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Wednesday, November 16, 2005
All Dems Welcome at Party Meeting Saturday
The Democratic Party of New Mexico is holding its State Central Committee (SCC) meeting at Santa Fe Community College in Santa Fe this coming Saturday. All Democrats are welcome and encouraged to attend and participate (although only SCC members can vote). If you have an interest in where the Party's at and where it's headed, join your fellow Democrats in Santa Fe this weekend for the Party's bi-annual meeting. Check the DPNM website for more information.
Registration and candidate tabling begins at 7:30 AM at the Witter Fitness Education Center, Room 216. A continental breakfast reception sponsored by Senator Jeff Bingaman will run from 8-9:00 AM on the Witter Center's mezzanine. The SCC Meeting starts at 9:00 AM at the Witter Center Gym and continues until 1:00 PM. Affiliated organizations and caucuses, including those for Democratic Women, Progressives, Veterans, Native Americans and Hispanics, will meet at 1:30 PM, with the Young Democrats of New Mexico convening at 2:00 PM.
Dean Not On Agenda
Unfortunately, DNC Chair Howard Dean won't be speaking at the meeting or holding a Party fundraiser, as was originally announced. We've heard conflicting reasons on why Dean won't be appearing. Rumors that Governor Richardson didn't want a visit right now from Dean have been circulating for weeks among Party members. This faction claims the DPNM dragged its feet in requesting an appearance by Dean or didn't make any official request to the DNC. Some insiders claim the DNC didn't want to schedule a visit given the current upheaval over the Treasurer's Office legal problems, while State Party officials claim they couldn't lock in a date because of travel snafus. Bottom line: nobody seems to know for sure.
Still, even without an appearance by Dean, the meeting promises to be a lively and spirited display of Democracy (big D) in action. The SCC has been invigorated by the addition of many new members from the grassroots who want to see the Party refocused and rebuilt from the ground up. Come on up to Santa Fe and see for yourself. Featured speakers at the SCC meeting will include Rep. Tom Udall, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, Gov. Bill Richardson and Eric Liu, former Deputy Domestic Policy Advisor for Bill Clinton.
November 16, 2005 at 11:10 AM in Democratic Party | Permalink
Comments
Yeah I wonder what the real story is behind Dean not coming. Would have been great if he had come. I'm a Dean supporter from way back.
Posted by: IzzyL | Nov 16, 2005 3:23:19 PM
I was very disappointed to find Dean wasn't coming after it was announced that he was here in SF. I hope it wasn't because of any negative feelings about Dean on the part of Richardson. I would hope they'd be working together.
Hope we get a lotta people to the Party meeting. We have gotta liven things up again at that level and get more young people involved.
Posted by: Santa Fe James | Nov 16, 2005 7:56:09 PM
I'm not sure I'll be able to go, but if I can go, I'd appreciate a ride, if anyone has room. I can pay gas. I could drive myself, but the idea of yet another pcikup truck with a single occupant driving to SF uneccesarily seems rather un-progressive.
Posted by: Michael H Schneider | Nov 16, 2005 10:26:08 PM
wow. I'm sure I could spell both 'pickup' and 'unnecessary' when I was younger. I blame the Republicans; listening to them does cause brain damage.
Posted by: Michael H Schneider | Nov 16, 2005 10:29:53 PM
Should the headline be: "All Dems Except Howard Dean Welcome at Party Meeting Saturday"? I'd like to get some follow-up on exactly what's going on here. Right now it's sounding sinister in a Lenin-Kerensky sort of way, and that ain't good. Any further substantiated info most appreciated.
Posted by: scot | Nov 17, 2005 8:08:33 AM
We'd all like the truth of what really happened. I wouldn't doubt that either Wertheim or the Governor or both didn't want Dean here. After all, he encourages the kind of activism within the Party that many of the bigwigs are opposed to, doesn't he? More business as usual!
Posted by: Old Dem | Nov 17, 2005 11:38:59 AM
Everyone needs to calm down until we get the facts!
Governor Richardson and Governor Dean are just fine with one another. If fact, it was the governor's office that discovered Dean wasn't comming when they invited him to Friday evenings reception at the governor's mansion.
The real question is -- who told Chairman Wertheim that Dean was comming? Would someone please ask John this question as it may lead to the answer everyone is seeking.
All the speculation is a waste of time. Rumors may be fun for some folks, but they can cause harm too.
Simply go to the source. My guess is someone at the DNC let us all down by giving John (or Vanessa) bad information.
I repeat... Dean and Richardson will and are working together. Nothing sinister here other than someone didn't do their job.
Posted by: Taos Dem | Nov 17, 2005 1:21:00 PM
Well maybe it was Wertheim that didn't want him or didn't get his ducks in a line. I can't believe it was the DNC dropping the ball.
Posted by: Old Dem | Nov 17, 2005 3:00:31 PM
I just moved to Santa Fe and would like to get involved in the Party here. Is this thing business casual? If someone could email me directions that would be great.
Posted by: Rick | Nov 18, 2005 9:29:47 PM
Would somebody mind blogging what happened at the meeting for those of us did not attend? Some details, ideas beyond the terribly simple ABQ Journal story I read would be most appreciated.
Posted by: scot | Nov 20, 2005 9:21:53 PM
