As I said, there was no system for accomodating the rank-and-file.  A lack of such a system, and an unwillingness to create one, indicates a disinterest in including the rank-and-file.  Or at least an aversion to change.  They should've reacted to the public interest and established a procedure for allowing us to attend.  Instead, they deliberately misinformed us.  

I did stay for the Vice-Chair session. That certainly WAS an empty room!  I'm glad I did, though.  Those were the most interesting speeches to me because the candidates talked more about party policies and procedure and there was a little less theatrical.  Or maybe it just seemed that way because there was no press and all the observers left.

Interestingly, I was not even aware that the Vice-Chair candidates were speaking until I arrived there.  The NYSDC had told me the session would last until noon.  We had told those who had contacted Driving Votes that the session would last until noon, so I suppose most of our attendees had only planned on staying until then. I think it was  Nancy Jane Woodside who mentioned that it was the first caucus the VC candidates had been invited to speak at!