SD Democratic Convention

(06/27/2008)

3:09

SDWatch:

Finally, up and running!

Friday June 27, 2008 3:09 SDWatch

3:26

SDWatch:

Platform committee of the whole is about to start.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:26 SDWatch

3:29

SDWatch:

There seems to be some misunderstanding about my story on the Clinton fundraiser for 2 SD delegates. It was being discussed prior to the June 3 primary.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:29 SDWatch

3:35

SDWatch:

On agricultural planks now.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:35 SDWatch

3:37

SDWatch:

Test

Friday June 27, 2008 3:37 SDWatch

3:40

SDWatch:

AG plank contains language to continue state funding of the state fair in huron.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:40 SDWatch

3:47

SDWatch:

Discussion if should encourage ethanol with rising food costs.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:47 SDWatch

3:48

SDWatch:

Apparently we all love ethanol. Poor guy who suggested this is getting pummeled.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:48 SDWatch

3:51

SDWatch:

Delegate who is petro geologist for state and is a delegate says there are developable natural gas fields in SD.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:51 SDWatch

3:55

SDWatch:

Plank encouraging ethanol stays.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:55 SDWatch

3:56

SDWatch:

Got an email from The Hill. They may follow up on the Clinton fundraiser for 2 superdelegates story I broke.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:56 SDWatch

3:58

SDWatch:

Now considering health care planks.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:58 SDWatch

3:59

SDWatch:

Health care planks pass.

Friday June 27, 2008 3:59 SDWatch

4:02

SDWatch:

Now on labor and employment planks.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:02 SDWatch

4:10

SDWatch:

Curtis Price is proposing gender identity to one of the labor planks.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:10 SDWatch

4:19

SDWatch:

We're now on education planks.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:19 SDWatch

4:20

SDWatch:

Discussing state funding, being 50th.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:20 SDWatch

4:21

SDWatch:

My son Matt, 13, is here having to sit through all these boring meetings. He's playing his new Nintendo DS.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:21 SDWatch

4:22

SDWatch:

I'm going on a potty break. Back in a bit.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:22 SDWatch

4:29

SDWatch:

Trying to figure out language to have state ed funding competitve with surrounding states.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:29 SDWatch

4:33

SDWatch:

Now parsing grammar on a plank. Really borning.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:33 SDWatch

4:33

SDWatch:

Boring

Friday June 27, 2008 4:33 SDWatch

4:36

SDWatch:

Only got through 3 of 10 committees with 20 minutes to go. People get tied down by the minutea.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:36 SDWatch

4:37

SDWatch:

Now on Native American planks.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:37 SDWatch

4:42

SDWatch:

Now on senior issues. We're 6th in US in % over 65.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:42 SDWatch

4:52

SDWatch:

Discussion of letting nursing homes that are at capacity to obtain additional capacity under licenses of under capacity homes.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:52 SDWatch

4:54

SDWatch:

Still several reports to go and we are to be out in five minutes at 5 p.m. CT.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:54 SDWatch

4:55

SDWatch:

Now economic development planks.

Friday June 27, 2008 4:55 SDWatch

5:15

SDWatch:

Just presented our planks on Human rights, including planks on adding age, sexual orientation, and gender identity to state housing and employment discrimination laws.

Friday June 27, 2008 5:15 SDWatch

5:15

SDWatch:

Now considering environmental planks.

Friday June 27, 2008 5:15 SDWatch

5:22

SDWatch:

Seems like some people just can't read.

Friday June 27, 2008 5:22 SDWatch

5:25

SDWatch:

Now on state and local government issues.

Friday June 27, 2008 5:25 SDWatch

5:26

[Comment From CAHCAH: ]

Grammar? Wow! I should've gone! :-)

Friday June 27, 2008 5:26 CAH

5:27

SDWatch:

My poor son is bored out of his skull.

Friday June 27, 2008 5:27 SDWatch

7:29

SDWatch:

Today the Central Committee will pick seven additional delegates to the National Convention. But first, speeches at breakfast and lunch and delegates work on the platform and pick a PUC candidate.

Saturday June 28, 2008 7:29 SDWatch

7:31

SDWatch:

Apparently some in the party are not too happy with my reporting of the putative Hillary fundraiser deal. My view: if we believe in transparent government, we as a party also have to be transparent.

Saturday June 28, 2008 7:31 SDWatch

7:43

SDWatch:

Off to the shower, pack up, then breakfast.

Saturday June 28, 2008 7:43 SDWatch

9:07

SDWatch:

Rep. Dale Hargens gave a good speech at breakfast about alternative energy and how South Dakota is missing out because of the Rounds' Administrations laziness.

Saturday June 28, 2008 9:07 SDWatch

9:28

SDWatch:

Just called the roll of counties.

Saturday June 28, 2008 9:28 SDWatch

9:28

SDWatch:

94 delegates representing 23 counties present.

Saturday June 28, 2008 9:28 SDWatch

9:41

SDWatch:

We're now getting ready to adopt the platform.

Saturday June 28, 2008 9:41 SDWatch

9:53

SDWatch:

Debate over mandating state vehicles use ethanol.

Saturday June 28, 2008 9:53 SDWatch

9:56

SDWatch:

Agriculture plank adopted.

Saturday June 28, 2008 9:56 SDWatch

9:57

SDWatch:

I'm going to try and post the proposed platform on SDWatch.

Saturday June 28, 2008 9:57 SDWatch

10:05

SDWatch:

Propoposed platform is posted at: http://thunewatch.squarespace.com/sdwatch/2008/6/28/proposed-sd-democratic-party-2008-platform.html

Saturday June 28, 2008 10:05 SDWatch

10:09

SDWatch:

I'm losing my battery on my computer. I'm going to plug it in and charge it for a while. I'm switching to Twitter for a while.

Saturday June 28, 2008 10:09 SDWatch

11:23

SDWatch:

I'm back. Adopted platform, now working on resolutions.

Saturday June 28, 2008 11:23 SDWatch

11:27

SDWatch:

We just passed a resolution opposing Amendment 10, the so-called clean and open government act. The proponents didn't show up. They got their butts kicked here last week by the Republicans. We were prepared to give them a second whuppin'.

Saturday June 28, 2008 11:27 SDWatch

11:30

SDWatch:

Dr. Newquist of Northern Valley Beacon (and a Brown Co. delegate) has an interesting post on the language we Democrats are using in our platform. He says the language has gone from tentative to assertive and is a sign of the times. Very interesting post. Read: http://northernbeacon.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-lalnguage-signals.html

Saturday June 28, 2008 11:30 SDWatch

11:32

SDWatch:

Now on an Iraq War resolution.

Saturday June 28, 2008 11:32 SDWatch

11:34

SDWatch:

Resolution passes.

Saturday June 28, 2008 11:34 SDWatch

11:44

SDWatch:

Interesting discussion on resolution on Initiated Measure 9, Small Investor Protection Act. Seems like there might be something a little sinister behind it. We voted to table consideration of a resolution supporting it, killing the resolution. Seems like an issue that bears more investigation.

Saturday June 28, 2008 11:44 SDWatch

1:47

SDWatch:

Back on the resolutions.

Sen. Tim Johnson spoke at lunch. His speech has improved dramatically since the last time I heard him speak. He's looking forward to the campaign.

Saturday June 28, 2008 1:47 SDWatch

1:49

SDWatch:

State Sen. Scott Heidepriem spoke at lunch as well. He said the Democrats will not only change the issues in Pierre but the culture as well. He says Democrats will consider bills on their merits, not what party introduced them.

Saturday June 28, 2008 1:49 SDWatch

1:51

SDWatch:

We're now on a resolution about conscience and birth, abortion, and end of life issues. Of course we're going to talk about this a long time.

Saturday June 28, 2008 1:51 SDWatch

2:03

SDWatch:

The convention unanimously passed a resolution urging SD Congressional delegation to support an inclusive ENDA bill prohibiting employment discrimination against LGBT citizens. My group, EqSD, was behind the measure. The times they are a changing!

Saturday June 28, 2008 2:03 SDWatch

2:28

SDWatch:

More resolutions. Probably most never to be read again.

Saturday June 28, 2008 2:28 SDWatch

2:34

SDWatch:

We're now arguing about using the word "bubble" regarding all the old TVs that will hit the landfills when we got to digial TV next year. I like the term "glob" better.

Saturday June 28, 2008 2:34 SDWatch

2:47

SDWatch:

One of my colleagues thinks that there would be people here who would try to amend the Pledge of Allegiance on grammatical grounds.

Saturday June 28, 2008 2:47 SDWatch

3:02

SDWatch:

Resolutions done. Now selecting candidates. Now up: national committeewoman.

Saturday June 28, 2008 3:02 SDWatch

3:03

SDWatch:

Sharon Stroschein being nominated. She is the incumbent. I don't think she'll be opposed.

Saturday June 28, 2008 3:03 SDWatch

3:05

SDWatch:

Sharon is reelected unanimously.

Saturday June 28, 2008 3:05 SDWatch

3:05

SDWatch:

Now committeeman. Nic Nemec should also be unopposed.

Saturday June 28, 2008 3:05 SDWatch

3:06

SDWatch:

Nic is a good guy, former marine officer, former legislator, the incumbent.

Saturday June 28, 2008 3:06 SDWatch

3:49

SDWatch:

Matt McClarty has been nominated as PUC candidate. He is a smart and personable guy. He's the party's legislative director. He will make a great candidate!

Saturday June 28, 2008 3:49 SDWatch

3:50

SDWatch:

Central committee is meeting and we are about to vote on additional national convention delegates.

Saturday June 28, 2008 3:50 SDWatch

11:09