Washblog

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PLENARY SESSION

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Dwight Pelz, Chair of Washington State Democrats and Susan Sheary, Chair of King County Democrats.

I started out for Olympia on the morning of the Reorganization half asleep.  Bryan Kesterson, the Chair of my LD (47) was driving, and I was thinking mostly about waking up in time to pay attention.   I had no voting privileges at the event and I wasn't particularly focused on the big picture.  By the end of the day, I saw that this had been an extremely important event - a time for members of the Party leadership across the state to gather their thoughts individually and collectively --  to look together at what is at stake, and prepare to move - unified, organized and focused on the prize - into 2008.

I think this was achieved. The event itself seemed unified with several repeated themes -- both in speeches and in conversations. First, we are face economic, environmental, civil rights and national security challenges of unprecedented seriousness and scale, and we have little margin for error in addressing them. Second, to have a reasonable shot at meeting these challenges as a nation, it is critical we elect a Democratic President and legislative majority in 2008. Finally, it's up to each of us, individually and as an organization, to live up to our best potential and rise to the historic occasion.

The Reorganization represents a small step on a long and uncertain road - the leadership of one state among 50 getting ready to get ready.  Even with the most favorable election results, we will still find ourselves in 2009 inside an economy run on blood and oil; dealing with the ravages of the Bush years; and led by members of a Party that has not been defeated by the corruption of special interests, as the Republican Party has, but is weakened by it nonetheless. Nothing guarantees that Democratic leadership will bring us safely through the wild ride ahead. But this reorganization was an important step for Washington, a day to get right.  And I think that the organizers and the participants did that.

I'll note a few of the points that Karen Marchioro made in her speech.  She advised on the importance of taking it slow in choosing the front-runner in the Democratic Presidential primary.  "These people," Marchioro said, referring I assumed to the current national Republican leadership, "are destroying our country.  And they are destroying our world." We need to take our time in choosing the right Presidential candidate for the critical 2008 election.

Marchioro also spoke on the choice of Colorado for the 2008 Democratic National Convention, which she saw as reflecting a recognition by Party leadership that the West is the key to Democratic victory.  For strategic reasons, Washington Democrats should be aware of the shared political similarities between communities in Eastern Washington, Oregon, and California (often mistakenly lumped in with the coastal West) -- with communities in the western United States: Montana and Colorado, for example.  And the people in the coastal West, she said  "... need to make common cause,"  with the people in the interior West.

The continual moving up of the date of the national Democratic primary, Marchioro noted, is a problem.  The earlier the primary, she said, the more money it takes for a candidate to run his or her campaign.  This needs to be addressed.   On the Iraq war: "We absolutely have to put our foot down."

Pelz, in his speech, also focused on the seriousness of our national situation.   He laid out an agenda - including impeccably run caucuses, stepped up PCO recruitment, well-planned out strategies for utilizing volunteer time, and more effective grassroots meetings - to achieve electoral goals.  He announced a March retreat for LD Chairs.

 

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ELECTION OF STATE PARTY OFFICERS

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Luis Moscoso and Tomas Villanueva. Mr. Villaneuva, a founder and past President of United Farmworkers and a recent candidate for State Senate in the 15th LD, gave the nominating speech for Luis Moscoso's re-election as State Party Secretary.

Rosalinda Guillen of Community to Community.  This photo is from the University of Washington Seattle Civil Rights and Labor History Project page.  Ms. Guillen ran for Vice Chair of the State Party.

When the day began, one seat on the State Party governing board, State Secretary, was generally known to face a challenge.   Krystal Woods, Chair of Washington State Young Democrats and State Committee Woman for the 37th LD, was running against Luis Moscoso.   It was a worthy effort by Krystal, who was there before 8am, when I arrived, already greeting people. Nathaniel Lawver, Chair of Pierce County Democrats, gave one of the nominating speeches and both her supporters' speeches were effective.   She had a tough job, though, attempting to unseat a well-regarded incumbent.   Moscoso won handily, 107 to 49.

Tomas Villanueva, a founder and past President of United Farmworkers and a recent candidate for State Senate in the 15th LD, gave the nominating speech for Moscoso.  Ricardo Polintan, a labor organizer, Delegate to the 2004 Democratic National Convention, and State Committee member from the 47th District, gave the seconding speech.  Both were eloquent, from the heart, and emphasized Moscoso's work for cross-cultural unity, for labor and the rights of workers in general and, as Tomas Villanueva put it, for the "downtrodden".  Luis had printed and distributed a copy of his prepared speech.  But he delivered a different one from the podium -- off the cuff and personable.  He said that he looked forward, whether or not he was re-elected, to continuing to work for Democrats and to continuing his work on behalf of cross-cultural unity.  He aspired, he said, to merit the kind of praise that his nominators gave him.  Moscoso was the organizer of the Unity Forums in early 2006, at which the candidates for State Party Chair spoke and answered questions from the various Party caucuses.

Rosalinda Guillen, a widely respected Latino leader, challenged Eileen Macoll for First Vice Chair.   Her candidacy was a surprise to me, and I thought that the State Party was honored by her bid, which garnered a respectable 68 votes to Macoll's 86.  One of Guillen's nominators noted that it was her leadership that is credited with the unionization of the Washington wine industry.   Guillen is also a leader on immigration and border patrol issues.  

 

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PROGRESSIVE CAUCUS

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Hong Tran was narrowly elected Chair of the caucus. Chad Lupkes, who writes about the vote here, was unanimously elected Vice Chair for Western Washington. The proceedings took time, and were over before several of the resolutions were voted on. But the time was needed for this caucus, the members of which have been presenting competing visions for its mission and structure. My favorite moment was, as noted in the photos below, when the room spontaneously turned to Barbara Whitt and her flag hat, for lack of any other flag during the Pledge of Allegiance.

Chad Lupkes, new Vice Chair, Western WA, Progressive Caucus.	Hong Tran, Hong Tran, 2006 candidate for US Senate, was elected Chair of the Progressive Caucus.	Nancy Ging and Judith Shattuck, elected members "At Large". Hong Tran ran for Chair at Nancy's request. Martha Koester's purple literature table.
Jaxon Ravens, Washington State Party Executive Director, attended the progressive caucus as an interested observer.		Barbara Whitt and Martha Koester, new Treasurer and Secretary.  The room had no flag, so the 50 or so attendants turned to Barbara and her hat, hands on hearts, to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

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LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT (LD) OFFICERS

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Debi Srail, Chair, 28th LD, and Rose Ehart, Executive Director of The Bread Basket and Pierce County Conservation District Supervisor. Rose is also a PCO.	Tina Shamseldin, Chair, King County Legislative Action Committee & Chair, 33rd LD. Rob Holland, Chair,  37th LD and a King County Agricultural Commissioner.	Nathaniel Lawver, Chair of Pierce County Democrats, with Jeannie Mitchell, Chair 27th LD (left) and Beckie Summers, Vice-chair Pierce County Democrats.
Ivan Weiss. Chair of 34th LD and Susan Kruller, Chair of 11th LD. Barbara Geller and Bob Gunovick, Chair and Vice Chair of 41st LD.	Andrew Brewer, Chair 6th LD. Nominated for a position in the Progressive Caucus -- but not in the room to accept the nomination.  Later he was elected to a position in the Chairs Association.  (Can't resist linking here to wRog's chair chair chair tweak here.)	Bryan Kesterson, Chair 47 LD (in background) and Joel Ware, 2nd Vice Chair, King County Democrats at the peace rally.

 

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PUBLIC CAMPAIGNS

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I was happy to see that the one non-partisan group represented at the Reorganization was Washington Public Campaigns.  Here's Craig Salins, WPC's Executive Coordinator, speaking with an attendee.  Craig addressed the gathering at the Chairs Association.

 

 

 

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On the bus to the Peace Rally

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Reorganization participants travelled by bus to the peace rally in downtown Olympia during lunch.