CD 8 Convention. Duluth, MN. US Senate Candidates Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and Al Franken speaking to delegates.
I have documented many different conventions over the years, including city, district, state as well as national conventions, but I’ve never seen anything like CD8, Jim Oberstar’s district. The convention voted to amend their schedule to allow a question and answer time for the candidates running for the US Senate seat once held by Paul Wellstone. Seven of eight Congressional districts in the state have now completed their conventions, this was the first one that voted to hold a Q&A. Even with the addition to the day’s agenda, they still adjourned for 1 1/2 hours so that everyone could relax, visit and eat lunch before completing their business of the day. What a novel concept!
4 Comments
Mary
May 5, 2008Killer Image, Terry!
Bravo.
Mary L.
Robb
May 9, 2008So Terry, you’ve been all over the state of Minnesota, seen and talked with delegates and assumably been able to get an idea of the delegate count. Who’s leading, Jack or Al? what’s the margin of difference between them?
Do you get the same sense as Hillary Clinton that white working people without a college education will not vote for a Black man because of his race? Is this enough of a rationale for super delegates to hinge all her chances with the nomination? This is Bill and Hillary Clinton political analysis 101 — he’s Black so don’t nominate him if you want to win. Hypothetically, couldn’t some bigoted person say them same thing because Hillary is a woman? But who would ever say something like that? That would be unacceptable, right?
Terry Gydesen
May 9, 2008Robb, I’m afraid Hillary is going to drag this on all the way to Denver by continuing her attempt to have the Florida and Michigan delegates counted. In Michigan, Obama’s name was not even on the ballot!! All candidates knew at the beginning of the primaries that these two states votes would not be counted, that is why they all agreed to not campaign in those states. Right or wrong, one can’t change the rules in the middle of the game. I find it sad that the Clinton’s can’t accept the fact that they have lost this effort, and put their own egos aside and do what is best for the party and in return the country. I’m losing more respect for the Clinton’s the longer this drags on.
As far as the delegate count in the Jack/Al race, there is no way of knowing since this is not public info. I will say that all along, I’ve seen a lot of support for JNP, much more than Ciresi ever had, yet JNP is still only mentioned as “also running” for the
Senate endorsement along with Dick Franson and Darryl Stanton each of whom do not have a single delegate. The vote in Duluth in favor of having a Q&A was 89 for 60 against. There were people with both Franken and JNP t-shirts voting for the Q&A. It appeared to me that all 60 voting against were Franken supporters.
It’s a month away from the State convention in Rochester, and my feeling is that this race mirrors the Obama/Clinton race in how close it will be.
Robb
May 9, 2008The Obama/Clinton race was not close in Minnesota. Obama won big in Minnesota. Does it mirror that?
I find it strange that voting at democratic convention is not public information… Presumably, there are sub-caucus’ and you have to become a delegate pledged to a particular candidate. Have you spoke with Franken delegates or floor generals and asked them if they are opposed to Q&A, why they are opposed to Q&A?