Sun editorial:

Convention mess

Democrats should have been prepared for the turnout that swamped their meeting

Tue, Feb 26, 2008 (2:07 a.m.)

After watching the overwhelming interest in this year’s presidential election, the Clark County Democratic Party’s failure to properly plan for its convention Saturday was a disaster.

The purpose of the convention is to elect delegates to this spring’s state party convention, which sends delegates to the national convention in Denver that will nominate the Democratic presidential nominee. But the Democrats’ Clark County convention had to be postponed after county party officials were unprepared for the turnout.

At the Jan. 19 statewide presidential caucus more than 7,000 delegates were elected to attend the county’s convention, but county party officials expected that, as in years past, a large number of delegates would fail to show up. So they booked a room at Bally’s that would fit only 5,000 people.

But this is no ordinary year, and county party officials knew that. Democrats flooded Bally’s. There were more than 6,000 people in the hall when the fire marshal stepped in and ordered the doors shut. The crowd outside the hall was estimated at 4,000 people.

People attending the convention found long lines, mass confusion and problems everywhere. Many would-be delegates said the county party didn’t have them registered, alternate delegates were frustrated by a lack of information on the process, and the lack of organization created a fiasco when it came time to vote. As a result, the state representatives for presidential contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama agreed to postpone the voting.

The county party’s failure is stunning. The turnout should have been no surprise. The statewide presidential caucus attracted more than 117,000 people, with more than 77,000 of those from Clark County.

County Democratic leaders had a chance to learn from the state caucus, which experienced some organizational problems, but instead they invited problems. One would think the Clark County Democratic Party would do all it can to tap people’s incredible enthusiasm for this year’s Democratic presidential candidates, not take steps that end up leaving those at the grass-roots level disenchanted. The county party’s failures are disgraceful.

Discussion: 3 comments so far…

By texexnv

2/26/08 at 9:19 a.m.

Suggest removal

To say that the Clark County Chair Hunt had "some organizational problems" is like saying thte Exxon Valdez hit a bump in the water.

Both were aware of the dangers, both ignored the dangers, and the captain(s) of both must suffer the consequences of being asleep while on duty.
By Johnathan_Abbinett

2/26/08 at 1:45 p.m.

Suggest removal

The buck stops with the newly elected Clark County Chair John Hunt - and he's probably the best leader we've ever had - but, he inherited a shipwreck from former Chair Liz Foley and there are others that must share significantly in the blame game.

The Nevada State Democratic Party promised the County and the Candidate Campaigns that they would provide us with a comprehensive list of each campagigns Primary and Alternate s/elected Delegates from the January 19th Caucus - THAT did NOT happen - we got a list of about 6,000 with about 1,000 names missing and no breakdown as to who was a Primary or Alternate nor which Candidate they supported - that's the 800 lb Gorrila Hunt inherited and was trying to fix.

Both the Campaigns for Obama and Clinton added to the melee by acting out of fear and swamping the Convention with people, many of which, most likely were not even s/elected at the January 19th Caucus and not even eligible to be either an Alternate let alone a Primary Delegate - we need to focus on that fact TOO!

Clark County Democrats, under the leadership of John Hunt, can fix this - but, calling for the heads of the best people we've ever had step-up and stand up to lead us is not only short-sighted, it's simply unfair and wrong.

If you want to play the blame game, then, don't leave out every Democrat in the valley who has never volunteered one dime or given even an hour of their time to building and sustaining our party - there's plenty of blame to go around!
By Johnathan_Abbinett

2/26/08 at 2:10 p.m.

Suggest removal

And we could use a lot more supportive journalism from our local newspaper TOO - how about running an article in advance so everyone knows that we need the Primary Delegates s/elected at the January 19th Caucus to show up first and the Altenates only as a back-up, and that this was NOT a rally and guests, while welcome, need not attend? That would have been a big help!

And while we're talking about duty, honor, shame and disgrace - let me point out my #1 concern...

Especially over this past SIX YEARS in a time of war, where are the regular articles on the Unjust War in Iraq and the Just War in Afghanistan?

Why can't we get a regular report of the number of our troops Killed In Action, Wounded In Action, POW/MIA or how many have committed suicide? Whatever happen to your axiom that "if it bleeds - it leads?"

How about deciding maybe, just maybe, it's time to dedicate a reporter or two to covering all of these military issues AND our disabled veterans struggle to get the health care promised by you civilians and how YOU HAVE FAILED?

Yeah, you want to talk about DISGRACEFUL? I'm all for that subject - but, let's be candid and fair about it shall we?