Some winners and losers from convention '06

As chairman Melendez has noted, this was a surprising convivial convention. Perhaps because of that, I don't think there were any huge winners or losers from this convention, but here are a couple of people who stood out.

Winners:

All the DFL endorsed candidates, obviously. Also, the party itself. Saturday had every possibility of becoming an angry contentious mess, but that seems to have largely been avoided. That's a good sign moving forward.

Steve Kelley-His intro speech was the best speech of the convention, he agreed to abide by the endorsement, he made a very strong showing in the governor's race, rather than grind the process to a halt he pulled out as soon as he realized he wasn't going to win and his concession speech was classy and dignified. In short, I'm not sure what Mr. Kelley is planning on doing next, but he certain gained my support and a lot of popular sentiment within the party.

Losers:

Ford Bell-His decision not to be nominated on Friday, but still showing up at the convention must be a strategy, but I don't get it. If he had skipped the convention all together he might have been able to spin it as a show of confidence in his primary chances and helped keep the obvious cracks in his base a little more hidden. If he had joined the process he would have at least gained face time and the chance to make a speech to the assembly as well as perhaps smoothing a few ruffled feathers. But by showing up when he wasn't running, Dr. Bell spawned rumors that his support was less than it was thought to be and also rumors that his base had splintered and his vote totals would have been ever weaker than expected. He needed to move strongly outside or honestly throw his hat in the ring. The in-between strategy simply does him no good.

Becky Lourey-I hate to put her in here because I really like Sen. Lourey, but I don't think she did herself any favors at this convention. Her nomination acceptance speech was, in my opinion, a disaster. Her campaign's greatest asset is Sen. Lourey herself, yet between the two other speakers and the video presentation she only spoke briefly during her allotted time. Even then, her speech was very measured and calm with little of the fire and passion that really draws you to her. Her showing was weaker than expected in delegate balloting and her withdrawal and promise to run in the primaries was greeted with a hearty dose of booing. I wish her all the luck over the next several months, but I simply can't make the numbers add up for her. If her biggest issue is lack of name recognition statewide I don't see how she can over come that in a few months without the party's backing.

The Green Party activists in the center balcony-Seriously, the DFL was nice enough to let you into the convention and you repay them by hanging out a huge "Vote Green!" banner from your balcony and being generally disruptive? Show some class.

Ron Carey-Somebody vet this guy's statements before they're released to the press! Please! He wields hyperbole like a drunk swings a broken bottle. Hatch's speech was "the most angry in the history of politics"? Matt Entenza is "the most liberal, partisan candidate" to ever run for AG? Later Carey could be heard mumbling to himself that the stairs up to the balcony were an obvious "liberal conspiracy of the worst kind", the convention center coffee was "the worst, the biggest waste of my hard earned money" and also full of "bitter partisanship" and that the rain outside the convention center was "terrible, absolutely the most wretched weather ever to darken the skies in all of human history." Really, Ron, take it down a notch.

Not a comprehensive list, but just some general impressions I have now that the convention is safely past. Anyone else who was there have any thoughts?

Updated again: Blog for Bell thinks I'm being unfair to Dr. Bell. Gives a good and reasonable explanation as to why Dr. Bell was in Rochester on Friday.