I’ve been working with our local group of Hillary’s supporters here in Maryland since last March, and I’ve gotta admit I never thought our primary would get here. After months of volunteer meetings, phone calls, leadership group meetings, parades, phone banks, turning out at local festivals and Democratic club meetings and debates... (whew!) February 12th is nearly here. I thought I might post a little about what’s been going on here on the ground.
We’ve been busy and now that Hillary’s had such great success in fundraising since Super Tuesday, she’s starting to air ads on our local stations. I have no doubt that these ads will help increase her level of support in all three primary states (MD, DC & VA). And the debate on our local ABC affiliate (WJLA) Monday night should really help her get her message out and allow everyone to see her mighty grasp on the issues.
Governor O’Malley and Senator Mikulski hosted a big rally in Annapolis yesterday, and from what I hear it was a raging success! Make the jump for a report from one of Hillary's supporters who was lucky enough to have attended...
The rally was incredible. A diverse and energetic crowd of 300+ showed up to show their support for Hillary. Lt. Governor Brown - a young African American veteran of Iraq - kicked things off with a riveting speech telling people why he supports Hillary. Bobby Kennedy's daughter, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, sent out a call to action, urging everyone to do what they can to get out of the vote.
The support from the House of Delegates and State Senate was amazing. More than 30 elected officials packed the stage and four women leaders in the House rallied the crowded - Maggie MacIntosh, Susan Lee, Anna Sol Guitteriuz and Adrienne Jones. Ana Sol gave an energetic call to action in Spanish, urging the Latino community to hit the polls in support for Hillary.
Governor O'Malley, an early supporter, led the crowd in chants and built the already-energergized crowd to a new level before he introduced Barbara Mikulski. Senator Mikulski rarely leaves a crowd wanting and she delivered a passionate call to arms that sent supporters out into the streets and the community, ready to knock on doors, call their neighbors and turn out the Hillary vote.
One of the members of our leadership group was out before sunrise and fending off the cold, handing out stickers and greeting folks at a local metro station yesterday morning. This is the first time she's been active in a political campaign and is one of our most active members. The Baltimore Sun posted an article about her! Check it out...
Clinton supporters get early start
10:10 a.m.: Political campaigns everywhere tend to bring out devotees, and few were more dedicated to a cause this morning than Carma Wilson and... Massey.
snip
"I've just known all along from the time she was first lady that someday she was going to be president," said Massey, 59, of .... "It's been fun. It's been inspiring."
Woo Hoooo... You go girl!
By the way... the Sun got part of that report wrong. One of those women wasn’t standing – she’s in a wheelchair and was <still</em> at that metro station before sun-up, helping to get the word out about Hillary’s historic run for the White House. Now that’s dedication!
More from that Baltimore Sun on a recent event with Hillary in Arlington Friday ...
Though Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois has surged in the polls in recent weeks, he has not cracked Clinton's bedrock of support among women of her generation, the first for whom the idea of a woman becoming president was more than just a fantasy. It's an advantage her supporters in Maryland - both men and women - are seeking to capitalize on.
"I'm looking forward to the day my daughters and everyone can say the words, 'Madam President,'" Gov. Martin O'Malley said to cheers at an Annapolis rally yesterday, where he was surrounded by women officeholders supporting Clinton.
Stephanie Wong, 32, stood along a railing with her daughter, 3-year-old Iris, and husband, Joe, to watch the speech. "I was a Hillary supporter long before" the speech, Wong said. "But there's just such an energy to seeing her live that you don't see on television."
Now I’m not important enough to be on this press release, but given the star power of the folks listed, it's no wonder they didn't have the space! Take a look at the following list of supporters Hillary has here in Maryland. Note the statewide officials – as far as the top of the food chain among the party big-dawgs go, we’ve got nearly everybody on board.
Note that the Speaker Pro Tem and the Deputy Speaker Pro Tem of our House of Delegates are on board. Both are African American women with a strong base of support in their respective communities (Baltimore and Prince George’s County), where African Americans represent a majority of voters. I met both women at a house party last fall and I’ve never seen two more enthusiastic supporters!
An aide for Donna Edwards – who’s going up against Al Wynn for a seat in Congress in Prince George’s County, was at that same house party. Edwards is a netroots favorite and (I think) has a mighty good chance of unseating Wynn in Tuesday’s primary.
In Montgomery County (District of Columbia suburb) – I’m part of the leadership group of our local effort and am mighty proud of the work our group has done for Hillary in our county! We have about 1,000 people on our county-wide mailing list and support for Hillary is growing!
And in Prince George’s County (also a suburb of the District with a large African American population) their current and a former County Executive have both endorsed Hillary. The list of prominent supporters from this county is very impressive.
Clinton Campaign Announces Widespread Support Throughout Maryland
The Clinton Campaign today released a list of more than 150 elected officials, community leaders and activists in Maryland who have endorsed Hillary Clinton for President, including National Campaign Co-Chair Senator Barbara Mikulski, Maryland Chairman Governor Martin
O'Malley, National Co-Chair of Veterans for Hillary Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger and Prince George's County Executive Jack Johnson. These supporters are committed to getting-out- the-vote for the Maryland primary on February 12, 2008 and will be hosting multiple events across the state in the next several days.
STATE-WIDE OFFICIALS
# U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski
# Governor Martin O'Malley
# Rep. Dutch Ruppersburger
# Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown
# Former Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend
# Treasurer Nancy Kopp
# Secretary of Aging Gloriah Lawlah
ALLEGANY COUNTY
# James Bestpitch, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Larry Kasencamp, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Cherie Krug, Administrator and Delegate Candidate
ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY
# Ellen Moyer, Mayor of Annapolis and Delegate Candidate
# Mary Ann Love, Delegate
# Virginia Clagett, Delegate
# Pamela Biedle, Delegate
# Zina Pierre, Reverend
# J. Elizabeth (Beth) Garraway, President Emerita, Maryland
Independent Colleges and University Association
# Regina McNeill, Maryland Muncipal League
# Charles "Chuck" Weikel, Democratic Activist
# D. Brown-Sugar Stallings, Activist
# Wayne Rogers, Former State Party Chair and Delegate Candidate
# Carol Pensky, DNC Member
# Timothy O'Malley, Activist and Delegate Candidate
BALTIMORE CITY
# Bernard C. (Jack) Young, Councilmember and Delegate Candidate
# Maggie McIntosh, Delegate and Delegate Candidate
# Carolyn Krysiak, Delegate
# Catherine Pugh, Senator and Delegate Candidate
# Glenard Middleton, DNC Member
# Rochelle (Rikki) Spector, Councilmember
# Sandy Hillman, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Jon Laria, Executive and Delegate Candidate
# H. Alexander Robinson, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Cory Ruppersberger IV, Executive and Delegate Candidate
BALTIMORE COUNTY
# Lorretta Johnson, President, Maryland AFT
# Adrienne Jones, House of Delegates Speaker Pro Tem and Delegate
Candidate
# Shirley Nathan-Pulliam, Delegate, Deputy Majority Whip
# Mary Louise Preis, Former Delegate, Executive
# Marietta English, President, Baltimore AFT and Delegate Candidate
# Sheila Hill, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Flo Jones, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Johnny Olszewski, Sr., County Councilmember and Delegate Candidate
# Phyllis Panopoulos, Activist and Delegate Candidate
CALVERT COUNTY
# Alphonso Hawkins, Deputy Superintendent, Huntington Law Enforcement
CAROLINE COUNTY
# Nancy Voss, Activist and Delegate Candidate
CARROLL COUNTY
# Charles Thomas (Tom) McMillen, Former U.S. Representative
CECIL COUNTY
# Tracy Sampson, Councilmember, President of Women's Democratic Club
CHARLES COUNTY
# Virginia Benedict, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Rhya Marohn, Business Owner and Delegate Candidate
FREDERICK COUNTY
# C. Sue Hecht, Delegate and Delegate Candidate
HARFORD COUNTY
# Michael Eaves, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Joseph Tydings, Former US Senator
# Ina Taylor, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Mary Louise Preis, Former Delegate
# Dion Guthrie, Activist and Delegate Candidate
HOWARD COUNTY
# Carole Fischer, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Linda Bogard, Activist, Retired Teacher
# Shane Pendergrass, Dep. Majority Leader and Delegate Candidate
# Ann Balcerzak, Activist
# Anwer Hasan, Activist and Delegate Candidate
KENT COUNTY
# Arthur Hock, Activist and Delegate Candidate
MONTGOMERY COUNTY
# Ana Sol Gutierrez, Delegate
# Susan Lee, Delegate
# Beth Wong, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Carolyn Shawaker, Mayor, Garrett Park
# Peter Fosselman, Mayor, Kensington
# Marilyn Goldwater, Delegate
# Jennie Forehand, Senator
# Nancy Floreen, County Councilmember and Delegate Candidate
# Caroline Gonzalez, Administrator
# Nancy Navarro, President of Board of Education and Delegate Candidate
# Duchy Trachtenberg, County Councilmember
# Patricia O'Neill, Board of Education Member
# Mary Ann Keeffe, Former Deputy Under Secretary USDA Clinton
Appointee, Activist, Former Democratic Central Committee
# Ruth Spector, Former County Councilmember
# Esther Gelman, Former County Councilmember
# Valerie Palmer, Activist, Teacher
# Valerie Ervin, County Councilmember and Delegate Candidate
# Hadassah Thursz, Activist
# Steven Van Grack, Former Mayor, Rockville
# Kamala Edwards, Activist, President of Indian American Leadership
Council
# Walter Behr, Mayor, Somerset
# Jeffrey Slavin, Councilmember, Somerset
# Lesley Anne Simmons, Councilmember, Somerset
# Kathryn Porter, Mayor, Takoma Park
# Joy Austin-Lane, Councilmember, Takoma Park
# Steven Van Grack, Former Mayor, Rockville
# Michael Steed, DNC Member
# Henry B. 'Hank' Heller, Delegate
# Michael (Mike) Lenett, Senator
# Benjamin (Ben), Kramer, Delegate
# Adrienne Mandel, Former Delegate, Former President of Women
Legislators of Maryland
# Sheila Hixson, Delegate
# Rona Kramer, Senator
# Anne Kaiser, Delegate
# Richard Madaleno, Jr., Senator
# Mary Boergers, Former State Senator and Delegate Candidate
# Cheryl Kagan, Former Delegate
# Susan Ness, Former FCC Commissioner and Delegate Candidate
# Gene Counihan, Former Delegate
# Carol Petzold, Former Delegate
# Laurence Levitan, Former Senator
# Pauline Menes, Former Delegate
# Alvaro Cifuentes, DNC Member
# Ana Sol Gutierrez, Delegate
# Maria Cardone, DNC Member
# Sam Arora, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Andrew Buffenbarger, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Shu-Ping Chan, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# John Delaney, Executive and Delegate Candidate
# Mark Levy, Attorney and Delegate Candidate
PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY
# Jack Johnson, Prince George's County Executive
# Wayne Curry, Former Prince George's County Executive
# Richard Michalski, DNC Member
# Maria Cordone, DNC Member
# Maryland Secretary of Aging Gloriah Lawlah
# Charlina Watson, Councilmember, Bladensburg
# Todd Turner, Mayor Pro Tem and Councilmember, Bowie and Delegate
Candidate
# Bettyjean Bailey-Schmiedigen, Mayor, Brentwood
# Margaret Terry, Councilmember, Brentwood
# Marlene Robinson, Councilmember, Vice Mayor, Brentwood
# Darrell Miller, Mayor, Capital Heights and Delegate Candidate
# Diana Fennell, Mayor, Colmar Manor
# Anne Marie Angolia, Former Commissioner, Cottage City
# James Walls, Mayor, District Heights and Delegate Candidate
# Tracey Farrish, Councilmember, Edmonston
# Antoinette Watson, Councilmember, Glenarden
# Richard Castaldi, Former Mayor of Greenbelt and Former County
Councilmember
# Mark Matulef, Councilmember, Hyattsvillee
# Malinda Miles, Mayor, Mount Ranier and Delegate Candidate
# Gayle Snyder, Councilmember, Laurel
# Leonard Teitelbaum, Former State Senator, Silver Spring
# Carolyn Howard, Delegate, Deputy Speaker Pro Tem
# Benjamin (Ben) Barnes, Delegate and Delegate Candidate
# Malinda Miles, Mayor, Mount Rainer and Delegate Candidate
# Jacquelyn Gentry, Retired Psychologist
# Thomas Hendershot, Former County Councilmember
# Dennis Felton, Activist, Football Coach
# Peggy Magee, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Delegate Candidate
# Juanita Miller, Former Delegate
# James Rosapepe, Former Ambassador, Senate Assistant Deputy Majority Whip
# Gloria Lawlah, Maryland Secretary of Aging
# Lt. Col. Alphonso Hawkins, Deputy Director, Maryland Natural
Resources Police
# Partha Pillai, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Doyle Niemann, Delegate, Dep. Maj. Whip and Delegate Candidate
# Lisa Ransom, Executive
# Robert E. Williams, Attorney
# Daniel T. Conway
# Debra Carter, Former Asst. Secretary, Department of Transportation
# Ella Grimes, Executive
# Richard Stewart, Executive
# Thomas Senecal, Maryland Youth Council
# Angela Alsbrooks, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Sylvia Bolivar, Activist and Delegate Candidate
WASHINGTON COUNTY
# John Donoghue, Delegate and Delegate Candidate
WICOMICO COUNTY
# Jack Hughes, Activist and Delegate Candidate
# Barrie Tilghman, Mayor of Salisbury and Delegate Candidate
Like I said, she’s got a lot of Democratic party officials and activists in her corner in Maryland. I’m one of them!
Rumor has it that Hillary may visit our great state between now and Tuesday for a rally. With any luck, I can attend with my little girl – she’ll be able to say (hopefully!) that she got to hear a future president speak in person.
Maybe some day she’ll even get to meet Hillary!
U P D A T E
Ya know I forgot to mention something...
We had a volunteers meeting this morning and 150 people showed up, ready to canvass, phone bank and wave signs at busy intersections in our county.
They signed up for other efforts in the next three days as well.
I cross-posted this over on MyDD and someone left a comment saying that Hillary would be holding a Town Hall meeting in our area tomorrow, and that President Clinton would be speaking nearby as well in the afternoon.
If I get more info I'll update - in the meantime shoot me an email at HillarysBloggers@yahoo.com if you want more info.