Growing Pains for the California Democratic Party: Records Set at Convention in San Diego

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

Lessons in Democracy for Historic Number of First Time Delegates

The California Democratic Party 2007 state convention in San Diego was gaveled to an end yesterday, but not before setting a number of records:

• Over 1,000 new delegates in attendance; almost half of those attending were first time convention goers, demonstrating a resurgence of energy and enthusiasm for the party that bodes well for 2008 and beyond.

• 2,264 delegates registered and attending the convention

• More than 400 press credentials issued, including 50 bloggers or new media "citizen journalists."

• More than 700 volunteers

• Seven Democratic candidates for President addressing the main convention hall, followed by multiple press conferences, press availabilities, and some of them attending live blogging meetings in rooms off the floor.

• Over 500 California Young Democrats in the hall.

This didn't happen out of the "blue," even if that is the color used to describe the Democratic party. There were contested elections and a record number of Democrats ran to be delegates before it was known that the California Presidential Primary would be moved to February and way before it was known that the major Democratic candidates for President would be spending as much time at the convention wooing those in attendance for their support.

In January, Robert Salladay noted this in his LA Times Politcal Muscle Blog in a piece entitled "Jobs for the sickly", mocking those who would run for delegate. He focused his sardonic wit on David Dayen, known as Dday, with the following passage that has become part of the lore of the internet: