California Democratic Convention Sunday - A Looming Floor Fight

As I wrote earlier, there's a looming floor fight today, Sunday at the California Democratic Convention. It's between Mark Leno and Carol Migden. But today, there are some people who I've talked to and who believe that the matter of gaining an endorsement for either person may be totally sacked today, and in the process bring a terrible end to a convention with so much riding on the future of the party, both locally and nationally.



As I write this, about 45 Hillary Clinton supporters have massed near the wall left of me. As Jennifer, with Momocrats pointed out to me, "they're a machine with signs made" whereas the Obama supporters have handmade signs.

Willie Brown Fires Up California Democrats At Cal Dem Convention

Willie Brown set the tone for the convention delegates Saturday with this rousing speech.

Ted Kennedy To Speak for Obama Today At California Democratic Convention

It didn't make the SF Chronicle, perhaps because their reporter didn't get the memo , but Ted Kennedy's the secret surprise guest set to speak for Barack Obama and a perfect counterpoint to the appearance of President Bill Clinton at today's California State Democratic Convention.

His appearance was the buzz of the convention.

Stay tuned.

Migden v. Leno For Endorsements at California Democratic Convention

As I write this and as you sleep, a game came to an end at 11 PM and it's 11:58 PM now.

That game was the hunt for 300 California Democratic delegate signatures on the part of State Senator Carol Migden and termed-out California Assemblyman Mark Leno, and their supporters at the California State Democratic Convention.

As I left the San Jose Convention Center to get home and then get some sleep for tommorrow's fireworks with the visit of former President Clinton and Senator Ted Kennedy, the Leno and Migden teams were racing from room to room, and even from hotel to hotel in search of delegates and signatures.

Basically, Leno -- in trying to oust the incumbent Migden -- has mounted a charge to gain 300 signatures to block the endorsement of Leno by California Treasurer Phil Angelidies. But the Migden forces anticipated this, and had embarked on their own effort to get 300 delegates to sign a petition to thwart the Leno petition, thus assuring that their endorsements remain intact.

Get it?

This is the rough and tumble of Democratic politics in California. It's dirty and at times ugly and slimy. It has other wise good people telling massive lies -- not Leno or Migden -- about who's backing them on fliers passed out at the convention. It has people milling about late at night on a Saturday, but making a fun time of it, with dance parties and cocktail hours.

Some of us -- me -- who had to drive back to Oakland, missed this late night fun stuff. But I'll get an update soon, and be there for what may be a major floor fight if the endorsements are successfully eliminate via signature.

Stay tuned.

SF Mayor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Willie Brown on Delegates

This is part of my coverage of the California Democratic Party Convention in San Jose, Ca.

Sf Mayor Willie Brown's Giving a Rousing Speech At Cal Dem Con

I'm at the California Democratic Convention and sitting at the Press Table in the general session hall at the San Jose Convention Center, listening to former San Francisco Mayor and Speaker of the California Assembly Willie Brown give a passionate and rousing speech on what it means to be a Democrat.

"Democrats are supposed to fight," he said to a standing ovation, "you're not a Democrat if you don't fight."

Brown's taking the assembled state democrats on a kind of "memory lane" but with a message. "We all need to participate in order to beat these Republicans."

Here's that speech:

Hillary Clinton - Get Out Of The Race

I'm going to take issue with my good friend and valued contributor Dave Kaye and ask simply that Senator Clinton get out of the campaign for President. At this point, she can't win and can only cause more damage to the Democratic Party.

All of this rancor could be focused on John McCain, but here we have Hillary throwing rocks at Obama and James Carville's not helping matters with his thugish behavior.