Some form our delegation didn't show, I'm sure there were many others of similar issue.
I was curious why so few stayed for the Vice-Chair session. We need excellent Vice-Chairs and I do recall the shirts from the morning, but not the afternoon.
Our committee was told that the list was closed off (we had our names in two weeks in advance) for space and space alone. I'm glad you got in, but I'm curious why it is this session didn't have a central organizing committee that set up how to handle these inquiries. Instead of it having been a personal issue with rank and file it simply seemed in need of more structure before the event to ensure that everyone who wanted to attend could attend.
I want to say though that the people who worked the caucus were very patient and gracious, and they and Elena handled very well what otherwise could have become messy. I loved the fact that there were so many really young people working there; They're the future of this party. I was so glad to have gotten the chance to attend; it was truly a wonderful experience.
(I personally didn't stay because I had a 12 year old who had a soccer game to get to, but some of the driving votes folks did go back to watch the afternoon session.)
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!
