Daly family portrait: Chris, Sarah, Jack, and Grace Eolen Daly. Photo by Luke Thomas
By Chris Daly
April 11, 2008
Sunday, April 13, 2pm-3pm SEIU Local 1021, 350 Rhode Island, Suite 100
This Sunday, California’s pledged delegates to the Democratic National Convention will be selected in caucuses organized by congressional district. I am running to be an Obama Delegate from California’s 8th Congressional District and need your support. Any voter in the 8th Congressional District, who is a registered Democrat or willing to register as a Democrat and pledge support for Barack Obama, may attend and vote. You may leave after voting, but you must make it by 3 pm.
On Super Tuesday, right after my family’s short trip across Valencia to cast our ballots, I applied to be a pledged delegate for Barack Obama at the Democratic National Convention. While I’d been moved by Obama’s message of hope and change and the campaign’s grassroots approach, in the back of my head, I knew the Clintons wouldn’t go without a fight. A grizzled veteran of internecine political battles, I thought that I might be useful to the Obama campaign on the Convention floor.
With that day’s mixed result, the pundits, activists, and campaigns settled in for a long battle for the nomination that could go all the way to the Convention floor. But then the Obama campaign caught fire, rattling off 9 consecutive W’s, all the way from Louisiana to Wisconsin. While any other opponent would have thrown in the towel, Clinton instead decided to attack our best hope to take the White House, with the kitchen sink! Clinton’s dirty campaign operatives, including Newsom hitman Peter Ragone, were having their way.
With Obama’s lead of pledged delegates increasing to over 160 (even through Clinton’s “firewall” states of Texas and Ohio), Hillary’s route to the nomination seems nearly impossible. In her best case scenario — scoring big wins in Pennsylvania, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Puerto Rico - and minimizing losses in Obama strongholds - Clinton’s not likely to close too much within 100 pledged delegates. Meanwhile, superdelegates have been steadily moving towards Obama with the difference now less than 30, taking away Clinton’s strong advantage with Party insiders.
Team Clinton has countered this political reality by opening three fronts – each escalated in its desperation. First they argued that delegations from Florida in Michigan should be seated, despite having previously agreed the elections were not legitimate, not campaigning in the states, and knowing Obama was not even on the ballot in Michigan. Then, they took the line that if they caught Obama in the popular vote (even including Florida and Michigan but excluding caucus estimates), then superdelegates should hand her the nomination. In a most dangerous move, they then inferred that they would try to pilfer pledged delegates away from Obama, sending shivers of a stolen election through the Democratic Party. Unfortunately, these threats made the Obama campaign temporarily recoil, knocking about 900 applicants not known to them off California’s pledged delegate list. They later did the right thing and reinstated the applicants.
At this point it does feel like the Clinton campaign is trying to steal this nomination. If I am elected an Obama Delegate from California’s 8th Congressional District, I will do everything I can to prevent this from happening. My first task will be to win a seat on the Credentials Committee at the statewide delegation meeting on May 18th, in order to help ensure Florida and Michigan are not gifted to Clinton at the National Convention. I will go to Denver to fight for our candidate and for our shared progressive values. If Obama’s nomination is challenged, I will bring a fierce resolve to the Convention floor, helping to comfort those pledged to Obama and politically whipping any who waver. I will help take on any surge by Clinton to steal the nomination and will do so directly and without fear. I will do what I can to set the table so that Obama can get elected in November.
We owe a great deal to many tireless progressive organizers who have been traversing the country, working non-stop to elect Barack Obama, not just because they believe in our candidate, but also because they believe in our collective power to change this country in progressive ways. They know that electing Barack Obama is part of a larger struggle.
As many of us here in San Francisco were getting ready for a showdown on the streets of San Francisco over China’s human rights record, Barack Obama was in Pacific Heights raising money at the Getty mansion. While I understand why Obama must reach out to the corporate circles of the Democratic Party for support, we must not forget the corrosive impact these forces have had on our politics – especially here in San Francisco. Downtown special interests are used to getting their way in Democratic politics, which is why progressives need to be actively organizing for our priorities and people within the Democratic Party, and yes, within the Obama campaign and, hopefully, his administration.
Obama clearly is a candidate of significant character. His incredible netroots support frees him from much of the negative influence of money in politics. Even so, we must never underestimate the power of the system against any movement for change. If I’m sent to Denver, I will not only do everything I can to get Obama nominated; I will also do my best to represent the best in San Francisco progressive politics.
I hope to see you Sunday!
Grace Eolen Daly, 5 months.
Jack Daly, 3.
People-powered politics is sweeping across the country. From large urban centers to small towns, people are energized about Democratic politics on a level that I’ve never seen before. Consider for a moment last month’s caucus in the “red state” Kansas. Democratic turnout was nearly double that of the Republican
So what are the implications for deep blue San Francisco? We know that on Super Tuesday, San Franciscans bucked California’s trend and gave an 8-point advantage to the then-insurgent Barack Obama. Not surprisingly, turnout was up 57% over the previous, already decided primary.
With much of San Francisco’s Democratic establishment with Hillary Clinton (including Senator Feinstein and Mayor Newsom), the energy in February’s contest came almost entirely from the grassroots and from Progressive circles. Early this year we witnessed hundreds of newcomers to electoral politics join up with 7 Supervisors and the Bay Guardian set. The excitement was palpable. But, unfortunately, the Presidential campaign rushed out of San Francisco as quickly as it stormed in.
The question now is much bigger than how to increase Democratic turnout in November to help ensure an Obama victory in California. We need to figure out how to keep this people-powered politics going past any single election cycle.
I believe the Democratic Party is the most appropriate vehicle to keep this people-powered, democratic politics going.
That is why I am running on the HOPE Slate for Democratic County Central Committee. The Slate is a powerful combination of progressive reformers and grassroots activists that aims to turn the San Francisco Democratic Party into the City’s most significant progressive change agent. In many places, local Democratic Party plays this role.
But in our deep blue City, the Democratic Party plays a more minor role-- making endorsements, passing resolutions, and doing the occasional voter registration drive. In tougher times, the Party has been used as an extension of downtown, pushing bad candidates on an unsuspecting electorate while apologizing for Democratic leaders’ lack of resolve on important issues. If there ever was a time to reinvigorate our Party, to make it the force for good that most in our City believe it can be, it is now.
All the candidates on the HOPE Slate have already won the support of Supervisors Tom Ammiano, Ross Mirkarimi, Aaron Peskin and Public Defender Jeff Adachi. Now we have to take our mission to the grassroots and elect the HOPE Slate on June 3rd.
DCCC, 12th Assembly District Michael Bornstein, Emily Drennen, Hene Kelly, Eric Mar, Jake McGoldrick, Jane Morrision, Melanie Nutter, Connie O'Connor, Giselle Quesada, Arlo Hale Smith
DCCC, 13th Assembly District Bill Barnes, David Campos, David Chiu, Chris Daly, Michael Goldstein, Robert Haaland, Joe Juilian, Rafael Mandelman, Aaron Peskin, Eric Quezada, Laura Spanjian, Debra Walker
“Nader’s candidacy has a special meaning to me – because his new running mate, former San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ President, Matt Gonzalez, was my opponent in 2003 when I first ran for mayor.”
Misdirection 101Newsom quickly capitalized on the opportunity presented by Gonzalez, lavishing Matt with accolades to make the argument that “Matt Gonzalez will help Nader help the Republicans.” Now don’t get caught up on Newsom’s own Republican connections, including that donation he made to the GOP some years back. Just remember that Newsom is making this claim while he proxies for the campaign that’s spending millions hammering the likely Democratic nominee on experience, authenticity, healthcare, choice, relationship with Tony Rezko, and national security. As the now infamous 3AM ringing phone ad runs across Texas, pushing up Obama’s negatives, Gavin wants us to think that the real threat to Barack Obama is Matt Gonzalez!
“That’s why there can be no greater imperative for Democrats and progressives than uniting behind the party’s nominee. Now is the time for us to take a stand against the irresponsible and dangerous threat of the Nader-Gonzalez campaign. Now is the time to work together so we can win back the White House. Now is the time for a united front so that we may begin, finally, to reverse the incredible damage done to our country and our world by eight years of George Bush and Republican leadership.”
Now that’s how you do misdirection in politics, folks! Notice that there is no mention in his post about Clinton at all. Nothing about her stepping aside so that the Dems can present this “united front.” Not even a mention of cooling down the attacks a little bit in case Barack’s wins force Hillary to the side this week.
Peter Fucking Ragone!But wait a minute – there’s a back-story here. We know that the Clinton campaign brought their California Ace to run their Texas campaign. What I didn’t realize until I read it yesterday was that they also brought in Peter Fucking Ragone! According to the Chronicle’s Carla Marinucci, Ragone is helping Ace Smith “run media for the campaign in Texas.” You don’t say!
Peter Ragone is Gavin Newsom’s former press secretary, who was exposed for lying about his use of sock puppets to make blog comments questioning Newsom critics. Ragone also got caught in the web of lies about Newsom’s affair with his campaign manager’s wife and related substance abuse issues. After these troubles, Ragone was promoted in the administration and ultimately went to work for Newsom’s reelection campaign.
Now Ragone is helping to run Clinton’s media in Texas just as the Clinton campaign has become decidedly nasty in attacks on Obama. Ragone was well-known around San Francisco City Hall for his dirty tactics. Now it seems that Gavin’s got him doing Hillary’s dirty work in Texas. Now re-read Gavin’s post. Completely hypocritical!
On GonzalezFor those of you who don’t follow the ins and outs of San Francisco politics… Matt Gonzalez is a former President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the 11 member legislative branch of the City and County. With the return of district elections in 2000, Gonzalez and I were elected in a progressive sweep that brought 7 new Supervisors to City Hall. Newsom was one of 2 Supervisors loyal to Mayor Willie Brown to survive that election.
The new progressive majority on the Board immediately embarked on the path of political and economic reform, balancing the runaway power of the incumbent Mayor. Gonzalez was elected President of the Board in 2002 and passed a measure to increase the City’s minimum wage a year later. Gonzalez is best known for his people-powered, insurgent campaign for Mayor in 2003. Heavily outspent and with few high-profile endorsements, Gonzalez gave the mainstream media-anointed Newsom a serious scare. A rainy election day in December was the most significant single display of grassroots energy that I’ve ever seen – with thousands of San Franciscans pounding the pavement for Matt. We won on Election Day but had already lost the race with the early ballots. A bit disillusioned with local politics, Matt left the Board after his first term, as the second most powerful politician in San Francisco, saying that we may see him one day run for something he probably wouldn’t win…
In many respects, the Obama campaign in San Francisco this year had much the same feel as Gonzalez in 2003. In fact, it was hard not to reminisce with Gonzalez-backers who hit the streets of San Francisco for Obama this year.
But Barack is BestAs an unapologetic supporter of Barack Obama and friend and political ally of Matt Gonzalez, I have to admit that Matt’s decision last week is a bit awkward for me. Matt says that he’s running to elevate the issue of election reform, and we agree on the import of that. But I believe the most logical place right now for progressives to elevate important issues is within the context of the Obama campaign and the movement building around it. These are exciting times, and Obama (building on the work of Dean) has already forced significant realignment in the Democratic Party. Now his campaign is providing us with the opportunity to fundamentally change how politics works. This is way bigger than any specific issue or even who the next President will be. I wouldn’t expect Gavin Newsom to understand or appreciate this, but I wish Matt did.
Whatever.
Let’s get back to work building our movement. Obama for President!
District 6 Supervisor Chris Daly Photo(s) by Luke Thomas
By Chris Daly, special to Fog City Journal
"I know that you cannot live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. And you, and you, and you gotta give 'em hope!" - Harvey Milk
A wave of change is sweeping across this country, and you can't miss it. It hasn't just dominated every news cycle for the last 5 days. It's the talk of the town-- at cafes and bars, at work and school, on the street and at the dinner table. It's everywhere.
We are choosing hope over fear. We're choosing unity over division, and sending a powerful message that change is coming to America. You said the time has come to tell the lobbyists who think their money and their influence speak louder than our voices that they don't own this government -- we do. And we are here to take it back.
Barack Obama's watershed victory in Iowa has catapulted him into the Democratic lead in New Hampshire and, perhaps, across the country. In the last week, the stale air of inevitability has been blown away. A powerful grassroots movement for change has flipped conventional wisdom on its head.
Senator Barack Obama, leading a grassroots movement that's sweeping the nation, at a November fundraiser in San Francsco.
Even those who aren't sold on Obama as Presidential candidate acknowledge that his campaign has ignited something new. In Iowa, the youth vote tripled - most of it going with Obama. Now, as hundreds of thousands who've never before participated get energized, even the most cynical and jaded start to see where there is hope. Not only is a better world possible, with this infectious movement for change, it is on the way.
Years from now, you'll look back and you'll say that this was the moment, this was the place where America remembered what it means to hope. For many months, we've been teased, even derided for talking about hope. But we always knew that hope is not blind optimism. It's not ignoring the enormity of the tasks ahead or the roadblocks that stand in our path. It's not sitting on the sidelines or shirking from a fight. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all the evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it and to work for it and to fight for it.
Thirty years ago our very own Harvey Milk talked a lot about hope. He knew that while legislative victories were important, the true calling of a public servant was to inspire and give people hope. Even with only a couple of ordinances passed in his tragically shortened 11-month tenure, Harvey Milk may be the politician most responsible for lasting change in San Francisco history.
Over the last 7 years, building on Harvey's legacy, we've pushed the progressive agenda of change in workers' rights, housing, health care, transportation, and the environment. We've delivered the nation's highest minimum wage, universal health care, and paid sick days. We've made development work for communities by requiring significant amounts of affordable housing and other public benefits. With the big improvements made in people's lives, you'd think we'd generate enormous excitement and an outpouring of political energy. Not so. And it's not just because of the spin of political opponents and the corporate press. San Franciscans can feel a chasm between our City and the rest of the country. This dampens the hope generated by local victories.
With a national movement for change, hope is back in San Francisco. Now we have the opportunity to be a part of something bigger than San Francisco while having our work valued and our philosophy advanced. As we continue here with our agenda of change, we can do so knowing that it is part of something bigger than us. Without that, all our future work-building affordable housing to preserve our City's diversity, creating jobs for those looking for work, rebuilding our public hospital, improving City services, and protecting our environment-will be missing something.
You did this -- you did this because you believed so deeply in the most American of ideas -- that in the face of impossible odds, people who love this country can change it. I know this. I know this because while I may be standing here tonight, I'll never forget that my journey began on the streets of Chicago doing what so many of you have done for this campaign and all the campaigns here in Iowa, organizing and working and fighting to make people's lives just a little bit better.
In recent weeks I have heard from progressives who like the positions of Kucinich and from those moved by the rhetoric of Edwards. But it is no accident that the country's progressive political movement is with Obama, and that it is a movement that is strong.
As a community organizer who figured out that I could make more of a change in people's lives through electoral politics, I believe that Barack Obama is running for President for the right reasons.
The most important one, by far, is that he believes in us.
Chris Daly will be attending the rally for Barack Obama on Wednesday, January 9th, at 12 noon, on the steps of City Hall.H
Originally Posted on The Daly Blog, January 4, 2008
A single day after the close of the filing period for Mayor, Gavin Newsom did what establishment Democrats are supposed to do. He endorsed Hillary Clinton for President. Back when the threat of a progressive campaign loomed, Newsom considered supporting Barack Obama to deflect the challenge from the left. But with the Mayor’s race secure, Newsom looked to build his own fortunes in national political circles as an establishment Democrat.
With Clinton up 20 points in national polls (and with polls even showing her leading Iowa) Newsom jumped at the opportunity to affix his star to hers. Certainly being an early endorser of the next President could only help one with his own Presidential ambitions.
No matter that Hillary’s out of step with San Francisco voters on the big issues, especially the war in Iraq. Gavin’s never been there either. Considering Newsom’s opposition to grassroots efforts to impeach Bush and Cheney and his total lack of support for measures to call for withdrawal of troops from Iraq and military recruiters from our schools, Clinton really was the best match for him.
In the past month, Newsom really played up his role in the Clinton campaign with two trips to the Hawkeye State. Showcasing his own small town mettle, Newsom “charged from tiny middle school theater to weather-beaten Elks Club, from local bar to coffee art house, from Cedar Rapids to Fairfield to Solon, working phone parties and home gatherings, in the space of a few hours.” He even bragged about spending an hour and a half wooing one difficult Iowa voter. Funny how Newsom hasn’t been able to make it down the hall to a San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting.
Newsom and the Democratic establishment had their fortunes dashed tonight as Barack Obama’s sea of change swept through Iowa. Momentum from the win in Iowa, and a very strong speech at his victory celebration, should be enough to catapult him into the lead for the New Hampshire Primary and on to South Carolina. An Obama sweep of the first three states puts the Junior Senator from Illinois into frontrunner position going into California’s primary on Super Duper Tuesday in February. Clearly, this is not what Newsom and the rest of the Democratic establishment had in mind.
My interest was certainly piqued by John Edwards’ anti-corporate, populist message in Iowa. However, with the Democratic race now all but narrowed to a 2-person contest, it’s time to rally support for the upstart progressive against the status quo.
Sorry, Gavin. Barack Obama for President!
