I can't say the same about any other delegate...
- I should of brought a sack lunch. Donuts are not enough!
- Any body I root for in a congressional or senate race has a very rememberable face. Franker's smile, Art Small selling chicken, and good old fashioned Harkin with that grin of ultimate wisdom.
- Democracy is cool. Simple as that.
- I still want to vote for president dammit! Though I was only half heartedly running for elector, it still would of been cool to actually vote for president instead of vote for electors who vote for president. I think my Hawkeys for Dean shirt soured me with most of the room though (I was the only one there with a very obvious Dean shirt...).
- It always rains after conventions its seems. It happened at district, and at county.... I like rain... very calming. Unlike the hard frozen wasteland that I felt after that one 19th day....
- I don't think either the slate of delegates or the platform had been ratified by the time I left. The edwards committie positions had a problem with the reporting of the choices...
- Let's get a (Democratic) Party started! Because when it's time to (Democratic) Party we will always (Democratic) Party HARD!