This weekend, (Friday and Saturday), Colorado Democratic activists and delegates met for its Presidential Election Year Conventions and Congressional District (CD) Assemblies. The difference between an Assembly and Convention is that the Assembly nominates candidates seeking state office to a primary and a convention elects delegates. This year the Democratic Convention was held in Loveland Colorado, situated about fifty miles north of Denver, CO along I-25 in Larimer County which is home to both, Ft. Collins. At the State Convention Bernie Sanders’ campaign picked up two more delegates than originally projected after March 1st Caucus night from an original 8-6 split to a 9-5 split on the at-large apportionment. Plus another National delegate path called a pledged PLEO (Party Leader & Elected Officials---officially defined as big city mayors (minimum city population of 250,000); state-wide elected officials; state legislative leaders, state legislators, other state, county and local elected officials, and party leaders (including precinct committee people) that also went from the original projection of 5-3 split to 6-2. Bottom line was even though or despite a highly publicized spring snow storm over three days across the state over 95% of Bernie delegates, most brand new to the political system, attended. While less than 91% of Hillary supporters attended the State Convention. You can read a professional summary here from the Denver Post, (John Frank reporting and whom interviewed me though the quote he liked didn’t make the cut), where I said:
The difference between the caucus system and the primary system is that the primary measures popularity on one day, while the caucus process measures commitment over a couple of months. Both are integral to determining who is the strongest candidate from a party, popularity is one measure but not exclusive nor is it the best determination. When I hear the declaration that Hillary has received more raw votes it is like comparing apples to pineapples as apples grow on trees in bushels and pineapples grow in the ground one fruit at a time; Caucus states by design have a much lower turnout because of space, time and its process but it still is a democratic process where there is an election of delegate representation. Primaries have more of a direct democracy process but still results in a delegate representative process. Yet, what the caucus measures is the intangible of electoral commitment other words known as enthusiasm, while primaries measure popularity and we know popularity is more perishable than commitment; popularity vs enthusiasm.
After it was concluded he pointed to me and said, Bernie commitment won the day, the storm was the same for everyone. The night before Congressional District 5 met. It is comprised of 85% from El Paso County, (66% of the population is made up of Colorado Springs, CO) where the neighboring mountain high country counties of Fremont (Canon City), Chaffee (Salida), Teller (Woodland Park and Cripple Creek) and parts of Park County (Hartsel) make up the rest of the 15%. Meeting at adjoining hall 316 out of 367 selected delegates convened their Assembly and Convention.
When the final tabulation was made 210 voted for Bernie Sanders, 104 for Hillary Clinton and two had spoiled ballots where they failed to mark a preference. The final was 66.46% up 3.5% from the El Paso County (and the other outlying counties) conventions a month earlier. The split remained 3-2 as what was projected on caucus night but it was closer than most people realized. If ten less Hillary delegates would have failed in showing up with the 210 Sanders vote, or if all 332 Sanders delegates would have shown and four less Hillary delegates would have failed to attend, the delegate apportionment would have flipped 4-1. In short 91.34% showed up for Bernie, while only 76.47% made it for Hillary. Overall Bernie increased his pledged delegate count to 41-25 and officially carried Colorado despite the superdelegates also known as unpledged PLEO’s.
That is the summary onto the narrative of the two days, now what happened on the floors.
I started out by getting out of my high school by Noon after proctoring another round of standardized state tests, Friday were make ups. The weather forecast was the major news for the last couple of days predicting all sorts of trouble beginning in the mid-afternoon. Traveling up the front range also involves cutting through Denver metro which like all major cities simply has horrible traffic jams, especially on Friday afternoons!
I had things to do before going up but was able to out of town by 12:45 pm with a 2 ½ hour or more drive ahead. I had volunteered to be at the registration table for CD5 as both a party leader and Bernie delegation representative and needed to be there by 3:30 pm. At the time the weather was clear as is pictured here.
Arriving at Loveland’s “The Ranch” which is a modern campus of a indoor sports and convention center, side meeting halls that also provide their county’s fair grounds and other places of assembly. The main event the next day was going to be at the Budweiser Center, apropos since Budweiser has a major bottling facility in Ft. Collins to the chagrin of Coors Brewing in Golden. But most of Coloradoan’s now drink some form of craft beer by choice though none of them have the capital to purchase the naming rights of some stadium. We were meeting at the adjoining First National Bank Building where also there was multiple registration tables for other CD Assemblies and Conventions plus the next days State Convention without the assistance of signs or directives. You simply had to come and start asking people randomly where to go. Colorado’s Democratic Party really takes to heart of its kindred ancestor where Colorado Springs has a shrine on his behalf; Will Rogers, when he famously quipped:
"I am not a member of an organized political party. I am a Democrat." OR "I don't make jokes. I just watch the government [and or political events] and report the facts."
I made it in time for the Judicial District 4 Assembly (again El Paso and Teller Counties) where no business was actually to be had, but still there was supposed to be a meeting, but there wasn’t a quorum. It was humorous that two willing citizens took charge and made the effective statement that anything and everything was moot, and the Democratic Party did not have a candidate to face the incumbent Republican District Attorney Dan May anyway. Well that is the sad part of living in one of the most Republican dominated counties in the US---someday the political winds of change will eventually emerge---it always does-—but when?
After that Anne Schmidt and the El Paso County Party officers arrived and we set up our CD 5 registration table on the fly. I sat next to Michael Perez, a mid 30s professionally looking Latino HRC supporter and quite capable and a fair-minded politico. To my left was Cynthia Pulham, Bernie Campaign’s local volunteer leader, and next to her was Shari Zabel, a former USAF pilot, now an equity activist and candidate for House District 16, who also happens to be a transsexual. What is great is the party has openly accepted her. Finally, at both ends of the four banquet tables put together was Jane Ard Smith, our credentials committee chairwoman and Greg, (not Jim) Liverman, Teller County’s Democratic Chairperson and the other credentials committee member who was in charge of Alternates registration. (He ended up representing the entire Teller County delegation). Registration went as smooth as it could when something is completely manual and labor intensive, but in the end we had 320 register, (had four spoiled ballots and two came in after alternates were seated) so the total vote was 316, 87.19% of the 367 possible. As I said earlier, Bernie delegates and alternates showed up at 91% to Hillary’s, 77.94%. (These numbers were updated from Greg Liverman.)
Eventually all the alternates, all fifteen from Sanders and five from Hillary, were seated as delegates and the meeting began. I knew then that unless a significant portion of Hillary delegates changed their vote we would not move the delegate count from 3-2 to 4-1. I went over to the paid staffer of the Hillary campaign and shook his hand saying it appears you held on (barely) what I thought was by ten, it was actually, nine. Even if we had 100% attendance with their attendance we would have fallen short as well and I told that to our volunteer leader, Cynthia, which made her emotionally happy that she did everything possible and that 91% was exceptional.
During, the count for the Presidential Preference balloting where I was asked to observe with with Joe Harmon, a self-employed small business owner who is leading a crowd funding enterprise to assist in the funding of our national delegates to Philadelphia, Joe did most of the actual counting. He was joined with Perez, Leverson and Anne Schmidt as I simply observed. I almost missed my personal introduction for the election of PRESIDENTIAL ELECTOR, (the delegate to the Electoral College from CD 5), which I had campaigned actively for. It actually worked out since I was introduced a few moments later, by the Chair saying oh there is Bob Nemanich he was working the ballot count. The next day I would find out that I indeed was elected to the ceremonial, but necessary position, to cast one of nine Electoral Votes, subsequent to the election in the event a Democratic Party nominee carried Colorado in its popular vote on November 1st. In Colorado the Elector is compelled by statute to vote for the winner of the popular vote in the state so it is merely by Constitutional Statute a person who is NOT an elected Federal official or contractor---meaning ordinary citizen.
The convention seemed to be going well until we got to the nominations for US Congress. Two Berniacs were facing off against each other, both political novices, Misty Plowright, a former Microsoft professional and medically discharged from the army who also happens to be a transsexual and Donald Martinez. Because they had not been introduced and many delegates had already voted Kathleen Ricker, the Convention and Assembly chair made up a rule to allow a revote. There is a revote provision in the Presidential Preference balloting, but not in the Assembly rules, yet she declared one anyway. Rick Fornander. the Chair of the Permanent Organization Committee (Rules), finally came to realize after being questioned about this exceptional procedure as to allowing a revote where he said, indeed there is one for the Convention, (Presidential Preference Poll), but not in the Assembly, which is about nominations to the primary. So Kathleen Ricker sought to entertain a motion which again broke all sorts of Robert’s Rules procedures, for this revote that was not in the rules.
(What was actually necessary was a three part procedure. First a point of order, then a motion to suspend the rules, which needed a discussion and then a vote. Then an another motion to amend the rules, and again a discussion and vote. Finally, the motion to amend the rules for a revote and again discussion and vote.) I tried to get Misty’s attention whom I felt had already secured a sizable lead to intercept this veiled display of ignorance but to no avail. She allowed it go forward and truthfully it mattered little. Each candidate simply needed 30% to get on the primary ballot and that seemed to be in the cards anyway. When the revote was finished Misty still finished at 51% and many Berniacs were educated to how not being knowledgeable of procedures can effect the outcome. This revote issue would arise as a rumor the next day but never materialize in deed.
Finally we got to the phase where many came for besides voting for Bernie; the election of National Delegates. It was determined that the split remained 3-2 and there were over 100 seeking to be selected to Philly.
More details, the DNC and state had mandated that three women and two men would be selected from this CD. Each of us could vote for one male and two women, for Bernie. We lined up and were given just the opportunity to just introduce ourselves by name. Some were imaginative and other’s gracious. My good friend and party cohort, Mike Maday, had campaigned actively for his third trip to the National Convention. We were near the back of the line with our paper ballots in hand and since our names were close to each other I joked pointing to each box on the sheet, “who should spend $6000 on a working vacation?” Back and forth I pointed like eennie minnee mynnie moe, and finally I placed an X next to his name. He thanked me and subsequently he was elected---no shit. We later joked that the difference was actually our last name placement where at a craft brewery later that night a person admitted to him he was going to vote for me and Mike but was told he could only vote for one and stopped after Maday. Whatever, I really was conflicted about going and spending all the money that I didn’t have at the moment.
When the ballots were collected it was time to adjourn and get on the road for I was staying 30 or so miles south in Westminster, CO at my sister-in-law’s home. The weather was rainy but the Interstate was passable and getting on the road by 9:30 was a gift. By the time I started getting into the northern suburbs of Denver the rain turned to snow and within a few miles it was all snow with snow covered streets and grass. The next morning up at 5:30 and on the road by 6:30, all good until I realized I had forgotten my credentials on the night stand that was essential. Dammit, turnaround and race back about a third of the way out and back again. The import was that I was invited to attend Senator Michael Bennet’s breakfast and talk before the convention and now would be late. I wanted to talk about the obvious political situation with the Senator where he foolishly endorsed Hillary Clinton on caucus night facing a tight reelection year as 60% of the Democratic voting electorate sided with Bernie. This is a sign how surprised the leadership was to the Bernie movement, more on that later.
I had already been told Michael’s endorsement was now becoming as soft as possible, stating that he would vote for the one with the most elected delegates at the end. Michael should have been more forceful with his uncommitted status at the breakfast as we shall see. I was able to reach him in person but he was already inundated with enthusiastic Bernieacs pushing hard for him to switch his vote or endorsement. Here is a selfie if us together as we talked with him about reaching out to my daughter who is now educator who was now returning to college to get her teaching degree. She had worked for him at a local constituency office and was willing to do campaign work for him in the summer. She will be needed. What is most intriguing is I talked with another super delegate who voiced a concern that Hillary Clinton’s internals are getting worse as her fav’s and unfav’s are like 2-to-1 in the wrong way and it better turnaround or something is going to get serious. Serious politicians are as cold as cunning as any business professional and will show nice on the outside but on the inside they are cold realists. Bernie’s amazing fund raising, his voter growth and now his polling is changing minds. Just have to get the delegates into a striking zone and things will change in a heartbeat just like 2008.
The State Convention would soon begin about 9:30 AM or so with it ceremonies and speeches. Voting Presidential Preference was done by a credential tear off where you signed your name and placed it in a box marked Sanders or Clinton.
El Paso was seated on the floor but all the way in the back which I actually liked as I could chum with the press and other dignitaries who might walk by. Just before the meeting was commenced Bernieacs staged a traditional Democratic Demonstration walking around the entire convention floor showing with their numbers strength. At this time I was talking with my friend, Michael Maday, who was still campaigning not knowing he had already won a delegate spot. He was up front near the stage with John Gudvagen, a former CO Springs School Board Member twice, (two different districts), and whom I spoke with at the Bennet breakfast about my district. John is now a big shot at Denver University. I then had the sheer gall to climb up onto the empty stage and take a few pictures.
Soon thereafter the first big speakers started beginning with Senator Michael Bennet whereupon the political fireworks began. Michael was not a minute into his speech where his family and friends framed him on stage, when spontaneously the 63% Bernieacs on the convention floor erupted. Remember maybe half of them were registered as a Democrat over the last couple of years, most last year, 90% or more attending a convention for the first time. They were dissenting in a traditional democratic disorderly demonstration, cutting him off completely chanting; “CHANGE YOUR VOTE!”
The first demonstration is pictured here at the start. Two more times Michael Bennet was interrupted with the same chant from something he said and finally he actually acknowledged it after the third time saying he was hearing their voices. How could he not. Many Hillary supporters were not amused and tried to cheer back but with 36% in the room it was muted. Later my party regular friends strongly expressed how rude it was. I strongly disagreed stating that a convention is an open political forum where leaders have to hear the voices and sentiment of their constituency and not only the other way around. They of course are partisan and further I feel are starting to feel deeply the inevitable nomination and election slipping away. My final reply was rudeness is when you are at your great aunts visiting or insulting a neighbor not political expression decrying a political mistake. Michael’s statement was similar when quoted in the press, Denver Post:
In an interview after his speech, Bennet said "their message was very heartfelt," but he demurred on the question of whether he would pledge support to Sanders. Instead, Bennet clarified that he would support the candidate that wins the most pledged delegates in the primary race. "There's a time and place for a debate," he said, referring to the chants. "And this is a time and a place for people to let their voices be heard — for me to hear those voices. And I think that's what was accomplished today."
Good for you Michael, glad you are hearing it now, now do something bold that will lead you to take command of your reelection. The next major speaker was former Secretary of Interior, former Senator and former Attorney General, Ken Salazar. The cowboy hat cladded surrogate for Hillary Clinton and spoke eloquently until he too was interrupted strongly when he screwed up pushing too hard his partisanship. Salazar then pivoted right on stage and complimented Senator Sanders and his supporters and sought unity where the crowd cheered him. Even the reporters chuckled how he suddenly changed his dance routine on stage. Salazar is rumored to be preparing for a run at Governor’s mansion, he sure has made the rounds. I wish Cary Kennedy, the former State Treasurer would entertain a run for the mansion instead. (Cary if you like I could introduce you deeply into the Bernie network they would embrace you.)
The convention then got into the smaller positions, those seeking nominations for Congress, and then those seeking DNC delegate spots. Our county Chairwoman Kathleen Ricker was running for DNC National Delegate (a super delegate) but she was an unabashed Hillary supporter and realized that 63% was going to be a tough climb, to gain their votes, especially when there were strong Bernieacs running too. Trouble is their term does not begin until after the National Convention but it still sends a UUUGE message. One uncommitted super delegate is Anthony Graves, the mayor of Denver’s staffer he remains independent. We had a long conversation near the end of the convention and we discussed the Bernie dynamics. He is under a lot of pressure but I think he is coming out and will be with Bernie before it is over. Of all the speakers it was State Representative (HD-31), Joe Salazar, no relation to Ken, who stole the show that day with is powerful speaking presence and convictions in support to Bernie. His power transformed the crowd into hope with two strong Bernie candidates.
Time dragged on when I was approached by some anxious Bernie volunteers who had heard that the Party was considering a move for revote as they hoped many Bernie delegates had left because of the storm now waging to the south along the front range.
I immediately sought out Shelia Canfield Jones who is from Park County and one of our political whips in the Bernie campaign. She said she had heard the same so they had installed volunteers at the doors to educate any leaving Bernie delegates of the import to stay. I went out to check on it and indeed there were two volunteers who did just that, as I was leaving the building. I told them I was checking on them and also was going to take the opportunity to visit my car just outside the building. On the outside of the building was a self-appointed volunteer using a bullhorn and humor as the last line of Bernie defense to keep delegates inside until it was over. I took the opportunity to sneak back into the convention with contraband trail mix, oh no I broke the house rules along with my plastic water bottle.
By 2:00 all the speakers had spoken and finally Rick Palacio the State Chair announced we would finally be voting for National Delegates. The threat of revote was over and it was announced that Bernie had won 63% of the present delegates increasing his delegate split by two. This was a stunning defeat for the Hillary camp and party leaders who have sided with this campaign. Hillary supporters again failed to show up where the vote now changed by 4%. I had heard that 2200 plus were seated and this meant again Hillary’s attendance was below 75% to Bernie’s over 90% allowing this pickup through alternates being seated and change of apportionment. The weather was the same for everyone and those who stayed in hotels or overnight the same cost or availability. The difference was enthusiasm of support, something not manufactured.
As the line began the party officials began to announce the winners of the CD elections so people wouldn’t
vote again for someone who had already won. It was then I heard the announcement of CD5, Angelina Hagan, Jene Hanna and Mike Maday as Bernie Delegates, followed by Robert Nee ma….as the Party Secretary was having trouble with mispronouncing of my last name where I exclaimed:
“Nemanich, that is me!” Where upon many friends all around yelled “Yeah Bob!”
Ironically Judi Ingelido, my HD-18 Party Chair and the lead Hillary volunteer along with Michael Perez, were chosen. I had helped Judi identify HRC delegates so she could campaign efficiently and I had worked alongside Perez at the registration table. Angelina was one of the lead supevolunteers for Bernie’s campaign which proved a point, all who were elected served in high profile selfless roles during the campaign. Those who go to the National Convention do so because they worked at it, that was same in 2008 and 2012. Saturday’s results won’t be released until Tuesday and I could still could be on the hook for the $6000 convention charge if I was elected to the at-large selection, but I doubt it.
As people settled in to vote for DNC Delegates, pledged PLEO’s, National Delegates and at-large Electors I had the opportunity to sit down for an extended time to talk to fellow party leaders. One who asked not to be identified wanted to know my insights to the Bernie movement and Bernie voter. I told him or her that they had literally come out of the woodwork. They were many disgruntled or disenfranchised voters, many former unaffiliated or unregistered voters, 50% of El Paso’s delegation changed their affiliation or registered for the first time in 2015---the DELEGATES HERE right now. This fellow PLEO was amazed having heard I had down some research and worked with them. That they are not trusting party players or the party process and instead being critical of them, I said better find ways to embrace them and bring in their voice and agenda. That they are more powerful and consider it similar to the tea party movement on the right as a change dynamic. This PLEO looked at me and knew I was real. I was asked if I agreed with them and I said this:
“I agree with everything Bernie says AND am willing to vote and do something like work for him as opposed to saying I agree with everything Bernie says but support Hillary anyway...”
We laughed but both agreed what I said was too true. So then I inquired how do I help you get off this sinking Hillary Island that you are on? What was said was revealing for all you who have a vote still in the game.
He or she needs for Bernie to get closer to Clinton as in real close in elected delegates to begin switching or at least going uncommitted.
I then found Anthony Graves another superdelegate and we had a deep conversation about the Bernie movement. He too is moved and knows that Bernie’s fund raising model is a real game changer. I said liberating and he said money whether it is from big donors or small is never liberating but small donor crowd sourcing aligns with Democratic values and voters and therefore the way to go. The thing is it might free up officials from always raising or begging for money from big donors. But this will change the candidate profile. We then went into where this is going and I said, it depends. It could go the way of ‘00 a battle over hardened partisans or like ‘08, and an expanding electorate. We then discussed the super delegate problem and how it can be diminished or replaced. There are no easy methods except the answer is trusting the electorate more and not less.
I finally made my way to the car so I could return back to my sister-in-law’s home to visit with them, their neighbors for dinner and also my son who is staying with her as he gets settled in his first professional job in Denver.
My thoughts were that this whole dynamic has really started to change. That at least in Colorado, some party and political leaders were beginning to take a serious note of the Bernie’s Movement and how this could be change into presidency. I will also say I truly believe there is a silent 500 lbs gorilla in the room with Hillary’s cell phone and email server. She could be a spoiled candidate and that is reality. Tuesday is a big day, if the voters give Bernie and the nation a Michigan surprise my bet is that all bets are off. This will be interesting .