So what happens at these DNC meetings?

Most of the action, I think, takes place in the caucus meetings, the council sessions, the trainings, the receptions, the elevators, and, of course, the bars. We do however, have a standard meeting, although it's highly choreographed. Sort of like the convention although on a much, much smaller scale. Here's what it's like:

Imagine a big ballroom. On the stage in front is a table with a podium. American flags behind the table stand out against the black backdrop. Large video screens are set on each side of the "officer table."

Skinny tables are set up in rows, with the water pitchers and glasses that you find at any major meeting. The skinny tables have cards on them that name the states; one card at each place. Each state is allocated the same number of places as delegates, plus a couple extra for executive directors.  A row of seats is reserved for the press at the back of the room, and behind the press, seats for guests. There's no real security except they ask for delegates to be able to sit up front.

Dean took the podium and banged the gavel several times, asking people to sit down. (It can be kind of a rowdy group.)  The meeting started with an invocation. A high-school group presented the colors. The group recited the Pledge of Allegiance (a standard at all Democratic meetings), and we had a moment of silence for the troops killed in Iraq--particularly poignant today in light of the recent deaths of 10 Marines, one of whom was related to one of our staffers at the Democratic Party of Oregon.

The Mayor of Phoenix welcomed all of us. We unanimously adopted some relatively minor bylaw changes. A delightful young woman took the podium. She is one of the new DNC-paid organizers and is working to organize the Pueblos, Apaches, and urban Native American populations in New Mexico. If the people we're hiring are anything like her, I'm totally impressed. She was articulate and poised!

She introduced a video, and while the audio worked, the video didn't. Dean quipped, "I didn't know Karl Rove was running the video."

We skipped the video, and another of the new organizers took the stage--this one from Mississippi. She said that the organizers quadrupled the staff of the Mississippi Democratic Party and that precinct organizing was being done even in the areas damaged by Katrina. She mentioned that Gov. Barbour had called a special election to fill four vacant state legislature seats: Democrats took all four. DNC members loved her story  about Dean doing a fundraiser where they planned for 400, hoped for 500, but 1000 people showed up for the fancy fundraising dinner and they had to send out for pizza.  

Dean took the podium again and talked a little about Katrina, saying that one of the things that was so traumatizing about it is that America has always been considered a country of great competence. And wow, did that idea get shot down!

Dean announced that the DNC's next meeting will be in New Orleans April 22-23. (You are all invited!)

There's more, but I need to get to the airport. If there's wi-fi, I'll do another installment, otherwise it will have to wait until later.