The Fourth Congressional District Democratic Committee held a dinner this evening at the Warsaw Community Center to honor Congressman Ike Skelton (D). There were approximately 250 people in attendance.
Cass County Presiding Commissioner Gary Mallory (D) (left) with Congressman Ike Skelton
Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) chats with folks before the start of dinner.
Unlike other events this week in Missouri with Democratic members of Congress there were no astroturf teabaggers trying to shout down the proceedings. The temperature was in the high nineties outside, with high humidity. Go figure.
There were two twenty-somethings hanging around outside one of the entrances. Someone mentioned that they were republican "trackers". I went outside to take a look. They were both sheepishly trying to look nonchalant, but appeared somewhat worse for the wear due to the heat and humidity. I didn't bother photographing them.
Johnson County Democrats at the German American Club in Belton, Missouri for the Cass County Democrats' Back to Blue Dinner - Tribute to Labor.
This year the annual Cass County Democrats fundraising dinner in Belton, Missouri (always a big event) is taking place among a sea of Democratic events across the state. The Missouri State Democratic Committee meeting also took place today in St. Louis - there will be various events tonight, too. Last night in Warrensburg Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) was honored and spoke at a dinner event sponsored by Johnson County Democrats. This recent density of Democratic activity is a good thing. And Vice President Joe Biden spent the last few days in Missouri, promoting the administration's good works and reminding the public at large why they voted for change.
It's good to be a Democratic. It's good to be busy. There's still a lot of work to be done.
I'm here at the dinner with a borrowed broadband card. I'll try to update and maybe post more photos as the evening progresses.
The Johnson County Democratic Central Committee gathered for its monthly meeting at the Johnson County Justice Center in downtown Warrensburg this evening. Yes, summer has started, but there's a primary and a general election on the horizon.
The committee met to ratify the choice for a downtown headquarters which it will occupy on July 1st. It's a useful space smack dab in the middle of the business district on Holden Street, with excellent visibility. In fact, it's the same location the local Democratic Party had for the 2004 election.
Other business included finalizing arrangements for a fundraising dinner at the Johnson County Fairgrounds on July 15th. The first annual Jimmy Kirkpatrick Heritage Celebration Dinner will honor former Governor Roger Wilson.
Congressman Ike Skelton's campaign will have a "barbecue and bluegrass rally" at the Johnson County Fairgrounds just west of Warrensburg on Highway 50 on Wednesday, August 6th.
The chair of the Central Committee asks for volunteers to help with the various logistics challenges of these events, and on occasion utilizes the power of his position to assign tasks. It's how the necessary business gets done.
Central Committee members and Kevin Stamps (right), representing the Missouri Democratic Party.
Keven Stamps, a state party field organizer assigned to our area reported on several programs already in place. He took a few minutes away from an ongoing phone bank just down the street to solicit additional volunteers and to introduce himself to the few people on the committee who had not yet met him. We're all going to get to know Kevin quite well through to the beginning of November.
There's been some bitter criticism on this site for Claire McCaskill's vote to censure MoveOn.
A contributor at the Change for Missouri yahoo discussion site tells us that she has found a way to let Democrats know that they screwed up when they voted to censure MoveOn for its Petraus/BetrayUs ad. She printed up stickers that she plans to attach to "gimme" letters and then stuff into the return envelopes. The stickers say:
"I regret to have to tell you that I am a member and contributor to MOVE-ON.ORG. Consider please your vote to censure that organization. In doing so, you censured me and everyone like me who is a member of what I
consider to be an organization which represents my philosophy and interests and which works to elect Congressional Members who reflect those interests.
So you see, my money is tainted and it would be wrong of you to accept it.
DC for Democracy, a DFA affiliate and PAC, has a great candidate questionnaire which they used to vet the Democratic candidates. Based on the studied responses of the candidates, they have endorsed a Presidential candidate. Check it out: http://www.dcfordemo...
No need for groups in Missouri to reinvent the wheel... the responses are all listed and the same tool can be easily reworded and sent to the candidates from your particular organization if you like.
Democracy for Missouri (DFA Columbia) has decided to remain neutral in the Primary, but I am personally pleased to see that Barack Obama received the DC for Democracy nod, garnering 69% of the vote in an IRV style election.
On Sunday, September 16th the 30th Harkin Steak Fry will take place at the balloon field in Indianola, Iowa. Democratic Presidential candidates Senator Joe Biden, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Chris Dodd, Senator John Edwards, Senator Barack Obama, and Governor Bill Richardson will be in attendance (and speak to the crowd).
I plan on attending this year.
On September 12th in 2003 I received a phone call from a friend the day before the Harkin Steak Fry. He asked me, "Do you want to go?" It'd been ages since I'd taken a road trip - I agreed to go. So, we drove the 4 1/2 hours to stand in a muddy balloon field and listen to Democratic presidential candidates. We had the time of our lives.
Johnson County Democratic Central Committee Chair Delbert Bodenhamer (right) and Secretary Oleta Cone (left).
Central Committee members and Kevin Stamps (right), representing the Missouri Democratic Party.
