Report from the DFL State Central Committee today

[dflprincess]

Keep in mind, these are my personal observations

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Central Committee, this is the governing body of the DFL (Democratic Farmer Labor) party in Minnesota between state conventions. We held a meeting today - mainly to get the caucus kits passed out the Senate District chairs - and to pass the budget.

We heard from speakers from the Kucinich, Clark, Kerry, Dean, Edwards and Lieberman campaigns. All these candidates also had tables set up looking for volunteers and handing out literature.

Dean appeared to have the greatest number (certainly the most vocal) volunteers at the event. A number of people who showed up to support him are not members of the committee, but made their presence known. (This is okay, they sat in the visitors section). Kerry's people were the only ones who had their literature organized into packets for the chairs to take with the caucus kits for distribution at the caucuses.

Activity at the information tables appeared to be strongest at the Kerry, Edwards, Clark and Dean tables. The Kucinich table told me he was getting a lot of traffic and a lot of people saying they'd like to support Dennis but the electability thing was stopping them. There was lonely guy at Lieberman's table and - at least when I was watching - he wasn't getting much business.

From what I gathered during the speaking the members of the Central Committee are pretty well divided between Kerry, Clark, Dean and Edwards, with the Anybody But Bush crowd also holding their own. Kucinich's speaker got a pretty good response - especially when he mentioned NAFTA, health care and Wellstone. Unfortunately, he wasn't the best speaker, I think we would have seen a little more enthusiasm if he had been. The speakers for Edwards, Kerry, Dean and Clark were all very good and very well received. Dean, with the number of volunteers they had present did get the largest response, but it did appear that, among the delegates, he wasn't any more or less popular than the others. I must confess that I went out to have a cigarette when Lieberman's speaker took the stage. I was told she received polite applause at the end of the speech and when she mentioned beating Bush. (Not too surprising - this is Wellstone country.) All speakers were civil - taking no swipes at other Democrats - only Bush. As Buck (Hubert the IV) Humphrey said during his speech for Kerry, contrary to what the media says about people not being able to make up their minds because they don't like any of the candidates, the problem is that we have nothing but good candidates.

The good news is - out with the smokers caucus - (and inside too) there was no hostility between people supporting different candidates. (You'd have to know the DFL to appreciate this - there are still people bitter about the Eugene McCarthy vs Hubert Humphrey (the II) split at the caucuses of 1968). Granted, we are all a bunch of party hacks, but we all could agree that we will be supporting the nominee.

I am taking this as a hopeful sign that, despite our differences now, we will leave Boston committed to one goal.

[jpgray]

1. Great report!

From a fellow Minnesotan. :hi:

[blm]

2. Thanks, dfl...

good to hear they're getting ready for Nov.

[Frances]

3. I think you are right about it being difficult to choose

because we have several good candidates. Not one is perfect but each and everyone is infinitely better than Bush.