Excitement and Enthusiasm at California Democratic Party Convention—And Presidential Candidates Have Not Yet Arrived

Over 50 bloggers have been credentialed as media, and many were there early, with front row seats, as Torres held his press conference. Bob Brigham, who posts as blogswarm, is seen in the picture here seated next to Donald Lathbury, who writes for another internet site, the California Majority Report.

With many Democrats in parts of the state known as “Red California” wanting the party to place more resources and attention into the rural and inland areas and other locales that vote Republican, Torres announced last December a 58 county strategy as the party’s executive committee met. He was asked about that at the press conference, and said it is modeled on the 50 state strategy put into place by national Democratic Party Chair Howard Dean.

When asked whether all 80 Assembly Districts would be funded, Torres reframed the question, “Will it all take place at once? It can’t.” But, he also noted that if we increase voter registration many areas previously considered safe Republican districts can be in play and will receive party resources.

Some delegates, many of them members of a group known as “Take Back Red California,” were disappointed that a resolution to ramp up the party’s efforts in this regard will not be coming to the floor for a vote. At a packed resolutions committee meeting that went virtually all day yesterday, it was announced that the proposed resolution would be the subject of a newly created study group, effectively killing its ability to reach the floor of the convention. Under party rules, resolutions can be placed before the delegates, even if rejected by the resolutions committee, if a several hundred delegates sign a petition. However, if the resolution is sent for further study, the petition method cannot be used under those rules.

The delegates interested in a full 58 county strategy will be pressing for more on this in the remaining days of the convention and thereafter. They will not be going away. Also not a bad thing.

The 25 member resolutions committee was winnowing down more than 120 proposals that have been submitted to no more than a dozen that the delegates assembled in the massive hall will be able to vote on. This is also creating tension with those whose resolutions will not make the cut. To see those sitting through the committee’s work for hours (one delegate lamented to me that he had not been able to attend the whole meeting because of other caucuses he had to attend), I could only think that this exuberance and even tilting against the party leaders, is a healthy thing and demonstration of life.

Art Torres ended his prepared remarks at the press conference, saying, “Lastly, I am just happy to be alive.” This is a reference to the fact that he could not chair last year’s conclave because of treatment for colon cancer, from which he has now been given a clean bill of health.

I’m happy to be here too, and will report further on many of these tensions, issues, and happenings. The hallways were full yesterday with folks dashing from one seminar about the nuts and bolts of politics and caucuses also being held at the same time. One person cannot be at all of these, and that’s a problem I’m glad to have. More to come.