I haven’t run for office since I was elected student council president at my high school in Upstate New York. I was a homeowner’s association president for eight years, but there was hardly any sort of campaigning in mind. I’m running again. I am a candidate to be a delegate representing Senator Hillary Clinton for president. I would really like to attend this historic convention.The Party and the Senator’s campaign, in their infinite wisdom, still does not have a location for the Democratic caucus for Hillary supporters, though her campaign says it will be somewhere in Irvine. I am up against Frank Barbaro and IUSD trustee Sharon Wallin as the most notables on the list.
So I don’t know where the vote will be held; all I know is you have to be a Democrat in CD-48 (Irvine, NPB, Lake Forrest et al). We’ll post the location once we know.
I am asking for your vote. Regular readers here know that I am committed to electing a Democrat to the Oval Office as well as to other elected offices in Sacramento, OC and in Irvine. We are not a perfect party. I am not a perfect Democrat. And Hillary may not be the perfect candidate but I agree with Tina Fey; bitch Is the new black; Hillary will get stuff done.
I would appreciate your support and your vote.
Other Liberal OC bloggers are running for delegate spots in their own Congressional Districts. I will let them state their case and would ask that you support them as well.
Thanks for your support and thanks for your vote,
Dan Chmielewski
1) You’re not up against Sharon Wallin. One male will be elected and one female.
2) The Party and the Senator’s campaign, in their infinite wisdom, still does not have a location The Party has nothing to do with it. It’s up to the campaign, which IMO has performed extremely poorly in this regard. I’m absolutely stunned by the incompetence of the Clinton campaign. I’m an Obama supporter, but I’ve respected Clinton’s greater experience. After the debacle of Clinton’s California caucus organizing, though, I’m seriously rethinking this viewpoint.
3) her campaign says it will be somewhere in Irvine. They’re looking for a place anywhere in the district. If you know of someplace they can use, call the location owner/manager to verify availability and then contact the campaign at delegatesforhillary@gmail.com. I suggest you put “48CD caucus location availability” in the subject line. The sooner the better.
Gila —
I think the Party has an obligation to move the Clinton camp along. Wouldn’t Frank be seated as a “party leader” or elected official?
And I disagree on the “incompetence” of the Clinton campaign and think you are being overly harsh. She won California and is in a position to go the Denver with Senator Obama to compete for the nomination. If you want textbook incompetent campaigns, look to Rudy, Thompson and Romney.
Senator Obama, while there is much to admire, hasn’t learned the lessons from the Kerry Campaign. He was late to the party in dealing with his pastor-flap and if he does this sort of delay in the general election, he’s going to get Swift-boated and have no idea what happened to him. He needs to address negative material against him immediately and remediate the argument back so he controls his message, He’s not doing that nearly fast enough.
The Party has plenty of work to do without taking on the job that the campaign is supposed to do and has had months to complete. The Obama campaign found all their caucus locations without any help from the Party. Clinton is still without caucus locations in four CDs. It’s an absolute monument to disorganization.
As far as Frank Barbaro being able to secure a PLEO seat, those will probably be taken by individuals who can help meet the targets for minorities, disabled individuals, youth, and LGBT delegates. Frank doesn’t meet any of those criteria so it’s fairly unlikely he could get a PLEO slot.
Unfortuately, Barbaro has the “in” with his trial lawyer friends in the 48th. I would get on the horn ASAP and make those calls to get people to your caucus, otherwise Barbaro will be the elected delegate – again…
Gila is correct about this being the campaign’s responsibility. She’s a little harsh on the Clinton operation but it is their responsibility to get these caucus sites set up. I’m with you on Barack’s shortcomings but I don’t think it’s relevant to her point about the operational mistakes conencted with the caucuses. On the other hand, maybe being inefficient has its benefits to the grass roots—-Obama’s campaign went out and pruned a substantial number of potential Obama delegates while Clinton’s campaign removed far less.
NCS-
Agreed. Yes, unfortunately Hillary’s campaign has had problems organizing these delegate caucuses. After all, there seems to be quite a lot of turmoil over the 900+ Obama delegate candidates “purged”…
http://thedemocraticdaily.com/2008/04/09/obama-campaign-purges-900-potential-delegates-in-ca/
So to be fair, both campaigns have had problems. The Clinton Campaign took longer to find locations, while the Obama Campaign may have gone too far in throwing their own supporters off the candidate lists. Maybe when we get closer to 2012, the CDP will need to rethink how to conduct these caucuses and the future 2012 Presidential Campaigns will need to learn from the mistakes of 2008.
Andrew, aren’t the Clinton and Obama campaigns separate entities? How does the “turmoil” around the “purged” Obama delegate candidates negatively influence the Clinton campaign’s ability to identify caucus locations? But I guess you do have a point. The state party should rethink its processes because one campaign is disorganized. On the other hand, if a candidate can’t run a campaign properly, how well would that candidate run the nation? Andrew, that’s a rhetorical question not requiring an answer. 🙂
Bill-
Sorry, but you’re getting an answer anyways. Unfortunately, WordPress screwed up in posting my comment. I had meant to include a second sentence: “But appaently, the Clinton Campaign is not alone in facing problems organizing these caucuses.” So are you saying BOTH Democratic candidates can’t be good Presidents? I wouldn’t exactly judge future Presidential performance on present difficulties with organizing DNC delegate caucuses. 😉
Btw, everyone, here’s the message I got from Steve Young for Congress Campaign Manager Marion Pack announcing the Hillary Caucus:
Hello All,
Yesterday you received a message from Steve asking you for your vote for him at the Obama Delegate Caucus Sunday.
In case you are a Hillary supporter, here is the location for the caucus for Hillary in the 48th District.
There are many fine people who are running to represent Hillary, and you in Denver at the Democratic Convention.
The message below was sent to me by members of the newly formed and FAST growing Newport Beach Democratic Women’s Club.
Suzanne Savary, running to be a delegate, is one of the founding members who has grown the club from five or six women to over forty in a few months time! A big “shout-out” for Suzanne and the women changing the face of even Newport Beach.
Republicans, you no longer own Orange County, not even Balboa Island!!
Make your voice heard Sunday and in Denver in August.
Peace,
Marion
Dan,
Don’t worry about Sharon; she is not your competition. On the female side, do not discount Dr. Kimbery Salter. The count is for one male (that means the top vote getting male) and one female (again, the top vote getter for the women) There is one alternate spot – (Female-Clinton). YOur mission is to be the top vote getting male. The slate looks female heavy so better for the guys.
Frank is formidable, Adam Acosta is a Union leader from AFSCME and he can potentially muster a large contingency.
Just remember, this is all about bringing your ‘peeps’ out.
Dan, I just found this thread.
I contacted Gila to find out who was who on the Clinton list. I was looking for someone to tag up with, and Frank found me very late on Sat before the caucus. I’m very sorry you didn’t find me, I would have gladly joined you in the effort to be a delegate. I was even sorrier that you didn’t even show up on Sunday. Getting to be a delegate is a matter of getting your true friends to show up. I got my church members to come, I was lucky that the caucus was in Irvine where most of them live. Salter and Wallin didn’t show either. Frank won because I told my friends to vote for him.
Lindy Garber LMLINDY@cox.net