Reply #16: Just to be clear, a few more words about the platform process

[goodhue]

There are really two different bodies--the Drafting Committee and the Platform Committee. The Portland, Baton Rouge, cancelled Columbus, and Santa Fe meetings are hearings of the drafting committee. The Platform Committee itself will meet in Miami and ostensibly approve the work of the Drafting Committee. DNC Delegates in Boston will vote on the report of the Platform Committe.

The Platform Committee has 186 members but generally they have little opportunity to affect the substantive content of the platform other than by voting on proposed draft in Miami.

The 16 member Drafting Committee actually have some ability to shape the platform draft in a meaningful way. The 16 drafting committee members are:

U.S. Representative Rosa L. DeLauro of Connecticut

U.S. Representative Shelley Berkley of Nevada

U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon

U.S. Representative Hilda Solis of California

Tallahassee Mayor John Marks

Iowa Agriculture Secretary Patty Judge

Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Bill Perry

Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of HUD Roberta Achtenberg

Michigan Education Association President Lu Battaglieri

Clayola Brown International Vice President of UNITE

New Mexico businessman Bill Garcia

West Virginia AFT President Judy Hale

Former U.S. Assistant Attorney General Bill Lann Lee

Kevin O'Connor with the International Association of Fire Fighters

AFL-CIO Public Policy Director Chris Owens

Paul T. Williams, Jr., Attorney