This is the question that
was asked by a great many DNC/CDP members last weekend as they tried to
understand the scheduling debacle that pitted the Democratic National
Committee Meeting in San Francisco against the California Democratic
Party meeting in San Jose (one to three hours away, depending on
traffic). On the two main days for both events, August 23rd and 24th,
attendees had to choose which to attend and which to miss. It turned
out that the CDP did better on overall attendance than the DNC. When Tom
Perez spoke, there were about a hundred delegates in the DNC ballroom.
The crowd significantly increased when Bernie spoke. At the CDP meeting,
the crowd in the general sessions ranged between about 300 and 500.
Empty Seats at DNC during Perez’s Speech(Image by Henry Samson)
As Bernie was about to speak at the DNC Friday afternoon meeting,
Kamala Harris’s supporters loudly walked out of the hall and continued
to make noise outside in a seeming attempt to drown out Bernie. One
might think this would create disfavor with the DNC. However, most party
leaders said they were supporting a Harris/Warren ticket, leading some
progressives to wonder if this was an officially- -sanctioned affront
against Bernie. The DNC was in charge of the microphone volume and there
no lack of security to handle the problem.
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who gave up her DNC career to back
Bernie Sanders in 2016 is the candidate the establishment most fears.
Tulsi has more than met the debate criteria in the number of unique
donations and in poll numbers in 26 of the most respected national
polls, but the DNC, fearing she will take down another Establishment
candidate, is refusing to let Tulsi into the third debate against
candidates who have lower polling numbers in most polls and
significantly fewer unique contributions than Tulsi has. The problem (or
maybe plan) is that the smaller “DNC approved” polls have mostly been
avoiding polling over the last month as a block to allowing Tulsi into
the third debate.
Bernie Sanders(Image by HenrySamson)
Bernie activists who have reportedly learned that the DNC plans to go
after him, once Tulsi was out of the way, chose not to take things
lying down. Tulsi is the only candidate with a history of having
Bernie’s back. Several activists went to party leaders and asked point
blank whether blocking popular candidates like Tulsi Gabbard and Bernie
Sanders from being nominated would be worth a second term for Donald
Trump. To the surprise of the activists, leaders spoken to were clear
that holding Bernie and Tulsi to the contract they were forced to sign
before the first debate was more important than fairness and beating
Donald Trump. Some leaders talked about which candidates they planned
run in 2024 if Trump was re-elected. An assistant to one of the party
bosses, who asked not to be identified for fear of losing his job,
pointed out that the DNC actually makes more money as a result of anger
about Donald Trump’s Presidency than they would if a popular
progressive, such as Bernie Sanders or Tulsi Gabbard, became President.
One person pointed out that a ticket with Warren and Harris would be
labeled progressive and the expected loss would be used to McGovern or
kill the progressive movement within the party.
Tulsi Gabbard on Video at DNC Meeting(Image by Henry Samson)
Tulsi Gabbard had been re-deployed prior to the DNC meeting and was
only able to attend by pre-recorded video. Interestingly, at the DNC
meeting, her table was placed in a corner away from everyone. The
supporters at her table were told to sit there like good little
children. One Tulsi supporter broke the mold and handed out copies of
Senator Mike Gravel’s endorsement letter of Tulsi Gabbard inside the DNC
meeting. The letter on Gravel’s stationary called Tulsi “the most
qualified and prepared candidate.” At the CDP event, the Gabbard
supporters weren’t sitting in a corner. Everyone who attended the larger
CDP meeting received a copy of Gravel’s endorsement letter and other
literature in support of Gabbard. It was reported that over one thousand
pieces of Tulsi literature were distributed to Democrats attending the
CDP Executive Board meetings and caucuses. The attendees there were
greeted by a giant volunteer-printed banner at the ballroom door at both
general sessions. Top-behind-the-scenes DNC leader Bob Mulhulland was
seen studying Tulsi’s military picture on the banner.
Tulsi Banner Outside CDP General Assembly Room(Image by Henry Samson)
The treatment of the press at the DNC event was rather interesting.
The ballroom there was divided into two sections with the press at the
back. DNC members could just walk in and out of their section of the
room but the press section had metal detectors with guards searching
bags and repeatedly running wands over reporters as if they were
terrorists. The CDP meetings were significantly more relaxed. No metal
detectors, wands or searches.
DNC Checking Reporters(Image by Henry Samson)
Taking considerable floor time at the final CDP floor session was the
issue of whether it was OK for Israelis to detain and torture
Palestinian children. The fact that there was an argument between two
sides to this issue on the floor shows how far the Democratic Party has
fallen. At one time, the Democratic Party was seen as the party of
peace. Now it is generally viewed as the party of war, pitting peaceniks
Tulsi and Bernie at odds with the Democratic Establishment
At the CDP meeting, there was a great deal of dissatisfaction.
According to past and current officials, the standing committee
membership is less diverse than ever before. To fake diversity, a single
individual fitting multiple categories was treated as multiple people.
Most disabled people were cut from the standing committees. Supporters
of one of Chairman Rusty Hick’s opponents were summarily thrown off any
committees that could make a difference in the party’s positions on in
the election. Five of the supporters of Berniecrat Daraka Larimore-Hall,
who had been long-standing members of the Voter Services Committee,
reported being suddenly removed without explanation. These were the most
active Voting Services Committee members in terms of trying to improve
voter integrity and protect the rights of voters. When questioned about
the removals, Committee Chairman Jess Durfee said it was Rusty who had
thrown these Berniecrats off the committee and that there was nothing he
could do about it.
The priorities of the Voters Services Committee have changed as well.
Removed from the goals were diversity and integrity of the vote (as in
making sure all registered voters could vote regular ballots). Removed
as a lead subcommittee chairman was a party delegate who had pushed
through a call for expanding voting rights to felon prisoners and
ensuring that registered voters were not disenfranchised due to election
oddities. Instead, that subcommittee chairman was relegated to being a
secondary assistant below the subcommittee assistant chairman on the
subcommittee to which he was assigned this year.
There was some talk of a lawsuit over the committee assignment
questionnaire. There were two sex-related questions, one of which
demanded to know the sexual orientation of the applicants. All those who
refused to answer on the grounds that it violated their privacy were
denied committee positions. Also denied standing committee positions
were all civil rights attorneys and all criminal defense attorneys.
People fed up with the Democratic Party have encouraged both Tulsi
and Bernie to run together as independent candidates. Tulsi especially
has cross-party appeal for independents. Bernie is popular across the
board as well and many view them as an unbeatable ticket, no matter what
their political affiliation. Most Americans are independents or third
party members by almost a two to one margin over the registrants of
either of the major parties. However, because their Congressional seats
are considered critical to fighting the military industrial complex and
Wall Street, it is doubtful either Tulsi or Bernie will run as an
independent.
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