WisPolitics 2005 Dem Convention Blog

Falk, Lautenschlager React to Straw Poll

2005-06-13T17:00:00.000-05:00

A spokesman for Attorney General Peg Lautenschlager said the AG's second-place finish in the WisPolitics Straw Poll was not an accurate gauge of her support.

"Straw polls are an amusing form of political entertainment," said Lautenschlager spokesman Mike Murphy. "This poll didn't reflect the enormous amount of enthusiasm and support that the attorney general recieved at the convention. Peg is excited about her prospects ... and is continuing to raise money and looks forward to Election Day in 2006."

A spokeswoman for Kathleen Falk, who tallied 152 total votes, or 50.8 percent, to Lautenschlager's 144, or 48.2 percent, said Falk was happy with the results.

“She is humbled by people's confidence in her,” Falk spokeswoman Lesley Sillaman said.

As for whether the results will spur Falk to run for AG, Sillaman said, “People have certainly encouraged her to do so, and she'll continue to think about it.”

See the straw poll press release

Wineke Handily Defeats Rammelt in Chairs Race

2005-06-11T16:50:00.000-05:00

The afternoon's events were laid to rest as DPW chair candidate Joe Wineke easily defeated opponent Jeff Rammelt, garnering 62 percent of the vote to Rammelt's 38 percent, according to a DPW tally.

With a total of 790 votes cast in the chair's race, Wineke won every congressional district except the 6th. "We had a good organizational structure and a strong message," said Wineke of the victory.

"The democratic party has to start playing offense instead of letting Republicans like Karl Rove define who the Democratic Party is," he added.

"I'll tell you I also put about 10,000 miles on my car."

Wineke is a former state senator from Verona, former 2nd CD candidate and a labor activist.

Rammelt couldn't be reached for comment.

Doyle Weighing All Options on Budget Vetoes

2005-06-11T16:49:00.000-05:00

Gov. Jim Doyle today declined to rule out vetoing the entire Republican- crafted budget alternative making its way through the Legislature.

When whether he would consider vetoing the entire budget bill based on inadequate education funding, Doyle said:

"I am considering all my options, there is no real language in the budget yet....It will still be a couple of weeks before there is an actual bill that somebody can start to really look at and see whether I can correct it sufficiently by partial vetoes or whether I have to veto the whole thing.

Honold Gets a Vote Despite Typo

2005-06-11T16:20:00.001-05:00

One delegate returning from the state chairman race voting noted an interesting ballot error.

Linda Honold's surname was mistakenly listed as "Honald" on the ballot, according to the tipster.

The delegate remarked that she voted for her despite the typo.

Honold, the current state party chair, ran this time with chair candidate Joe Wineke.

Official Convo Attendance

2005-06-11T16:20:00.000-05:00

According to convention organizers, the final head count for delegates and guests reached 1,200 -- 795 delegates/alternates and 405 guests. These figures do not include the many convo-goers who were seen roaming the hallways sans credentials.

Left-Wing Challenge to Doyle Won't Happen, Dane County Dem Says

2005-06-11T16:19:00.000-05:00

Following the 2nd CD annual elections in April, Margaret McEntire stepped up into the district chair position.

Being from the CD that includes Dane County, she has heard many a complaint from disgruntled state employees, Progressive Dane Loyalists and leftists fuming about Gov. Jim Doyle's agenda. But she swears she has never heard a single name mentioned as a legitimate left-wing challenger to Doyle in 2006.

"No one has name recognition," said McEntire of the crop of PD and Green potential candidates.

Falk Edges Lautenschlager in Straw Poll; Favorite Son Feingold Wins Pres. Preference

2005-06-11T15:53:00.000-05:00

Kathleen Falk and Russ Feingold both emerged winners in a WisPolitics.com straw poll of activists at the Wisconsin Democratic Party convention this weekend.

Of the 299 ballots submitted for attorney general, Falk, the Dane County who unsuccessfully ran for governor in the 2002 Dem gubernatorial primary, edged incumbent AG Peg Lautenschlager. Falk tallied 152 total votes, or 50.8 percent, to AG Lautenschlager's 144, or 48.2 percent.

See the press release including full poll results.

Doyle Speaks Up on Possible Dem AG Primary

2005-06-11T13:26:00.000-05:00

As chitter-chatter on a possible Dem AG race resonates through the convo halls, Gov Jim Doyle talked to reporters on the hot issue, saying that generally primaries can be a very good thing. Doyle indicated that they can be useful for motivating campaigners - saying that primaries help "gear up enthusiasum, they get people going and they get people focused early."

"If somebody decides to run, this is America, and that is their right," he added.

Doyle dispelled rumors that he was encouraging Dane Co. Exec. Kathleen Falk from entering the race, saying "she will look at it very closely and will make her own decision." He praised Falk for the many years they served together, including her years working as assistant attorney general.

Doyle concluded that he wants to have an AG who has a good balanced approach to law enforcement and that the most important thing is that the position is held by a Democrat.

Green Team Hits the Streets

2005-06-11T12:46:00.000-05:00

A 10-strong contingent of the Lake Winnebago Green Party arrived today, calling themselves a "Rally for Real Democracy." They are standing outside of the hall on Main Street holding signs to voice their general discontent with Gov. Jim Doyle and the current state of politics in Wisconsin.

Some of the signs hoisted read, "WITH DEMS LIKE THESE, WHO NEEDS REPUBLICANS?" and "STOP DOYLE'S GRAFT TAX." Demonstraters voiced their concerns to passerbys on issues they classified as unfair tuition increases, disgraceful treatment of students and minimum wage pre-emption.

Said one participant, "We're tired of the established parties giving us the lesser of two evils."

Day One of Active 8th CD Exploration for Nusbaum

2005-06-11T12:21:00.000-05:00

Nancy Nusbaum, the former Brown County exec who left the Department of Justice this week, explained to WisPolitics that legal ramifications, including a possible infringement on the Hatch Act, have kept her candidacy intentions on the down low. "Yesterday was my last day of work at the Department of Justice...the first opportunity I have had to explore an active candidacy," said Nusbaum.

"I'd characterize myself in the exploring phase -- there is no question about that. I mean it is pretty serious stuff when you leave your job," she added. Nusbaum said the next step would be formation of an exploratory committee.

Despite her public caution, she is all but declared as a candidate for the 8th Congressional District, according to campaign-watchers at the convention.

Several observers said they thought she would wait until after the June 30 fundraising deadline to announce, which would give her three months to catch up on fundraising before the next quarterly deadline.

Declared 8th CD candidate Jamie Wall refused to speculate on her entry into the race, but said he had known her for a long time and expected a friendly race. U.S. Rep. Dave Obey called Wall one of the state's rising stars during his speech Friday night.

When asked about recent GOP 8th CD race dropouts, Nusbaum was not aware of the news, saying she didn't follow the Republican side.

Appleton Rep. Steve Wieckert and former GB Mayor Paul Jadin have both recently announced that they are no longer exploring bids.

Convention Scenes

2005-06-11T11:34:00.000-05:00

Mercury Rising in Chairs Race

2005-06-11T10:18:00.000-05:00

During a pre-convention interview with WisPolitics, DPW Chair Linda Honold, (currently vying for 2nd Chair on a ticket with Joe Wineke) said that if opponent Jeff Rammelt were to win the chair's race, it could result in party staff cuts.

Honold's reasoning: Rammelt has indicated he plans to take the $45k - $50k salary offered to party chairs. Wineke said he will follow in Honold's footsteps, opting not to take the salary, instead pumping it into party staff building.

In terms of his chances, Rammelt foresees a close race - with each candidate winning half of the districts. "With what I have been hearing...I expect it to be a squeaker," he said today.

Wineke said he was fairly confident his planning and organization would carry him to victory. He also pointed out the discrepancy in campaign signs at the convention -- dozens of Wineke-Honold were taped to walls at the hall, compared to only a couple plugging Rammelt's campaign -- saying if signs were votes "it'd be a landslide."

The vote in the chair's race is scheduled to be completed at 2 p.m.

When the Guv's Away, Catfight Will Play

2005-06-11T00:30:00.000-05:00

Gov. Jim Doyle's hospitality suite at Arizona's Bar became a scene of drinking and debauchery after the guv left around midnight. Six people (four men and two women), ran from a hot tub adjacent to Arizona's into the bar and proceeded to have a self-proclaimed "bikini contest" in front of the stage as the all-girl band Catfight rocked out.

Unfortunately, the WisPolitics photographer had already left the party.

Similar Themes for Convention Hospitalities

2005-06-10T23:40:00.000-05:00

Other than Gov. Jim Doyle and Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton's hospitality in the hotel lounge, none of the convention hospitalities really stood out Friday night.

Red, white and blue themes dominated, appearing on balloons, campaign signs and table centerpieces in each of the first-floor ballrooms.

See a picture of the band at the Doyle/Lawton event:

The Lovely Convention Media Room

2005-06-10T23:30:00.000-05:00

With internet access out at the convention hall, bloggers and a few reporters took the skywalk across the street to the Park Plaza hotel, where free wireless access in a seventh floor business lounge saved the day. The seventh floor was also a hot spot for convention VIPs, with Sen. Russ Feingold and Gov. Jim Doyle staying on the floor.

See a picture of the media room:

Views from Above

2005-06-10T23:05:00.000-05:00

A view of the convention hall from an upper walkway during Sen. Evan Bayh's speech.

The hallway outside the convention hall.

Reaction to Bayh's Speech

2005-06-10T23:03:00.000-05:00

Sen. Judy Robson called Bayh's speech inspiring, indicating that she didn't know much about the senator before she heard him speak. "He reminds me of Kennedy" she added.

Assembly Minority Leader Jim Kreuser called his speech outstanding, saying that he managed to create many ties between Wisconsin and Indiana.

8th CD candidate Jamie Wall said he missed the speech because he was out shaking hands, but he had talked to Bayh earlier and though he was a very sharp man who would make a great presidential candidate.

No Live Webcast for Bayh

2005-06-10T23:00:00.000-05:00

Existing network problems at the convention site coupled with severe tornado-like weather in Oshkosh prevented the All America PAC from presenting a live webcast of Sen. Evan Bayh's speech, as had been planned. A representative said the All America PAC regrets any inconvenience it may have caused and said the PAC staff is working on compressing a video of the speech and and will post it as soon as possible.

Bayh Introduces His Pragmatic Philosophy to Wisconsin

2005-06-10T22:55:00.000-05:00

In his speech, Bayh created connections between Wisconsin and Indiana, saying that both states share values, dreams and concerns -- Bayh indicated that Wisconsin and Indiana both hold a strong farming and manufacturing base.

"Washington doesn't share those," he added.

Bayh said that some days when he wakes up and goes to work he wonders if he is not an ambassador to a foreign country.

He expressed disdain for the Bush policies on Social Security, Iraq and Mideast oil dependence. "We need a new Declaration of Independence and it needs to be a declaration of energy independence," Bayh said.

Bayh also expressed his concern for health care and education funding, the two major cogs of his campaign platform.

A little more biographical info about the senator:

On his wife Susan: Bayh says his Dad always told him "Son, you've continued a fine family tradition. You've out-married yourself."

On fatherhood: During the time Bayh was at the hospital as his wife was giving birth to twin boys, the media reported live on the frequency of his wife's contractions. "How the hell did they know that?" Bayh asked.

On youth: A young Bayh once received a presidential escort to the bathroom as a young child after standing up during a small family meeting with President Harry Truman (who was by then out of office) when he exclaimed "I gotta' go to the bathroom." Truman said he had to go as well and escorted the 6-year-old to the bathroom.

Doyle, Bayh Scratch Each Other's Backs

2005-06-10T22:31:00.000-05:00

Gov. Jim Doyle introduced the keynote speaker, calling the senator from Indiana a "common sense pragmatist and a champion for affordable health care." Doyle praised Bayh, saying that though he comes from a very red state, the last time he ran he got 62 percent of the vote, crushing the GOP competition.

Responding to Doyle's intro, Bayh said, "I always am surprised when I'm introduced exactly as I wrote it, so I'd like to thank Gov. Jim Doyle for sticking to the script."

Bayh went on to say he emphathized with Doyle for being in the situation that he was in. "An old saying around the circus is that the elephant act leaves a couple of unpleasant things you have to clean up. This is what your governor is dealing with now with the $1.6 billion deficit," said Bayh.

Praise for Wisconsin pols continued as Bayh hyped Sens. Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold for being one of "the best one-two punches in the U.S. Senate."

Feingold Rallies Dems, Hypes Bayh as Presidential Candidate

2005-06-10T22:06:00.000-05:00

U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold, the axe-wielding, straight-talking champion of the state Democratic party, tonight qave a speech that could be interpreted as a declaration of his intentions, or the endorsement of another Dem senator. Though Feingold has been rumored as an '08 presidential candidate, the U.S. senator also seemed to set up Sen. Evan Bayh as a contender party members could throw their support behind.

"Bill Clinton once spoke to this convention", said Feingold, "Who knows, maybe one of the speakers tonight will be the next Democratic president of the United States?" Feingold went on to call Bayh a symbol of the Democrats' new 50-state strategy, a man of unusual eloquence and a true gentleman. Both Feingold and Bayh appeared on the WisPolitics Straw Poll ballot, which asked attendees about their preferred candidate for 2008. Check back tomorrow for results.

Feingold touched on current issues facing the nation's Dems, including the filibuster on judicial nominees. Feingold criticized the compromise reached by seven Dems and seven Republicans.

"When they threatened to take away our filibuster it was like someone putting a gun to our head and saying 'give me $1,000.'"

"And what did we do with this deal?" he asked, "We said - take $800."

Feingold asked gruffly, "What would fighting Bob (LaFollette) have done?"

Feingold went on to promote the agenda supported by his Progressive Patriots Fund PAC agenda, directing supporters to his website which includes a petition on CAFTA. Feingold called CAFTA basically NAFTA on steroids. Supporters hoisted signs promoting the Progressive Patriots Fund, which read "Stop CAFTA" on the reverse.

See a post below for more on the PAC's new CAFTA push.

In Praise of Deep Throat

2005-06-10T21:28:00.000-05:00

U.S. Rep. Dave Obey used his convention speech to praise Mark Felt for his contribution to American politics.

Obey said Felt, the former FBI official known as "Deep Throat," chose an opportune time to reveal himself.

"At no time since Watergate have we needed a more stark reminder" of the benefits of openness in governnment, Obey said, comparing the present-day administration to that of former President Richard Nixon's, saying both were run by a small circle of "ideologues."

"I want to simply raise a glass and thank Mark Felt," Obey said. "He has reminded us of the dangers of excess secrecy."

During Obey's administration-bashing, he was interrupted by a lone delegate who shouted "Impeach Bush!" which was greeted by a brief scattering of applause.

Baldwin a Top '04 Vote-Getter

2005-06-10T21:15:00.000-05:00

U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin thanked the crowd for helping her to get more votes than any other Democratic representative last year.

"Thank you 2nd Congressional District Democrats for making me the highest Democratic vote getter in the nation," Baldwin said. "253,627, but who's counting?"

Baldwin also criticized the Republican party for looking out for a narrow group of interests (HMOs, pharmaceutical concerns and credit card companies, to name a few), instead of being concerned with the well-being of all citizens.

"They've taken care of the outsourcers and the traitors and the military-industrial complex," she said, and said Democrats needed to be focused on working for the common good.

Obey Gets Help from Edwards

2005-06-10T20:40:00.000-05:00

U.S. Rep. Dave Obey has a fundraiser with former veep candidate John Edwards scheduled for Sunday in Wausau. Obey will introduce Edwards at the Plaza Hotel in Wausau at 1:30 p.m. and the senator will speak and answer questions from the audience. The event is expected to last two hours and is Edwards' only stop. "Gold Circle" members of Obey's "Better Way Club" may attend a reception before the speech, and Edwards is expected to sign autographs at 3:30 p.m. Individuals may attend for a cost of $50 and couples will be charged $75. Those are annual membership fees.

"The Better Way Club is Dave Obey's individual fundraising arm," says campaign treasurer Marlys Matuszak. "He started it in the early '70s as a better way to raise individual dollars." Last year's speaker was author Jim Hightower. Previous speakers include Congressman John Lewis, Sen. Edward Kennedy and then-First Lady Hillary Clinton.

"It really gives the audience the chance to meet people of national stature and ask them basically anything they want," Matuszak says.

AG Fired Up to Run Again

2005-06-10T20:37:00.000-05:00

As media and politicians alike continue to question her political viability and future as a candidate, an energetic and politically-charged Peg Lautenschlager seized the attention of the convention -- delivering a heated speech to a roaring crowd, blasting critics and conservatives for labeling her an activist attorney general.

"Do they want a passive one?," she asked.

"If an activist attorney general is one who emphatically believes that now is the time for the war on all public employees to be over - than I am an activist attorney general.

"If an activist attorney general is one who takes tough stands on women's rights, global warming, against the underfunding of child left behind and who calls the law as I see it... consequences and conventional wisdom be damned... I am an activist attorney general.

"I look forward to continuing to serve as your attorney general"