Donkey Tails
 By Maury Goodman
October 2007
 For the "Warrenville Today" Newspaper

Signatures needed to get candidates on the Ballot

In order to get onto the primary ballot on February 8^th, 2008, all candidates, including Presidential candidates, need to gather signatures of registered voters. I am collecting signatures for several candidates in the 14^th Congressional District this weekend. One of the petitions includes my own name, as I am part of a slate of five delegate candidates (in 14CD) who prefer Bill Richardson for President of the United States. The most common question that I get when I ask people to sign is, “Isn’t he already on the ballot?” No-one is on the ballot yet, and everyone needs to collect signatures for their name to appear on the ballot. The number of signatures differs for each office. The delegate slate in District 14 needs 180 signatures. Signatures will be turned in October 29^th. If you are willing to sign petitions to get Democratic candidates on the ballot this weekend, please call me (Maury Goodman) at 630-393-2431 so I can drop by.

Richardson in a Nutshell

In previous Donkey Tail columns, I have described the background and views of all of the Democratic Presidential Candidates except Bill Richardson. I will devote one of my future columns to cover him in more detail. He is a former Congressman and also Secretary of Energy during the Clinton administration and a former Ambassador to the United Nations. He is presently governor of New Mexico. While I like the other major candidates, it is his vast knowledge and activism in foreign affairs which appeals to me in this increasingly dangerous world, thus making Bill Richardson my top choice.

Winfield Township Bowling Fundraiser November 10

The Winfield Township Democratic Organization is holding a bowling party and fundraiser at 7:30 pm on Saturday November 10^th. It will be at the Bowling Green Center, 30W150 Roosevelt Road, West Chicago Illinois. At 7:30 pm they will meet in the Leland Room for appetizers, soft drinks and a cash bar. At 9:00 pm there will be three games of bowling. The requested donation is $35 per person and shoe rental is included. The theme of the party is “Countdown to Election 2008”.

Chairman of Dupage County Democratic Party Resigns

After previously announcing that she wouldn’t run for reelection as chair of the Democratic Party of DuPage County in 2008, Gayl Ferraro announced her resignation as party chairman on September 13^th. Vice-chairman Rob Bisceglie became acting chairman. Gayl was in her 6^th year as chairman, and during that time, she worked diligently to promote the interests of the Democratic Party of DuPage County, and its members and candidates. She was always listening to people and trying to get things going in support of our candidates and ideals. In a letter to committeemen about her resignation, she expressed frustration at one of the candidates to replace her. Her letter can be found at http://www.dupagedemocrats.org/ferraroletter.pdf

Special Meeting October 30 to elect new party chairman

A special meeting has been called to elect a new party chairman on Tuesday October 30^th at 7:30 pm. It will be at the Wheaton Community Center, 1777 Blanchard Road, Wheaton 60187. Vice Chairman Rob Biscelgie will be one candidate. If there is a contested race, the voting will be done by weighted vote. This means that each Democratic committeeman will get the number of votes that were cast in the last Democratic primary in their precinct. If Rob is elected chairman, there will need to be a vote for a new first vice-chairman. All committeemen, both elected and appointed can vote in this election. Since she expressed a preference, former chairman Ferraro also announced a moratorium on appointing new committeemen.

Two candidates for Party Chairman in March 2008

There are two announced candidates for Party Chairman at the party convention which will be held in March 2008, a month after the party primary. The winner will serve as party chairman of the Democratic Party of DuPage County from 2008-2010. Rob Bisceglie, the current acting chairman has announced his intention, and also Robert Peickert, one of the leaders in organizing “Operation Turn DuPage Blue.” At the 2008 party convention, it will again be a weighted vote, but at that election, only elected precinct committeemen will be allowed to vote, a much smaller number than the total in the county.

Much Ado about Nothing

It would be correct to say that the Democratic Party of DuPage County has been in turmoil for much of this year. There have been contentious meetings, factions, angry letters, silly emails, hacks, accusations, denials, etc. If I was writing a column on local Democratic issues and events, which I am, then these things would make great fodder for long stories about the different approaches to building the Democratic Party, as well as dramatic (but pointless!) stories about these events. There certainly are some underlying different ideas and approaches about how the Democratic Party can build itself, and try to elect some of our great candidates. I could take the point of view that we shouldn’t “air our dirty laundary in public”. It has been pretty public, however, with articles about some aspects of the situation in the Daily Herald. However, I do take the point of view that the present fuss has more to do with personality and misunderstanding than any fundamental issue facing Democratic candidates or voters in DuPage County. Therefore it is better left responded to with a Brooklynesque “Fogedaboutit”. We should continue to try to build an effective organization whoever thinks they are “controlling” it. I think the Democratic Party of DuPage County will take the flavor of its workers, and not its leaders.

Feedback

It is welcomed and appreciated maurygoodman@dupagedemocrats.org