Five Candidates Address DNC Fall Meeting
Clinton Absent Due to Hostage Situation    < Return to photo page ...Next >
November 30, 2007--Members of the Democratic National Committee gathered at the Sheraton Premier at Tysons Corner in Vienna, VA on Nov. 29-Dec. 1 for the party's Fall Meeting, its last full gathering before the 2008 Convention in Denver, Colorado. 
A highight of the meeting was speeches by the presidential candidates on Friday.  Campaigns were allowed to bring 100 signs into the hall.  They also set up informational tables outside and held "Meet the Campaign Manager" sessions during the lunch break.  Gov. Richardson, former Sen. Edwards, Sen. Obama, Rep. Kucinich and Sen. Biden addressed the DNC members.  Sen. Clinton was scheduled to speak last, but at about 2 o'clock DNC Chairman Gov. Howard Dean announced she would not be appearing.  Information was sketchy, but it turned out she had to attend to a hostage situation in her Rochester, NH campaign office.  Sen. Dodd chose to skip the meeting to continue campaigning in Iowa.  Former Sen. Gravel was not invited.

Richardson  |  Edwards  | Obama  |  Kucinich  |  Biden  | Clinton
also  Pelosi  |  Convention

Other party leaders spoke, and officials updated members on the progress of the Convention, including a reception.  The party also tended to its regular business.  For example, the Rules and Bylaws Committee, meeting on Dec. 1, voted to penalize Michigan Democrats 100 percent of their delegates to the Convention in Denver for going ahead of the permitted window, while rejecting penalties for Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina.  Regional and interest caucuses met.  This meeting had originally been scheduled to be held in Baltimore, but the DNC moved it to Vienna with just a few weeks to go due to a labor issue at the Baltimore hotel. 

Related: DNC Winter Meeting, Feb. 1-3, 2007

Copyright © 2007  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action