Convention ends in chaos, so Dems need a do-over

Sam Morris

Rory Reid, right, Hillary Clinton’s Nevada campaign chairman, is besieged by supporters who don’t want the vote on delegates to the Democratic state convention delayed.

By J. Patrick Coolican, Michael Mishak

Sun, Feb 24, 2008 (2 a.m.)

Convention Confusion

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Sam Morris

Clark County Democratic Party Chairman John Hunt pleads for calm Saturday with a hallway packed with delegates and alternates trying to get in to the Clark County Democratic Convention at Bally’s.

The Clark County Democratic Convention turned into a fiasco Saturday, with a host of problems that were entirely predictable but blithely ignored by county party leadership.

The convention was supposed to elect delegates to this spring’s state convention in Reno, where delegates will be selected for the Democratic National Convention in Denver.

Instead, county party leaders, with the annoyed assent of the campaigns of New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, suspended voting and moved to reconvene at some future date to vote on state delegates, who will ultimately determine whether Obama or Clinton wins a majority of Nevada’s 25 pledged delegates at the national convention.

Although more than 7,000 delegates to the county convention had been elected at the Jan. 19 caucuses, the county party booked a room at Bally’s with a capacity of 5,000.

Few people expected the 7,000 elected delegates to show, but it was entirely unsurprising that the Clinton and Obama campaigns, locked in a tight delegate battle that could go all the way to the national convention, would call their supporters and tell them to show up at Bally’s so they could be alternates to replace the no-shows.

Sure enough, that’s what happened. There were 6,000 people in the hall when the fire marshal intervened, and Bally’s management estimated 4,000 people in the hallway outside.

The problem was that there wasn’t a clean and credible process for seating alternates. Rules said they should be from the same precinct and support the same presidential candidate as the no-show, and barring that, should at least support the same presidential candidate as a given no-show, but the county party was overwhelmed trying to track this information and ultimately shut down registration.

Also, though there were supposed to be more than 7,000 delegates elected at the Jan. 19 caucuses, the county party list had only 6,000 names, according to the campaigns.

The county party didn’t have enough stations or volunteers to help delegates get checked in, or to get alternates seated as delegates. Indeed, throughout the morning the registration line snaked from Bally’s lobby through the casino floor and into the ballroom where the convention was being held. At one point a party volunteer worked the crowd with a case of bottled water — cold comfort for many elected delegates who were demoted to alternate status and denied access to the convention hall.

Ballot boxes were not secured, which was one of many reasons both campaigns said unless voting was suspended and a new and credible process created later, they would challenge the vote.

This is the second recent flawed event organized by the county party. November’s Jefferson-Jackson Dinner was also beset with organizational snafus.

Erin Bilbray-Kohn, a spokeswoman for the county party, tried to put a good face on the event, marveling at the massive turnout. She said the was organized by volunteers who’d worked their hearts out and didn’t deserve to be castigated with mean-spirited attacks.

Still, state party officials fumed, having tried to persuade Clark County Democratic Chairman John Hunt to postpone the county convention to ensure it was well organized. He refused.

The Democratic National Committee, monitoring Saturday’s convention, called state party officials and told them to get county leadership to clean up the process or risk losing delegates to the national convention.

The campaigns and influential Democrats not affiliated with the county party were furious.

“This is a disgrace,” said D. Taylor, head of the Culinary Union, which endorsed Obama and had a few hundred delegates at the convention. Taylor said many Culinary shift workers had to leave and so didn’t get their votes counted.

“There should not be a disconnect between the Democratic Party and competency,” Taylor said.

State Sen. Dina Titus, a co-chairwoman of Clinton’s Nevada campaign, fielded complaints outside the convention ballroom, which she said reinforced the need for legislation she has introduced to switch the state to a primary nominating contest. That would preclude the need for using conventions to select delegates because delegates would be chosen simply and automatically based on a proportion of votes won in the election.

Delegates were irate.

Marguerita Flowers, an Obama precinct captain at Precinct 2480, was elected as an Obama delegate on caucus day but was inexplicably demoted to alternate status Saturday.

Marisa Calderon, a Clinton precinct captain at Precinct 1163, told a similar story.

She and her husband, Christopher, both elected delegates on caucus day, pre-registered with the party. But only Christopher’s name was on the party’s list. So Marisa was demoted to an alternate.

When convention Chairman Bill Stanley moved to suspend voting, the assembled delegates revolted and voted the motion down. The campaigns then met with supporters in separate rooms to explain why suspending the vote was necessary.

Each campaign believed it had good motivation to suspend voting. The Clintons feared that the convention had been swamped with Obama supporters, which could cut into Clinton’s 11-percentage-point victory in Clark County on caucus day.

The Obama forces, meanwhile, feared many supporters had been turned away when registration closed and knew any continuation of the voting would be challenged.

At about 4 p.m. the convention passed the motion to suspend voting, the lights came up, and everyone filed out, an air of bitterness hanging heavily.

The only thing that went off without a hitch was keynote speaker Al Franken, who tried to make light of Saturday’s problems:

“I know it’s been a tough day for you,” Franken said. “I flew in from a county convention in Minnesota. I just want you to know that none of this is my fault. It’s your fault for caring.”

Discussion: 14 comments so far…

By NVMojo

2/24/08 at 8:55 a.m.

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So ...umm, what happened to the missing 1,000 delegates? Were those the out of state Clinton supporters who registered to vote in Nevada at the Las Vegas Strip sites the day of the infamous Nevada caucus? Or were those some of the people we keep hearing that Bill Clinton and others dragged into the Strip at-large precinct sites off the casino floors and the Strip?

So, was this whole thing allowed to fester to allow the Clinton campaign a way to control the final outcome in a different way because it is blatantly obvious that America doesn't want a scolding banshee running our country?

Will Nevada never be free of the control of the Reid empire?
By depresseddem

2/24/08 at 9:17 a.m.

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I was elected as an alternate Democratic delegate (Obama supporter) from my precinct on Jan 19. When I saw on the Clark County Democratic Party website that ANYONE who participated in the Jan 19 Democratic caucus was encouraged to come to the county conventions and register as an alternate delegate, I wondered (1) why had I bothered with the caucus alternate delegate caucus process, and (2) would the county conventions around the state be overwhelmed. After the alternate delegates were told today to leave the convention hall, an hour into the speeches, etc, and report to a small room, the Bronze Room, so legitimate delegates could enter the main room, I understood. But there we sat in the Bronze Room (or squatted on the floor as I had to due to lack of chairs), for over two hours, with no video or audio connection to the main hall, being told repeatedly to be patient. After the initial motion to suspend the convention was voted down amidst screaming into the mocrophone, I left and went home.
By sunreader

2/24/08 at 9:47 a.m.

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depresseddem, you were not alone in your frustration and confusion. I'm sure you were also not alone in leaving the convention altogether before it was all said and done (or not done as the case turned out!).

I too was selected as an alternate at the caucus (actually, we didn't have elections, the Pct Cpt let everyone go but I stayed to make sure things were done properly and I ended up volunteering as alternate).
The reason anyone could come register as an alternate yesterday was because over 200 precints in Clark County did NOT have, or turn in, any delegates which meant there were a big number of delegate slots (for both candidates) which needed to be filled. Those of us selected as alternates at the caucus simply are not enough to fill those slots. Also, some elected delegates probably would not show up for whatever reason. So alternates would be needed for those slots too. Specific precinct alternates (you and I, for instance) would be called upon first if their precinct delegates don't show; if they do show then those alternates (you and I) would be called upon to fill delegate slots (for Obama because that is our alignment) in precincts which have no representation. The more people who sign up as alternates ensures that all of the delegate slots we caucused for in January get filled appropriately. If we don't have enough alternates to cover those openings, then we risk losing delegates at the state/national levels. This is for both HIllary and Barack sides. So please, I encourage you (and all alternates or anyone to register as alternate) to come to the reconvening event to help make sure all delegate slots get filled. Do not leave! Leaving puts their candidacy at risk.

I was very angry and frustrated yesterday, but I vowed mentally to Barack Obama that I would stay the course and weather as long as it took to make sure my alignment counts but more importantly, that ALL our votes (on both sides, this has to be a fair process, not disenfranchising) count.
By Johnathan_Abbinett

2/24/08 at 9:48 a.m.

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John Hunt, Bill Stanley and all of the volunteers that have worked unbelievable hours, day after day, for weeks wanted everyone to be included - the common goal was to ensure that, whatever the outcome, the results were fair and everyone got to participate, every vote counted, every vote got counted - and everyone's questions got accurately answered!

Every effort was made to ensure BOTH Clinton and Obama volunteers were about equally utilized at all levels - with the leadership remaining very neutral!

The main Convention Floor was large enough to accomodate the Primary Delegates who had been s/elected at their Precinct Caucus on January 19th - but, we had a logistical problem with the Alternate "Bronze" rooms and that, sadly, left many people incommunicado for too long. I was amazed at how the vast majority of so many people remained patient and civil - thank you to all of you!

When BOTH campaigns realized a few problems would require too much time and effort to get corrected THEY decided to recess the convention to ensure the vote count was protected for all - that was the best solution, but it was clear BOTH camps needed to explain the process to each of their camps of people first - that's why I made the motion to caucus. With so many newly active citizens it was clear we needed to do a little mentoring and give them an opportunity to get their questions asked and answered.

We will get through this phenonemal and history making growth - working together, but, we have to stick to the facts, be patient, and work in concert democratically!

Spreading rumours, innuendo, hear-say and gossip and calling for the heads of the best people we ever had leading us is just insane! Just a few years ago the previous leaders of the Clark County Democrats couldn't get 1,000 people to come out for any event - Hunt, Stanley and Company (the progressives who only got elected recently) inherited a shipwreck from former Chair Liz Foley - and Hunt and Company were able to pull together the biggest Jefferson / Jackson Dinner, with over 2,500 people, in the history of the Nevada State Democratic Party!

So, let's work together in good faith with the leaders of BOTH the Clinton and Obama Campaigns AND our Clark County Leaders and learn from our mistakes and mis-steps (even good people do make mistakes now and then) - and let's come together and move forward in a positive way!
By GOD

2/24/08 at 10:32 a.m.

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After reading this and watching the delegates look like Hitlary Clinton i.e. two boobs, I'm voting for RALPH NADER!
By briant

2/24/08 at 11:53 a.m.

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Johnathan,

Just because John Hunt and Bill Stanley worked "unbelievable hours" doesn't mean they're competent. If you can't get the simplest of decisions correct, i.e. venue size, how can you expect anything else to be done properly?

I was completely taken aback when I saw that the method of voting was to put our 1st alignment voting slips into an undetermined number of cardboard boxes circulating around the room. These boxes were floating in and out of the convention hall and who knows where else and were simply taped shut with packing tape. How can you possibly feel secure that no voter fraud was happening? Knowing how hotly debated this contest is, knowing how close the caucuses were, knowing the chaos and impropriety that surrounded the Jan. 19th caucus, why wasn't security and legitimacy of utmost concern? There should be a single ballot box under guard at all times in view of representatives from both candidates.

Over 1000 delegates did not receive their voting slips. Instead, they were given alternate cards and consequently not allowed into the convention hall after the fire marshal locked the doors. You want to defend John Hunt and Bill Stanley for that?

The frustration of Bill Stanley was evident when the fire marshal locked the doors. He was trying to push his way into the convention hall and I witnessed him violently pushing a black man and an elderly woman to the ground. Bill was accosted by a second woman for assaulting these people and he yelled at her, "I am in charge of this convention and I will have you removed!" At the very least, he should have apologized to the people he accosted. What I witnessed almost called for an assault charge. I found out what kind of person Bill Stanley is yesterday. I have no sympathy for a person like that.

The whole thing was a giant show of ineptitude. I am completely embarrassed for the Clark County Democratic Party. Attempting to place the blame on the previous Chair is absurd. Basic common sense decisions that should have been made were not. John Hunt and Bill Stanley have proven themselves utter buffoons.
By santabear

2/24/08 at 11:56 a.m.

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I will agree with Johnathan_Abbinett that the state party should have identified more temporary chairs to work the caucuses and ensure that delgate names were sent in properly, but it seems as if there was no effort (as there was in 1984) to enlist the campaign's help to identify delgates for the 226 precincts that did not submit names.

The notion that the Bally Events center was large enough to hold the event is ridiculous. 7452 delegates were allocated at the caucus. The County Party knew that both campaigns would rally their supporters to ensure that every space was filled under the alternate rules in such a close election. So chosing a space large enough for 5000 was and I want to use bad language here, but lets just call it -- an arrogantly foolish decision of Bush-ian proportions.

Even if the plan were, as you say, to line up the delegates and seat them as needed, where were they going to be held? The bronze room was rented for Obama supporters only -- they graciously allowed it to be used for all alternates once it was clear that the main room was far to small to accomodate everyone.

Equally foolish was the idea of using unsecured, roving bankers boxes to collect the alignement preferences. Many of the delegates weren't sure where they were, or if they were candidate specific.

Not expecting a "tsunami" of support requires absoulte blindness to the process to date. John Hunt (and I don't know the man personally, I'm sure he's everything you say he is) and his support seems to have failed to make even the most elemenatry of calculations in planning for this event. The party should seek a venue that seats 12-15 thousand for the next one, because supporters on both sides are going to come out in force to make sure it's done right.

I will be volunteering for the "do-over" and then I will be asking for John Hunt to step down for new leadership.
By nvblogger

2/24/08 at 12:21 p.m.

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NVMojo's ridiculous comment about "out of state" Clinton voters is just another of the many baseless and negative attacks that have divided the Democratic Party here. Most of it is fueled, I'm sorry to say, by the Obama side in its drive to smear the Clinton side.

Some of the worst campaign tactics on Saturday come from the Obama forces, who deliberately packed the county convention floor with hundreds of "alternates" who had no business being there under party rules.
By Johnathan_Abbinett

2/24/08 at 12:38 p.m.

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The spirit of inclusiveness required that everyone be welcomed - first and foremost our Primary Delegates that had been s/elected at their January 19th Precinct Caucus, AND the Alternate Delegates AND other Democratic Guests - and we tried to let in everyone including the Independents and cross-overs from other political groups.

No one is defending the mistakes made - just trying to explain FACTUALLY what happened - and some of those mistakes ARE inexcusable - we agree. But, good people do make mistakes - that's the reality and we should be compassionate and supportive of our leaders - especially if you're a critic that did not volunteer one minute, or give one dime, to help out!

When we saw what was going on, unbelievably haphazardly, with the ballot boxes - that was the straw that broke the camel's back and brought the integrity of the convention into question...and that's why we had no other reasonable recourse but recess, so we could re-convene and make sure the process was corrected and the integrity of EVERYONE's VOTE was fully protected! Do you get that - does that make sense to everyone?

The cheap shots from the arm-chair quarterbacks don't carry a lot of weight when you're just re-stating the obvious - now, log on to the NVDems and Clark County Website and do a little homework to study up on the FACTS, then, look at your calendars and make the time to take the time to VOLUNTEER and be part of the solution - PLEASE!
By kennekra

2/24/08 at 3:38 p.m.

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I have to agree with Johnathon on his points. Mistakes were made. Some, as the story indicates, were entirely predictable. Some of them, the unsecured ballot boxes are one example, are inexcusable. I'd like to know when Bally's was actually booked. Chances are, it we knew the race was going to be as tight as it is and that the campaigns would have mobilized. This is the first time in decades a county convention actually mattered. Problems were bound to happen. In past years, attendance was so low that anyone who showed up got to fill the delegate spots to the state convention.

I volunteered to help staff the event. I am trying to be more active in the party and be a part of the solution going forward. If half the people that spout off on blogs and comment boards actually got off their chairs and offered to help, we can pull together and keep our eyes on the ultimate prize - a Democrat in the White House on January 21, 2009!
By tdlit

2/24/08 at 4 p.m.

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Wow more arrogance and assuming laziness!! Thanks John and Kenne.
By vegasdemocrat

2/25/08 at 1:23 a.m.

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What happened yesterday is inexcusable and the Clark County Executive Board must address this immediately. Many volunteers (including myself) gave of our own time with good intentions, trusting that our convention leadership had it under control. We simply followed instructions and I feel we were sent to the slaughter. I actually hid my yellow "staff" credential when things really got out of hand on the floor. After the lessons learned from the "precinct caucus" on Jan 19th this should not have happened. My observation is that assigned committee chairs would have done themselves a "huge" favor by soliciting those volunteers that had experience with putting on large events. There were several of us there (but noone bothered to even ask.) It seems they were more concerned with maintaining control than making it a success. I agree with the blogger that we should be looking at some changes in our leadership. We need leaders that not only lead but can motivate us to give of our time and support the efforts of the party. Unfortunately, if leaders want the credit when things are "good" you must be willing to take the "heat" when things go bad. Why didn't we use Cashman? I suggest to everyone complaining to attend the central committee meetings and get involved in the party. That is the only way we can improve our party. Let's not make the mistake of believing for one moment that John Hunt, Bill Stanley, or anyone else made the Caucus or Jefferson Jackson Dinner a BIG success. It was the excitement of this presidential race. You set yourself up for a BIG failure if you believe you'll have that same turnout next year. So, let's not put that burden on either of these hard workers. The members of Clark County Dems deserve better than what they've gotten and we need to work TOGETHER, engaging everyone's ideas and expertise to make our party as great as it is destined to be. I encourage the party leaders to stop being afraid and allow everyone to be a part of the process. You truly are only as powerful as those that have put you there. Can we start today and begin to UNITE this State party?
By mushkane

2/25/08 at 11:05 a.m.

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Why are we not being told the whole truth about why we needed to redo the convention? Not only were ballot boxes missing, but many people I spoke with on Saturday said that several of those boxes were found in the bathrooms where someone had been changing votes on our first alignment tickets! That's voter fraud!

It gets worse: Both, the Obama and Clinton campaigns duped us: I support Clinton, but after being told during our respective caucus periods that most of the disenfranchised voters were Hillary supporters, I was very surprised when the Obama folks supported the previously denied Motion during the second vote, too. As we were leaving, I asked a number of Obama supporters if they had been told that most of those who were turned away were their supporters. Surprise, surprise! They had been told the same darn thing in their caucus that we had. Why are we being played for fools? Tell us the truth! We deserve to know. And don't shove a cover-up down our throats. Some of us remember only too well who did that to us the last time. Democrats should not follow that lead.
By sunreader

2/25/08 at 2:42 p.m.

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mushkane, I was there as an Obama supporter and was in the Bronze room for over 4 hours, including when we met to caucus separately. What they told the Obama camp was that it was estimated that some 3,000 folks were denied entry - BOTH Clinton and Obama supporters - and that potentially about half that many (i.e., 1,500) were probably Obama supporters (in other words, votes we would have wanted for our side). I'm sure your leaders told you the same thing pertaining to Clinton supporters. I, speaking for myself, did not feel duped at all in that respect. They also told us that yes, at least one box was seen carried into a restroom but that it was not known if anything happened to those ballots or not. Which isn't the point, the point was that the there was no control over the ballot boxes and BOTH camps weren't about to stand for that, and rightly so.

Doesn't matter which camp we support, we should all support our right to an equally fair and organized and responsible convention that affords ALL delegates their opportunity to vote. Open recess was the only fair thing to do.