We are serious people here, or at least serious political junkies, so it’s probably worth discussing the latest news about picking the Democratic party platform committee. (The rights to which are either “fools gold” if you believe Ed Kilgore, or “how Hillary and Bernie will make peace” if you listen to Jim Newell.) Here’s Politico‘s report:
… While DNC rules allow the chair to pick all 15 members of the national convention drafting committee, the organization struck a deal with the two campaigns so that Hillary Clinton will pick six members, Sanders will pick five, and DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz will appoint four, party officials confirmed…
Consultations between the DNC and the two campaigns were finalized last week and Wasserman Schultz began calling appointees over the weekend, a Democratic party official with knowledge of the process told POLITICO. The appointments to the drafting committee are being made from lists of about a dozen suggested by each campaign.
Rep. Elijah Cummings will serve as chairman of the committee and Andrew Grossman, former director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, will serve as platform executive director, the convention committee said Monday.
Sanders’ picks for the committee were: Arab-American Institute President James Zogby; Cornel West; Minnesota Rep. Keith Ellison; Deborah Parker, an activist on Native American rights; and Bill McKibben, an activist on environmental issues…
Clinton named Center for American Progress president Neera Tanden, former State Department official Wendy Sherman, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, former White House Energy and Climate Change Policy director Carol Browner, Ohio state Rep. Alicia Reece, and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees union’s Paul Booth.
The committee also includes two non-voting members, one from each campaign. The Sanders team picked policy adviser Warren Gunnels alongside Maya Harris, who serves as senior policy adviser for Clinton.
Most of the discussion I’ve seen on my center-leftish rounds has concerned Cornel West, who is not one of President Obama’s biggest fans. (I think Rep. Cummings has more than enough experience with angry agitators to handle Dr. West.) It’s certainly an interesting and diverse bunch — a good showcase for both small- and big-D Democratic values.
Your thoughts?
Open Thread: Staffing Up the DNC Party PlatformPost + Comments (178)