"More and Better Democrats": From the 2008 California Democratic Party Convention
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"More and Better Democrats."
It's a theme and meme that has become ubiquitous in the blogosphere, reflecting the need to elect "more and better Democrats" across the country, from Congress to city councils. But it might as well be the motto for the grassroots and netroots activists who are changing the Democratic Party from the inside out.
I'm here at the 2008 California Democratic Party convention, watching San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris give a rousing speech on behalf of Barack Obama. In a few minutes, Bill Clinton will enter the hall to speak for Hillary Clinton. And, as supporters of both candidates pack the hall, you can see how much has changed in just the last four years.
The party is experiencing record turnout at the polls and, judging by this convention, a momentous increase in participation within the party as well. As I look around, reflecting on the last four CDP conventions that I've attended, I see hundreds of activists on the floor that were not involved in 2003. Five years after progressives were propelled into activism by the invasion of Iraq, there are now more and better Democrats working to change the party and the people it nominates and elects.
It's easy to lose perspective on how much has changed. But perhaps that is because so much remains to be changed.
Case-in-point: Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who is now speaking to the convention as I write this blog post. Bowen is a reflection of that change, lifted into office by election integrity activists across California, many of whom are delegates to this convention. She is the future of the party. And, yet, she is facing a number of challenges as she seeks to reform voting systems and processes (stay tuned for an email from the Courage Campaign on Monday).
Another example: Karen Bass, our next Assembly Speaker and the first African-American woman to hold the office.
And, of course, Barack Obama, who will quite likely make history this November.
These are just a few of the public faces of change -- more and better Democrats who, just five short years ago, were relatively unknown to the millions of people they new represent.
Their power has been made possible by the people in this room, the faces that may not be recognizable now but will be are the Bowens, Bass's, and Obamas of the future.
It's a theme and meme that has become ubiquitous in the blogosphere, reflecting the need to elect "more and better Democrats" across the country, from Congress to city councils. But it might as well be the motto for the grassroots and netroots activists who are changing the Democratic Party from the inside out.
I'm here at the 2008 California Democratic Party convention, watching San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris give a rousing speech on behalf of Barack Obama. In a few minutes, Bill Clinton will enter the hall to speak for Hillary Clinton. And, as supporters of both candidates pack the hall, you can see how much has changed in just the last four years.
The party is experiencing record turnout at the polls and, judging by this convention, a momentous increase in participation within the party as well. As I look around, reflecting on the last four CDP conventions that I've attended, I see hundreds of activists on the floor that were not involved in 2003. Five years after progressives were propelled into activism by the invasion of Iraq, there are now more and better Democrats working to change the party and the people it nominates and elects.
It's easy to lose perspective on how much has changed. But perhaps that is because so much remains to be changed.
Case-in-point: Secretary of State Debra Bowen, who is now speaking to the convention as I write this blog post. Bowen is a reflection of that change, lifted into office by election integrity activists across California, many of whom are delegates to this convention. She is the future of the party. And, yet, she is facing a number of challenges as she seeks to reform voting systems and processes (stay tuned for an email from the Courage Campaign on Monday).
Another example: Karen Bass, our next Assembly Speaker and the first African-American woman to hold the office.
And, of course, Barack Obama, who will quite likely make history this November.
These are just a few of the public faces of change -- more and better Democrats who, just five short years ago, were relatively unknown to the millions of people they new represent.
Their power has been made possible by the people in this room, the faces that may not be recognizable now but will be are the Bowens, Bass's, and Obamas of the future.