INFO RE: Count Every Vote Rally, May 31, 2008

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Rally Info from Count Every Vote

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When: May 31st – We will meet at 7 am and rally until around 4 pm.

Where: Outside the Marriott-Wardman Park Hotel, 2660 Woodley Rd, NW in Washington D.C.

Download the info below, plus subway map dnc-rbc-rally (Word doc)

Download PDF rally-site-maps

DNC RBC Rally Schedule
Saturday May 31, 2008
7:00 a.m. Arrive at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel
6:30 a.m. Set up of the stage and sound system begins (should be done by 7:30 a.m.)
9:15 a.m. People move to the park space
9:45 a.m. The speakers start and speak until the RBC meeting is over at which point we will move back in front of the hotel

There will be a few breaks in here. Rally may not last as long as meeting—meeting could go later. Some speakers will speak again at noon when the RBC breaks for lunch

Important Information
Please READ and CIRCULATE to your travelers

Where and When to Meet:

• 7:00 a.m. May 31, 2008

• In front of the Marriot Wardman Park Hotel
2660 Woodley Road, NW
Washington, District Of Columbia 20008 USA

The Closest Subway Stop: Woodley Park- Zoo/ Adams Morgan (this is on the red line)

What to Wear:

• RED, WHITE and BLUE
• Please do NOT wear Hillary gear.
• Bring rain gear: umbrellas and jackets.
• Bring bottled water – its going to be a long day!
• Dress Cool—it’s going to be hot! Wear hats.

Where will the speeches be held?

In the park space indicated on the maps (download above).

Talking Points
• We believe that the DNC must honor our core democratic principles and enfranchise the people of MI and FL and their respective delegations.
• We believe that Hillary Clinton is best for our party, most likely to win in November and best for our country.
• We believe the contest for the democratic nomination must not end before all of the votes from each State and US Territory have been cast and counted and that nominating conventions, not candidates (or the media), declare the nominee.
• We believe that the media and DNC have underestimated the passion, strength, intensity and determination of women voters and the power of the women’s vote.

Rules:
• We are not going to be disruptive; we are not going to break any rules or laws.
• If approached by the press, we are optimistic and are rallying in support of the founding principle of the right to vote. We are not protesting or demonstrating. We have a deep and abiding love of our country and are looking to create unity. Please always maintain an optimistic and energetic tone.
• No one is allowed to go on hotel property unless you have a room in the hotel or credentials to the meeting. If you step onto the hotel property and neither of these criteria apply to you, you will be asked to leave.
• Watch out of rough behavior and please ignore it if possible. If you see someone acting rough or violent, please ask a nearby police officer to remove that individual.
• Any Count Every Vote rally-goer who is perceived to be acting or speaking violently will be asked to leave.
• We are peaceful, law-abiding folk who love our country and its democratic values.

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Recommended Slogans for Sign Making

“Bring DEMOCRACY back to the DEMOCRAtic Party!!”

“Count Every Vote”

“Count Florida NOW”

“Count Michigan NOW”

“Women Count”

“50-48=NO YOU CAN’T”

“Every Vote Must Count”

“Um, we’re copying the GOP?”

“Penalize Date Movers, NOT VOTERS”

“I’m mad at my teacher. He taught me there were 50 states.”

Hillary’s Letter to Superdelegates

Dear ___________,

The stakes in this election are so high: with two wars abroad, our economy in crisis here at home, and so many families struggling across America, the need for new leadership has never been greater.

At this point, we do not yet have a nominee – and when the last votes are cast on June 3, neither Senator Obama nor I will have secured the nomination. It will be up to automatic delegates like you to help choose our party’s nominee, and I would like to tell you why I believe I am the stronger candidate against Senator McCain and would be the best President and Commander in Chief.

Voters in every state have made it clear that they want to be heard and counted as part of this historic race. And as we reach the end of the primary season, more than 17 million people have supported me in my effort to become the Democratic nominee – more people than have ever voted for a potential nominee in the history of our party. In the past two weeks alone, record numbers of voters participated in the West Virginia and Kentucky primaries. And with 40 and 35 point margins of victory, it is clear that even when voters are repeatedly told this race is over, they’re not giving up on me – and I am not giving up on them either.

After seven years of feeling invisible to the Bush administration, Americans are seeking a President who is strong, experienced, and ready to take on our toughest challenges, from serving as Commander in Chief and ending the war in Iraq to turning our economy around. They want a President who shares their core beliefs about our country and its future and “gets” what they go through every day to care for their families, pay the bills and try to put something away for the future.

We simply cannot afford another four – or eight – years in the wilderness. That is why, everywhere I go, people come up to me, grip my hand or arm, and urge me to keep on running. That is why I continue in this race: because I believe I am best prepared to lead this country as President – and best prepared to put together a broad coalition of voters to break the lock Republicans have had on the electoral map and beat Senator McCain in November.

Recent polls and election results show a clear trend: I am ahead in states that have been critical to victory in the past two elections. From Ohio, to Pennsylvania, to West Virginia and beyond, the results of recent primaries in battleground states show that I have strong support from the regions and demographics Democrats need to take back the White House. I am also currently ahead of Senator McCain in Gallup national tracking polls, while Senator Obama is behind him. And nearly all independent analyses show that I am in a stronger position to win the Electoral College, primarily because I lead Senator McCain in Florida and Ohio. I’ve enclosed a detailed analysis of recent electoral and polling information, and I hope you will take some time to review it carefully.

In addition, when the primaries are finished, I expect to lead in the popular vote and in delegates earned through primaries. Ultimately, the point of our primary process is to pick our strongest nominee – the one who would be the best President and Commander in Chief, who has the greatest support from members of our party, and who is most likely to win in November. So I hope you will consider not just the strength of the coalition backing me, but also that more people will have cast their votes for me.

I am in this race for them — for all the men and women I meet who wake up every day and work hard to make a difference for their families. People who deserve a shot at the American dream – the chance to save for college, a home and retirement; to afford quality health care for their families; to fill the gas tank and buy the groceries with a little left over each month.

I am in this race for all the women in their nineties who’ve told me they were born before women could vote, and they want to live to see a woman in the White House. For all the women who are energized for the first time, and voting for the first time. For the little girls – and little boys – whose parents lift them onto their shoulders at our rallies, and whisper in their ears, “See, you can be anything you want to be.” As the first woman ever to be in this position, I believe I have a responsibility to them.

Finally, I am in this race because I believe staying in this race will help unite the Democratic Party. I believe that if Senator Obama and I both make our case – and all Democrats have the chance to make their voices heard – everyone will be more likely to rally around the nominee.

In the end, I am committed to unifying this party. What Senator Obama and I share is so much greater than our differences; and no matter who wins this nomination, I will do everything I can to bring us together and move us forward.

But at this point, neither of us has crossed the finish line. I hope that in the time remaining, you will think hard about which candidate has the best chance to lead our party to victory in November. I hope you will consider the results of the recent primaries and what they tell us about the mindset of voters in the key battleground states. I hope you will think about the broad and winning coalition of voters I have built. And most important, I hope you will think about who is ready to stand on that stage with Senator McCain, fight for the deepest principles of our party, and lead our country forward into this new century.

Read the memo (11 pg pdf) and general election matchup (2 pg pdf) information.

Why Even Have A Convention?

By Jay S. Jacobs, Nassau County, NY, Democratic Chairman, Pledged Hillary Delegate

I finally get it. After more than 33 million votes cast in 51 primaries and caucuses over five months of intense campaigning and media scrutiny, with 3167 delegates having been elected, apparently, no one ever intended for there to be a “nominating” convention. Not the politicians, not the pundits, not the press. Just the people – they thought that they were getting a nominating convention.

I always figured that the nominating convention was to actually nominate the candidate who garnered the most support among Democrats. A bonus would be if that candidate was, as well, able to get elected in the general election. Well, while we can argue about whether or not Hillary or Barack have the most popular votes (depending upon which states you chose to include or exclude), there is no question but that Hillary has garnered more Democratic votes. The exit polling in states with open primaries demonstrates that. But that is not what this contest has ever been about. From the beginning, at least with many in the press and politics, it’s been all about getting rid of Hillary Clinton – any way possible – as quickly as possible. Maximize and emphasize her short comings, minimize her assets and attributes. Overplay her failures, downplay her successes.

The reality has been getting clearer with each passing day but really crystallized with Hillary’s universally criticized reference to Robert Kennedy’s assassination in June of 1968. Hillary was using an example for historical reference, among others, in response to critics who want her to drop out (“this thing has been going on for way too long”). She pointed out that there were many examples of contested races continuing into the summer. The condemnation was loud and swift and, typical for this year’s primary season, equally ridiculous.

Hillary broke the cardinal rule of today’s politics. Even utter a phrase that can be remotely connected to something offensive and, presto, the press finds it offensive (with a little help from your opponent). While Hillary’s reference was merely historical, the anti-Clinton press and Obama campaign became hysterical. How dare she reference such a tragedy? The press and Obama campaign emphasized how offensive this was in light of the legitimate concerns over Obama’s safety, as if referencing an historical fact somehow increases that threat. How crass can they become in trying to run someone out of this race?

For months there has been a constant drum beat to get Hillary out of the race. It started after Iowa. It gets louder and then quieter depending upon the outcome of ongoing contests. When Hillary loses or doesn’t exceed the pundit’s expectations, the calls are deafening. When Hillary wins or exceeds expectations (oops, that has never happened) the “political experts” pipe down for a bit finding clever ways to minimize the success. “It’s too little, too late”, we’re constantly told. “There’s no clear path to victory” for her. “It’s a mathematical improbability.”

After Hillary won Indiana (by too small a margin) and Obama won North Carolina (“convincingly”) Tim Russert and others anointed Obama the “presumptive” nominee. With neither having obtained the requisite majority of total delegates, with hundreds of delegates yet to be elected or having not declared their intentions, with hundreds of other “Super Delegates” having chosen but free to reverse their choice, the pundits are telling the public that it was over. Yet, we had to wait until 1:15 AM for the Mayor of Gary, Indiana to release Lake County’s votes in order to be sure, unlikely, though it was, that those votes would not overturn what looked like a Clinton victory before CNN and others would “declare” Indiana for her. On that remote possibility we had to wait – but on the off chance that the remaining contests and remaining “Super Delegates” would turn smart pundits into not so smart pundits – for that there is a mad rush to end this thing and avoid that uncomfortable inconvenience.

Let’s not overlook Hillary’s 41 point landslide a week later in West Virginia followed the next week by a 36 point “thumping” in Kentucky. Oh, yes, of course, that’s just Appalachia – that shouldn’t really count, after all.

So, I would like to know from the real “deciders” if now is not the right circumstance to take a contest to a convention, under just what scenario is it the right circumstance? When you have two excellent candidates, divided by just a hundred thousand votes or so after 33 million have voted, with 150 delegates between them, more than 3600 having been decided, neither having attained the requisite number to declare a win, isn’t that what a convention is supposed to be for? And, if the answer is “no” than I’d like to hear when the answer would be “yes.”

And, if the answer is that there really isn’t ever a time that we would want to take a contest to a convention, might I suggest that we just dispense with the whole thing and save everybody a lot of time and money. If it’s a coronation we want, why not just plan a huge rally, say, on the waterfront on a hot day in Portand, Oregon. Maybe we can bring in a few rock bands – let’s get Bon Jovi and Springsteen and a couple of local bands to warm up the act. Even better, in keeping with the sophistication and spirit of how it seems we’re conducting our elections these days, why not ask Howard Dean to step aside for that event in favor of Ryan Seacrest?

Posted by permission of the author.

Urgent Action: Sign Petition to Super Delegates

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/supporthillary/

Democrats, Hillary Supporters: Please sign this petition!

This is an urgent action to sign this petition, which pretty much covers it. You can be anonymous on the petition, and also get it off your chest by writing a short note. I seem to be writing so many of these lately.

As a lifelong Democrat, I urge you to consider using the power we divest in you to represent the people. I am ashamed at the actions and silence of what has always been the people’s party. The months’ long pressure by the DNC, DCCC, and DSCC for SDs to decide immediately is illegal and goes against why they even have a role in determining who would be the best candidate to win in November. I am more than ashamed that Sen. Clinton’s misogynistic treatment has not been called out by the candidates, past and present, and the entire Democratic leadership. I hope you’ll do your job at the convention, and not be bullied into doing it speciously now.

Superdelegate Asks The People to Decide

Now this is a novel idea: Someone in government, Superdelegate and California State Senator Carole Migden, actually wants to know what you think. You can vote and write your comments as to how and/or whom she should choose. She says, right on her website, that if you take action, you can help to change the world in 60 seconds. What do you think?

Looks like the Senator’s been taking comments and votes for a few months and currently Hillary is ahead. Funny but sad was poor Trudi’s, which ended with a who cares what I think anyway, I live in Michigan!

Here’s my note to her:

Carole, Thank YOU for asking! I think that Hillary Clinton will win the popular vote, if the DNC counts the votes. She is by far the most qualified, strong, brilliant candidate with clear, solid, progressive plans. So I hope the answer to your question is “both.” Like me, many people, especially women, feel that they’ve been discounted and thrown away in the Dem nominating and election process. We’re fed up that Dean and Brazile are blatantly biased. We’re sick to our stomachs at the way Hillary has been treated. We are sure that if she’d been treated with respect by The Media, DNC, Dem candidates, and Obama et al, that she’d be ahead right now. Many of us, as lifelong committed Dems who would NEVER have considered voting any other way, are considering jumping ship and voting for (gasp) McCain if Obama is the nominee. (Me in present time: Wow, did I write that?)

You can vote here, and be sure to thank and support Carole Migden. One of the ways to make the change we seek is to have more women in government.