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-----------A few observations from someone who was helping the
underdog...
In terms of the arrangements, it was completely obvious who
was running this convention. The Mayor had not only the
delegates from 18 months ago before anybody else was in the
race, she also had the luxurious suite of coaches offices
right outside of the convention hall. They had privacy
through closed doors, desks, comfy chairs and who knows what
else. The other candidates were pushed in the basement in
an open hallway with no privacy whatsoever. We had to set up
our own tables and scavenge chairs. There was only one
outlet and no phone jacks. And right in the middle of the
voting in the mayor's race, the rental company swept the
tables out from underneath us completely unannounced while
we scurried around to find substitute tables and running up
and down flights of stairs and across long hallways to the
hall - unfair doesn't even come close to describing the
clout the Mayor had over the other candidates in this
convention.
Kudos to those who staffed and ran the registration tables.
Their first time computer database had a few quirks, but
they worked hard and diligently to improve the process. And
they were gracious in providing us with timely information.
It was my impression that the teller process needed
significant improving.
The Mayor's signs and verbal push were to endorse, endorse,
endorse, yet when push came to shove, it was her contingency
that moved to end the convention. I guess unless you
endorse the Mayor it really isn't that important. Like most
everything else - say one thing and then do another. And
she wonders why people aren't supporting her.
I found Steve Minn's comments in the paper quite humorous.
It seemed he was observing only the floor operation and of
that he didn't have his specks adjusted correctly. R.T. had
assembled the best team I have ever seen to run a floor
operation. Jim Niland was magnificent leading the floor as
was R.T.'s managers Laura Sether and Peter Wagenius. Beyond
that there were a dozen more volunteers coordinating each
ward all linked to head phones so it was absolutely clear
what we all needed to do. And they were all linked to the
computer database instantly - no need for an old delegate
clipboard list here Mr. Minn.
Then there was the phoning operation - amazing is the only
word that comes to mind. We had another dozen people making
phone calls from cell phones throughout the entire
convention - from 8 am until the last vote - this helped us
get delegates to the floor in time for votes and recall
delegates that needed to leave for breaks. And then there
was the computer operation headed by Sonja, Dan and a few
others. They tracked delegate registration against our
database (at one point, we even provided help to the DFL
registrars.) They tracked votes to see changes via ward and
to see if there were anomalies in the counting - and believe
me there were. (I actually think R.T. got even more votes
than were finally reported.) Then there were the half dozen
runners and a few others providing food and drink to keep
everybody going. And we did all of this in plain sight of
anybody who wandered down into the basement hallway - and
believe me there were Sayles Belton supporters who did just
that. Too bad the other camps didn't get to peek in at the
Mayor's camp behind those comfy closed doors! And to think
these people were all volunteers - unlike many of the
mayor's camp where paid employees seemed to outnumber
volunteers. I think they were all too busy producing that
fancy video and multi-colored sign graphics to even talk to
delegates.
And then there was R.T.'s strategy. It wasn't just
implemented at the convention - it was implemented months
before the convention. We knew the rules, the agenda, where
we were going and what our goal was. And it was obvious
from the start of the convention that R.T. had assembled a
tremendous staff. People of a wide-ranging background
including good-government types, pro-business people,
anti-corporate wealthfare individuals, low taxes people,
better basic services folks, environmentalists, and middle
class affordable housing people. A lot of good people who
are tired of not being heard. It wasn't the left fringe -
it was the fringe who hasn't been heard in Minneapolis for
the last 8 years - which just happens to be most of
Minneapolis.
So why do I tell you all this - because I think the spin of
late has been about the Mayor's failure to win the
endorsement because of the lunatic left. And it is my
experience that this is absolutely not the case. The Mayor
lost the endorsement because R.T. Rybak is a powerful person
who can pull together the best people from a wide range of
areas, listen to them, and motivate to implement real
strategies about change. So while the Mayor has been lost
in an illusion of prosperity on Mount Olympus producing
fancy videos and whining about the fringe left, R.T. Rybak
was delivering one of the biggest upsets of the past several
decades by assembling a great vision and a great team.
Everybody thought Sayles Belton would be endorsed - even the
Star Tribune. And not one person thought R.T. would get
more votes than the Mayor which is exactly what happened.
Now here comes the primary and we get to see if the Mayor's
money and corporate connections wins over the people of
Minneapolis. I don't know about anybody else, but I'm
betting on the great people of Minneapolis to win this one.
Russell W. Peterson
Exurbia ;-)
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