California Democratic Party Convention

2007 Convention Program

We are honored and excited to announce that our convention program will feature both National and State Democratic leaders during the Saturday and Sunday general sessions, including:

U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi; Former U.S. Senator John Edwards; U.S. Senator Chris Dodd; U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton; U.S. Senator Barack Obama; U.S. Representative Zoe Lofgren, Chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation; U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich; New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson; Lt. Governor John Garamendi; Secretary of State Debra Bowen; Controller John Chiang; Treasurer Bill Lockyer; Attorney General Jerry Brown; Senate President pro Tempore Don Perata; Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez.

We are still waiting to confirm other speakers, but unfortunately, due to the U.S. Senate Retreat, Senators Feinstein and Boxer are not able to join us this year. A final speaking schedule will be available much closer to the convention weekend.

We are constantly updating our website at www.cadem.org. Keep up-to-date by checking our website frequently.

We are also very pleased to announce Saturday night’s Tribute Dinner will be honoring House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. We recommend that you purchase your ticket(s) in advance, as we expect the dinner to sell out.

We are also happy to confirm that the Leadership Luncheon will feature California Delegation Leader Congress member Zoe Lofgren, State Senate President pro Tempore Don Perata and State Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez.

You can purchase tickets when registering online for the Convention. If you have already registered for the Convention and now wish to purchase tickets for dinner, you may download the 2007 Delegate Meals Form, complete it using your credit card information and fax it to the Sacramento office at (916) 442-5715. If you want to pay by check, please mail the completed form and your check to the CDP, 1401 – 21st Street, Suite 200, Sacramento, CA 95814.

Agenda/Workshops

The latest version of our Convention Agenda is available online. We have also added several workshops:

Friday

1:00-2:30pm: New Delegate Orientation Designed to give an overview for new Delegates who have never attended a CDP Convention.

1:00-2:30pm: Campaign Finance Treasurers Training Geared toward committee treasurers, provides a road map to help guide Democratic Central Committees, clubs, campaigns and others in complying with both federal and state campaign laws and regulations.

3:00-4:30pm: It’s Never Too Early to Organize: Expanding your base of activists The energy from the 2006 election is still with us, and the excitement of the upcoming 2008 election creates an opportunity for Democrats to find and train new activists right now. Join a panel of national and local experts and learn how to develop the right message and implement fresh techniques to recruit new activists, keep current activists motivated, and grow your local volunteer base.

3:00-4:30pm: Guerilla Media Strategy: Effective use of new and old media The news media landscape is changing every single day. In a state as large as California, with its diverse audiences, these changes make delivering campaign messages all the more challenging. This new landscape means Democrats will have to reach out to the media in ways we have never used before and rethink the way we reach out to traditional media outlets. This workshop brings media professionals together to teach you how to effectively deliver your messages to the public via a variety of new and old media avenues.

Saturday

8:00-9:00am: Campaign Finance Treasurer’s Q&A w/ Lance Olson CDP counsel Lance Olson will be available for questions and answers regarding federal and state campaign laws and regulations.

4:00-5:30pm: California and the Presidency: How to make a difference in a state that now makes a difference This year the State Legislature approved moving California’s Presidential Primary to February 5, 2008, dramatically increasing the importance of the Golden State in selecting the next president of the United States. This earlier date also means more campaign activity for Democratic activists right here in California. How can Democrats make the most of this important responsibility? How big a role will California have in setting the national agenda? How are campaigns going to mobilize their resources across the state? How can you get involved? Join us as a panel of experts walks you through how you can make a difference in a state that now makes a difference.

4:00-5:30pm: Can the Spam: Developing effective web and e-mail communications Every candidate has a website and seems to be talking to you on a daily basis. Why do they do this? How do they do this? Learn how to you use email, online petitions and solicitations to connect with activists, and expand your relationships. Join a panel of "Netroots" experts and learn techniques to send the right messages and capture the right information to build a vibrant online community.

Housing/Transportation

Hotel rooms at the Hilton San Diego Resort and the Best Western Island Palms are sold out! We have blocked rooms at the following additional union hotels. Be sure to mention that you are with the California Democratic Party for special rates.

Hyatt Regency Islandia
1441 Quivira Road
San Diego, CA 92109
(619) 224-1234 / (800) 233-1234
Room rate:
$179.00 (Single/Double)

Handlery Hotel & Resort*
950 Hotel Circle North
San Diego, CA 92108
(619) 298-0511 / (800) 676-6567
Room rate:
$129 (Single/Double)
$139 (Triple)
$149 (Quad)
*Unfortunately we can not guarantee the ADA accessibility of this hotel. Also, at this time we are not able to schedule shuttle service from this hotel to the Convention Center.

Shuttles will run between the Convention Center and the Hyatt Islandia, the Hilton San Diego Resort and the Best Western Island Palms during regular convention hours. Daily parking is available for $10 at the San Diego Convention Center for vehicles 8’2” and lower.

Special Needs Reservations

Persons with disabilities needing reasonable accommodations can call our Accessible Room Coordinator toll-free, at (800) 397-6721 to assist you in making your reservations. This one number will handle all of the accessible room reservations.

Sleeping Suite

All sleeping suite requests should be made through Details Details, the State Party’s meeting planner, at (916) 443-3855.

The John F. Kennedy, Jr. Award for Outstanding Public Service 2007

In his brief life, John F. Kennedy, Jr. embraced the principles and legacy of his father, his mother and the Kennedy family to contribute back to society's less fortunate and to recognize those who made a difference in that struggle. John F. Kennedy, Jr. especially encouraged young people from all walks of life to become involved in public service and to constructively interact with the important issues of the day. In that same spirit, the California Democratic Party established the John F. Kennedy, Jr. Award for outstanding public service by a young person in California. The first awards were presented at the 2000 State Convention.

The qualifications are:

• All applicants must be between the ages of 18-35 (the same requirements to be a Young Democrat in California).
• All applicants must be registered Democrats in California.
• All applicants must have displayed outstanding leadership qualities in the service of others in California.
• All applicants must have made a substantive difference affecting the lives of Californians in their communities.
• An applicant must receive the recommendation of at least three different people who can attest to the applicant's contributions, character and integrity.

To submit an application, please download the form from our website. All applications and recommendations MUST be submitted to the California Democratic Party headquarters in Sacramento no later than April 9, 2007.

An executive committee comprised of the statewide elected officers of the California Democratic Party shall review all applications and make a selection of one male and one female honoree.

These awards will be presented at the California Democratic Party's State Convention at the San Diego Convention Center, April 27-29, 2007. Paid for by the California Democratic Party 1401 21st Street, Suite 200, Sacramento CA 95814

Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

-- Raymond Lutz - 23 Mar 2007