MCDem's blog
Congressman Farr's Convention Video Blog: Day 3
Posted August 28th, 2008 by MCDemWednesday, Aug 27, 2008:
Congressman Farr's Convention Video Blog: Day 2
Posted August 26th, 2008 by MCDemTuesday, Aug 26, 2008:
Congressman Farr's Convention Video Blog: Day 1
Posted August 25th, 2008 by MCDemMonday, Aug 25 - opening day:
Off to Denver!
Posted August 24th, 2008 by MCDem
From the Santa Cruz Sentinel, Aug 23, 2008: Shawn Bagley was packing his Cadillac a week ago for the road trip to Denver. Granted, he and his wife Marjetka had a few stops to make on their way to the Democratic National Convention, which begins Monday, but his enthusiasm to be a party delegate was ripe.
"I'm thinking morning outfits and evening outfits," he said at his home south of Salinas. "When Barack [Obama] accepts his nomination, I'm certainly wearing a suit."
The 57-year-old political junkie who identifies as a "C-SPAN Democrat" led the Central Coast's campaign for Hillary Clinton this year and was selected by fellow Clinton supporters to represent the candidate at the party's high-profile presidential nomination proceedings.
Bagley says he regrets that Clinton won't be the party's pick for president but the grieving is behind him. No resentment. No coups to undermine Sen. Barack Obama's advance to the November ticket. He even read "The Audacity of Hope" this summer.
The four-day event next week, which will include nine delegates from the region, is being touted as a place where the party will come together after a contentious primary contest this spring. If nothing else, the affair promises a media blitz never seen at a nominating convention, from daily blogs by party insiders to televised speeches by national icons.
Marina Democrats had the numbers - now they have the organization
Posted August 1st, 2008 by MCDemYou might be surprised to learn that 48 percent of Marina voters are Democrats, and only 26 percent are Republicans. Now, thanks to the work of a group of local activists, Marina now has its own Democratic club, and boy, are they off to a bang: they met, they organized, and they're already making a difference! Check out the story in the Monterey County Weekly:
Marina Democrats are organizing for council, water board seats
By Zachary Stahl
The nascent Marina Democratic Club hopes to seed the City Council and Marina Coast Water District board with progressive-minded party members. The group, which had its first meeting July 2, is busy developing a ticket of registered Marina Democrats for the Nov. 4 election.
Read more at the Weekly's website.
The Way Forward: Democratic Unity
Posted June 9th, 2008 by MCDemShawn Bagley, Central Coast for Hillary 2008, California Democratic Party Region 9 Director
Vinz Koller, Monterey County Democrats for Obama, Monterey County Democratic Party Chair
We had a deal, and now we're honoring it. Way back when the presidential campaign was just getting started, Shawn decided Hillary Clinton was the best choice, and Vinz decided on Barack Obama. Each of us threw himself into organizing for his candidate, joining many other volunteers on the Central Coast in working with one of the national campaigns.
This meant that throughout the primaries we would be opponents - working for the success of one candidate inevitably meant working for the defeat of the other. But at the same time, we would be working closely together on the Monterey County Democratic Central Committee. Furthermore, we were friends.
What to do? Was it possible to be opponents and allies at the same time?
Absolutely it was. Early on, we came to an agreement, with these terms:
* By far the most important objective was to elect a Democrat for president. Especially at this point in US history, any other outcome was unthinkable.
* And so we agreed that throughout the primaries we would compete vigorously but never destructively.
* And when it was all over, whoever was the nominee would have our full and enthusiastic support.
