Blog For Arizona

Congratulations to RumRomanismRebellion.net, Arizona's DNC Convention Blogger

Just want to give a shout out to Tedski at R3 for his selection as Arizona's floor blogger at the DNC convention! I'm disappointed that my peeps didn't get the nod (I won't be able to attend the convention myself), but I'm glad that Ted's prose stylings and witty insights will be on the job.

BlogForArizona.com will also be in Denver as elected Arizona delegates post their impressions during the convention. I'm also hoping that BlogForArizona will still be chosen for additional press pool passes for non-delegate correspondents from this blog. Keep your fingers crossed.

Convention Highlights

Excerpts from The 1908 Denver Demo Convention, Tom Noel) by PL Canady

Before continuing the Convention Highlights, let me introduce myself. My name is Pat Canady and I am retired from a career in Education and being a Small Business Owner.  My interest in politics led me to becoming a Democratic Party volunteer starting with the JFK Campaign.  Since retiring to Arizona, I have volunteered for a variety of candidates in many capacities. As an Elected Precinct Committee Person, I became a member of the AZ Democratic State Committee. I met Michel at the March 15th Congressional District 8 Caucus where I was campaigning for an Obama Delegate position .  Out of a group of 15 women, I was elected in the sixth round of voting.  Michael was interested in having someone blog to his site from the Democratic Convention in August 2008.  That is why I am posting these articles about Conventions, Candidates, and Delegates. I will continue to research points of interest and eventually share experiences from Denver with you.

Meanwhile back at the Denver Democratic Convention in 1908, the New York Times and East Coast newspapers sniped at Denver's handling of the Convention. The July 7th edition of the New York Times commented that it was a "populist convention", with whiskers, homespun suits and "riled" shirts and hayseed everywhere. It seems to me that they were paving the way for cable news stations and political pundits of today!

Colorado women received the vote in 1983. The other states giving the women the right to vote were Utah and Wyoming. The women from these states attended the convention and were sorely disappointed that the Democratic Platform did not endorse nationwide women's suffrage. These women were pioneer female delegates. This makes the West seem far more progressive then the East Coast critics of Western style politics!

Today, the states send an equal amount of women and men delegates to the conventions. Women's issues still remain on the forefront, however. For example: Violence Against Women at the Senior Round-table for Women's Justice; A Right to Choose as in Roe VS wade decided in 1973; Discrimination in the Work Place are just some issues unresolved in many states in the USA as well as other countries. These and other issues will be brought up at the convention in Denver 2008.  The pioneers would be both proud of the progress made in 100 years and astonished at the fact that there is so much unfinished business.

Democratic Convention Highlights (Excerpts from the 1908 Denver Demo Convention, Tom Noel)

Early in the last century, Denver, Colorado constructed the huge Municipal Auditorium to hold large conventions. After being rejected by the Republican's 1908 Convention, Denver enticed the Democrats with offers of free use of the auditorium, free decorations, drinks and $100,000 cash.  In comparison, this year Denver will have to come up with more like $100,000,000 to cover the Party's cost!

William Jennings Bryan was the inevitable candidate in 1908. Denver tried to provide drama in other ways. They hired a troop of Apache Indians to dance and mingle with the hoopla of delegates making it difficult, as Damon Runyon put it in the Rocky Mountain News, to distinguish Wild Indians from Democrats, except that the latter were "wearing a lot of badges" and yelling ALL of the time.

In comparison, this year's Democratic Convention, thus far, does not have a clear cut candidate in place. Democrats may have a different kind of entertainment as the possibility of a brokered convention is pending.  Before the era of presidential primaries, conventions were routinely brokered. Adlai Stevenson, in 1952, for the Democratic Party, and Thomas Dewey, in 1948, fro the Republican Party were the last two candidates selected through a brokered convention, although the Democratic Party's 1968 convention might have been brokered had it not been for the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy.  The last brokered convention to yield a nominee that went on to win the general election was the Democratic Convention in 1932. That candidate was Franklin Roosevelt.

Since then, there have been many years when brokered conventions were projected but did not come to pass.  In 1988, a brokered convention was predicted for the Democrats since several candidates on the Super Tuesday primaries that year.  Theorists have identified two types of political momentum, piecemeal and all-at-once, with different impacts on the front-runners.  In addition, the political parties wish to avoid the negative publicity from a brokered convention as well as to maximize the amount of time the nominee has to campaign for the presidency. There are approximately two months between the major parties conventions and Election Day in November.  In addition, the candidate nominated from the brokered convention will be seen as unconvincing and must jump additional hurdles in a relatively short time to gain the needed votes.  It is in the party's best interest to have the Clinton and Obama race resolved prior to the convention in August 2008.

To be continued by Pat Canady

First Post - In Defense of Liberty!

by John Adams

First of all, thanks to Mike Bryan and Blog for Arizona for the opportunity to contribute to this exciting, progressive community.  It's a privilege to share our thoughts on today's issues.

Since this is my first post, please allow a brief introduction.

I retired from Active Duty in the US Army in September 2007, as a Brigadier General, with over thirty years' service to our Constitution as a Military Intelligence officer, Army Aviator, and Foreign Area Officer.

With on the ground experience in both Iraq and Afghanistan (temporary duty in 2004), I also served in Africa (Operation Guardian Assistance, Rwanda, 1996), Europe (Operation Allied Force, the Balkans, 1999), and the Middle East (Operation Desert Storm, Saudi Arabia, 1991).

On 9/11, I was at the Pentagon, 100 yards from the crash site...and on that tragic day I participated in the rescue and recovery of the shattered bodies of our brothers and sisters-in-arms. As a committed servant of the Constitution of the United States of America, I am determined to combat the murderers who attacked us on 9/11.

But I am just as determined to combat the fear-mongering criminals in the Bush Administration who assault our Constitutional rights under the guise of protecting us—and who under false pretenses, send our brave troops to die in the unconscionable occupation of Iraq.

From first-hand experience, I know national security issues. I also know that the Bush Administration cynically exploits our fears to gain ever more control of our national security apparatus, benefit the richest among us economically, and eviscerate our constitutional liberties.

Although I have taken off my Army uniform, I am no less committed to fighting for our Constitution—and for real national security—than I was when on Active Duty.

However, as John F. Kennedy said in his acceptance speech for his nomination as the Democratic Party candidate for President in 1960, "We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light a candle that can guide us."

In that spirit, please allow me to address a brighter subject...the movement to elect Barack Obama as our next President. Barack has a life experience that demonstrates his capacity for hard work and commitment...and most important for someone who aspires to the Presidency, Barack is a brilliant, caring, perceptive, and courageous leader.

My own life experience convinces me that Barack Obama is the greatest leader we have seen in America for generations. He has the experience, the judgment, and the passion to inspire all Americans, to unite us, and to carry this country forward beyond ethnic and economic divisions.

As a delegate pledged to Barack Obama, I will fight to make him our nominee at our Democratic National Convention.  With the help of Americans united in the conviction that we must change the course of our country, and chart a new one that benefits all our people, we will elect a President of whom all Americans will be proud.

I am privileged to call Blog for Arizona my "home," including at the upcoming Democratic National Convention. I welcome your thoughts—and your counsel—as we march toward Denver and beyond.

District-Level Pledged Delegates for Arizona

The complete list of the 37 delegates and six alternates selected at Saturday’s caucuses are:

See the results after the click...