With Eyes on ’06 Races, Democrats Convene

The Harvard College Democrats discussed the direction of their organization, attended seminars by leading Democratic organizers, and approved their platform for the 2005-2006 academic year at their annual convention on Saturday.

The convention drew over 110 people, by far the largest total in three years, according to Dems Project Director Eric P. Lesser ’07.

Guest speakers at the event included former Rep. Martin Frost, D-Texas, communications specialist Lisa R. Davis, and Jeremy C. Bird, a former field organizer with both the Democratic National Committee and the Kerry-Edwards campaign.

“This is the third year we’ve had it, and it’s a great way to get people psyched up early in the year,” said Dems President Greg M. Schmidt ’06. “My sophomore year—the first year the convention was held—we had no trainers, no organizers, and no one like Congressman Frost.”

The event, held at the Center for Government and International Studies, began with a breakout session in which students were asked to formulate a statement to sum up the Dems’ broad principles. While some questioned whether the word “progressive” should be included in the statement, members ultimately voted to keep the word.

Member-at-large and session leader Kate L. Penner ’07 said it was not surprising that members had some difficulty finding language to encapsulate the Democratic platform.

“Republicans give the impression that they adhere to one set of values,” Penner said. “We don’t have one policy on taxes or the economy or the war in Iraq.”

After the first session, the students reassembled for a speech by Davis, a senior advisor in the communications department of the American Association of Retired People and a former deputy press secretary for the 1996 Clinton-Gore campaign. Her speech focused on the debate over the Democratic platform for the 2006 election and the rules of message-framing used by communications professionals.

“When [Richard] Nixon said, ‘I am not a crook,’ what did everyone think? That’s right, that he was a crook!” Davis said, demonstrating her rule about not using the opponent’s language.

The members also attended several sessions on policy and skills, taught by political operatives and students experienced in campaign work.

Bird, the key instructor for the sessions on political tactics, taught a crash course in campaigning. A critic of the Democratic Party’s electoral apparatus, Bird railed against what he called a “consultantocracy” in which political consultants are more concerned with making money than winning races. He also said that one of the largest problems facing Democrats is what he called a lack of qualified campaign managers.

The keynote address of the convention was delivered by Frost, a veteran Democratic congressman who was defeated in 2004 after 26 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. Frost blamed his defeat on the redistricting plan crafted by former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, who has since been indicted on a charge of criminal conspiracy.

“I might not be here if it weren’t for Tom DeLay, because I might still be in Congress. But all I can say about Tom DeLay is that I hope he has his day in court, real soon,” Frost said.

After this opening jab, Frost gave a speech outlining what he believed to be the central Democratic issues and those that he believes that the party must do a better job of addressing. He cited ways that Democrats could bolster their credentials on national security and “values,” while also calling for a renewed commitment to health care, education, energy independence, and fiscal responsibility.

Frost also said that he thought it best to wait until early 2006 to unveil a unified Democratic platform for the midterm elections.

“I’m arguing for a practical party that can build on the mistakes of this administration and put together a platform that can win,” Frost said. “Let’s be ready to go with a program, early next year, that really stands for something.”

The convention also featured the unveiling of the Dems’ new blog, “Dem Apples.” And like national party conventions, the day culminated with the unanimous adoption of a platform by party delegates who, instead of representing states, hailed from their respective freshman yards and Houses. The platform, a draft of which had been posted on the group’s website, outlined positions on key issues ranging from the economy to national security to the environment.