Live-blogging the DPO Chair Race

Kari Chisholm

11:35 a.m. OK, I'm here at the DPO State Meeting. I'll be live-blogging my way through it. The three candidates for chair - Meredith Wood Smith, Mac Prichard, Dan Carol - have all been working the room, chatting with folks, passing out stickers. They've all got a crew of active supporters working the room too...

11:45 a.m. They're starting with an open forum for the three chair candidates. Jim Edmunson, the outgoing party chair, is asking questions that the audience is submitting on note cards. I'll be paraphrasing - so don't necessarily consider these hard quotes (and I won't do all the questions...)

11:47 a.m. "What's the greatest misperception of Oregon Democrats?"

Mac - misperception: the grassroots doesn't know its job. Rather, you do know how to grow a great organization, to win elections, and you need an opportunity to prove yourself. The house party project pulled together 20,000 people to almost 1000 houseparties.

Dan - The party used to be considered a meaningless organization. Kulongoski relied on the DPO for his re-election. Moving forward, we'll build on that momentum. The party needs to build a better organization so that we can attract better candidates.

Meredith - Organizing Democrats is NOT like herding cats. We are competent and capable. We need to talk about our successes. The leadership in the legislature is an example of good people doing good government. We also need to get away from the idea that we're exclusively a "liberal" party. We have a lot of good Democrats that aren't just liberals. We're a big tent. We're a broad base.

11:52 a.m. What is your reaction to the proposal for a nonpartisan legislature?

Dan - Strongly opposed. That's it. However, I do support the fusion proposal to allow the Working Families Party to do fusion. It strengthens the Democratic Party. But I'm opposed to the open primary.

Mac - Nonpartisan legislature is bad idea. Democrats stand for something. We shouldn't surrender that ground.

Meredith - I don't support nonpartisan leg either. Two things will happen. #1 The lobby would control. #2 There's a purpose for political parties - a group of people coming together around a set of goals.

11:56 a.m. How can we attract younger Democrats?

Meredith - First, we start having more fun. Energy, activities, and not just a focus on the rules. Engage in dialogue. Do community service. We've lost a sense of community. Bring 'em back to the party. Quotes JFK. Bring the young folks into the leadership. They're doing a lot of work. Wants to think about using the affirmative action delegate selection process to bring in young people.

Mac - I'm the youngest here by six months! (Audience groans.) We don't have a lot of young people here. That's gotta change. The Bus Project proves it. We can do better. I don't have all the answers, but look to successful models. Social events and community service are powerful magnets.

Dan - My old company, with 65 employees, tried to connect high tech and high touch efforts. We built technology that helped create face-to-face opportunities for folks like MoveOn.org. We have to act on our values - do stream cleanups. Young people are interested in causes. "Put the party back in politics".

12:02 p.m. How do we attract nonaffiliated voters?

Mac - We need to attract young folks. Think about ways to put a human face on the party. Mentions Adam Klugman's ad-campaign effort.

Dan - Everybody knows what we're against, but what are we for. I've been working on the Apollo Alliance. When we start putting money in rancher's projects to create energy independence, we'll have a Green New Deal, and can inspire people, build community... Governor K is doing a good job on pushing this, but this can go all the way down to local boards. Build a new generation of leaders.

Meredith - Go back to the diversity piece. Age, ethnic, cultural, racial, sexual orientation, the whole thing. More diversity will bring more people in. Also, how are we trending? Let's do some nonelection activities, including polling and phoning of independent voters. Let's also look at the branding work. Adam Klugman's work is stellar. We need to remember the folks who will stay nonaffiliated, but who will vote our way. Let's also focus on moderate Republicans. They're not happy right now.

12:08 p.m. What makes a Republican a Republican?

Dan - The absence of hugs in childhood. (Laughing.) I've been talking about "Republicans of conscience". I've done lots of strange-bedfellows politics. We need to talk to Republicans about doing the math. Bill Clinton balanced the budget. They're giving away the store on tax breaks. Let's start with doing the math.

Meredith - A lot of Republicans were born Republicans. We also lost the conversation about being responsible in governance. We're getting that back now. Build on that. When I lobbied the Leg on youth issues, I worked well with Republicans. But it's around issues. Right now, there is no home for the socially-conscious, fiscally-responsible, moderate Republican right now.

Mac - It used to be social conservatism and national security policy. The last 8 years are drawing a lot of Rs out of the R party. Especially the war. In the midwest. My Republican cousins are very disturbed about the war in Iraq. Not the way the US military should be used. Incidentally, they're very excited about Barack Obama. I'm the token family Democrat, and my cousins are asking about Senator Obama. We need to do more about what he does - talk about what we are for, not what we're against. We have to stand for something.

12:14 p.m. How much time do you have to dedicate to this job and otherwise employed?

Meredith - I'll be a full time chair. I retired 5-6 years ago. I'll be volunteering for the party.

Mac - I'll do whatever it takes. When I led the houseparty program, I had a full-time day job. Weekends, evenings, do the job. I'm not a "do it all by myself" leader. We need great teams. I work for a national program called "Reclaiming Futures" that improves drug and alchohol for kids in the courts. I'm the communications director. Once I'm committed, I'll put in the time and energy to get it done.

Dan - I had a consulting firm that I sold in 2005. Since then I've been doing a little consulting in renewable energy. I'm the board of several nonprofits. If elected chair, I'd drop those boards. I think this is a 30/hr week job. I get involved "whole hog". I don't think the chair should be paid. To fundraise successfully, I want to bang on the table - and that only works if I'm unpaid.

12:20 p.m. The party chair is the face and voice of the party. What's your experience and approach in that capacity?

Mac - I have more than two decades in public affairs for Kitzhaber, Blumenauer, state agencies, etc. First priority after hiring an ED is getting a Comm Dir. Every day Gordon Smith and Greg Walden aren't having their voting records held up to public scrutiny. We need to raise the money to make that happen. I'll be a forceful advocate with the media...

Meredith - I was once the comm person for Project LUCK; that helped work with street kids in Portland. That wasn't a popular group. I worked to help those kids get into safe homes. We need to hire a communications director. I have no problem being an attack dog, but I want facts and good information. Putting another face on the party is the way to go.

Dan - I've played the role of 'evangelist' for Apollo Alliance and with the rise of grassroots groups. Are you always the attack dog? Or do you find the right spokespeople for that community? It all depends on the situation. Gandhi said "be the change you seek" so I was challenging Gordon Smith on the radio a few days ago. It's important that the new chair takes on Gordon Smith and challenge him.

12:27 p.m. Our budget for 2007 is $600k. We've raised just over $100k. Where will you find the other half-million dollars this year?

Dan - Small donor, big donor, do all of it! New website is a great start. We should partner with other orgs. More than anything, we need a chair that goes to DC and makes sure that Oregon is targeted. The DPO has to push, push, push.

Mac - I chaired the 2005 finance committee, and we had a great team. Key is having a good finance director, and that position has been vacant for 2-3 months now. That person needs resources, and will work with people in this room. You can't rely on one source of revenue. Can't just be staff led effort. Not just grassroots, but also major donors, and out of state. I know what it takes. Done it before. I've got a track record.

Meredith - We have to broaden the base. Bring in grassroots donors. We've been growing it. I am relentless. We have to build a midlevel donor program. And build relationships with high-level donors. I expect, as the chair to be on call time. I'll call anybody. We need to look to the national level, too.

12:32 p.m. The questions are now over. They're taking a break. Phew!

By Kari Chisholm March 10, 2007