Best and Worst of the Convention

[johncoby2]

Best speech: David Van Os or Glen Maxey
Best booth: David Van Os (the art car did it for me!)

Worst speech: Lloyd Criss nomination of Maxey (boring)
Worst booth: Texas Democratic Party

Best party: BLOGGERS!!!!!! and DU!!!

Best part of the convention:
Worst part of the convention:

Best food: Mi Cocina
Worst food: Blue star breakfast (if you could get in)

Ok. anyone got any more ideas?

[muse]

1. mine

Best speech: Wesley Clark - wins on points for most handsome speaker
Best booth: David Van Os

Worst speech: Fred Head
Worst booth: can't remember, there were several towards the back where the pro-life booth was

Best party: blogger's caucus

Best part of the convention: meeting a ton of new people - especially people I "know" (bloggers, DU-ers, but have never met)
Worst part of the convention: a couple of irritating encounters with weirdos

Best food: beer
Worst food: Blue star breakfast (which I did not partake in)

Most surprising thing: that, as a Richie supporter, I liked Maxey's speech so much. Also, that I had front row access to the convention as a blogger (who knew?)

[silverlib]

2. glad you asked

Best speech: David Van Os
Best booth: David Van Os

Worst speech: Head (get rid of the book for Pete's sake and stand on issues!)
Worst booth: The Pro-Life one.

Best party: only went to Bell's - so that was the best for me.

Best part of the convention: Ya Basta!
Worst part of the convention: Head's speech

Best food: I even liked the food at the convention center, so who am I to judge.
Worst food: as above (although the eggs at the Blue Star Breakfast were rather soupy and bland.)

(can you tell that I REALLY didn't like what Head had to say?)

[derby378]

3. Aw, c'mon - Blue Star Breakfast wasn't that bad

I actually enjoyed it. I heard tell that, in previous conventions, the BSB consisted of only donuts and coffee. This time, we had scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, fresh fruit, biscuits, orange juice, and coffee. I got quite full. Plus, I got to hear Stephanie Herseth speak. 'Twas cool.

[redqueen]

5. same here

all i had was convention food... when i got a chance to eat an actual meal, that is. fortunately i packed some mixed nuts for snacking - unfortunately the apples cooked in my car. one ice pack is just not enough to withstand 13 hours in a car in the summer in Texas.

[crispini]

4. Me

Best speech: Glen Maxey
Best booth: The little old ladies from Podunk, Texas with their Democratic cookbook. I loved the cookbook

Worst speech: Nothing really jumped out at me
Worst booth: There was at least one candidate booth there with just a banner. Wassup with that?

Best party: The Saturday night Drunkard's caucus at the Pour House

Best part of the convention: The elections in our caucus and the TDP chair election were tres dramatique
Worst part of the convention: Running up and down all those stairs to tabluate the vote. Phew!

Best food: Who had a chance to eat? I was snacking on Convention Center garbage the whole time. No time to eat!

[rusty_parts2001]

6. The TDP fundraiser reception at the Hilton on Thursday night

was terribly organized. Not enough chairs or tables, long lines, mediocre food.

Best Party: Sheila Jackson Lee's at the Hilton on Friday (late). Good food, good music (cotton eye Joe to rap)and a very gracious host. Hats off to you Sheila--get the subpoenas ready when the Dems take the House)

[WestHoustonDem]

8. Agreed! n/t

[TexasT]

22. No kidding

Sheila's party was the best. I won the cotton-eyed joe dance contest.

I love Texas.

[derby378]

23. Welcome to DU!

I'm jealous - you got to party wih Sheila!

[WolverineDG]

7. My contribution

Best Speech: Tie between Maxey & Van Os
Best Booth: Can't recall, most of my time was spent on the floor, esp. Saturday

Worst Speech: Whoever it was from New Mexico who took up time from our candidates (I mean, thanks for giving the GOP the bird & hiding our senators & all, but really, we thanked you back in '04)
Worst Booth: Same answer as for best booth.

Best Party: Drunks Caucus at the Pour House (dot com)

Best Part of the convention: The voting & tabulation for state party chair, very exciting to be a part of that
Worst Part of the convention: Seeing my county's vote split when voting for our SD committee man; 3 folks actually voted AGAINST someone from my county

Best food: Chili's (ironically it was the only place I ate, except for the Corner Bakery for breakfast)
Worst food: Chili's

dg

[Melissa G]

9. My two cents...

Best speech: David Van Os/Hank Gilbert
Best booth: Sparkly cowgirl hat booth.. I think it was Stars and Stripes..sequined red hat made younger daughter who did not come Very Happy!.. was pretty fond of one of the button booths as well

Worst speech: Fred Head..Do NOT ever Speak if that sorry excuse for a speech is all you have to say..I was ready for him to pull out a lighter and book burn right there.. DISGUSTING..he should have just smiled and let his wife talk...
Worst booth: The Pro-Life one.

Best party: blogger's were not really going when i went at 8ish and they would not let my daughter in since she was underage so that was a big bummer! but it was nice to hang with the few who were there.. joint Maxey/Urbina-Jones bash was pretty rockin' on the early side when we cruised by..also child friendly!

Best part of the convention: seeing lots of cool activists and chatting about politics for 3 days.. esp getting to meet liveoaktx!
Worst part of the convention: Head's speech

Best food: corner bakery. the prices were reasonable and the food was great and only 4 blocks away!
Worst food: convention center

Best convention hope for tomorrow..Gilbert's son
Worst convention moment..Fred- are you sure you are not a republican? Head

[Melissa G]

13. Late edit to add Maxey to Best Speeches n/t

[GOPisEvil]

10. My list

Best speech: Glen Maxey at the SD14 caucus/DVO/Hank
Best booth: The Stonewall Dems who actually played along with the "catching the gay" jokes.

Worst speech: Fred "I sat through every disgusting inch of this filth - TWICE" Head
Worst booth: Pro-life Dems. Ugh!

Best party: Pour House Saturday night dot com!

Best part of the convention: Seeing everyone all fired up
Worst part of the convention: The "moderates" and their "victory"

Best food: Kalamata's and the Corner Bakery (baby chocolate Bundt cakes = heaven)
Worst food: The BBQ at the convention center I guess.

[VelmaD]

11. I gotta agree with everything you said...

and add amongst the best food...the chicken mole enchiladas at Mi Cocina. Yummmmm.

[djeseru]

16. Kalamata's AND the Corner Bakery?

But...but...

[GOPisEvil]

17. I'm sorry I didn't mention that to you earlier.

I should have and was wrong for not doing so.

[djeseru]

18. I'll get over it, even though it was Fort Worth.

And probably very soon. Besides, I know you...you just like to do things to make the girls cry...

[GOPisEvil]

19. Well...still I'll try to be better.

Just call me heartbreaker...

[Richardo]

24. I cannot believe Stephanie Herseth did not make your list

I always pictured you two together

I was surprised to see her there - great doin's!

PS I expect many more pix in this Forum.

[GOPisEvil]

25. I didn't get to see her.

I couldn't afford springing for the Blue Star breakfast. Plus, I was attending with my own lovely Democrat.

[Son of Bentsen]

12. Lloyd Criss was worth his weight in votes

In SD 4 and SD 11....the Labor leadership was working it hard...lloyd criss gave the balls to labor delegates to defy the leadership and vote their heart.

[derby378]

14. Geez, how many of you ate at the Corner Bakery, anyway?

ginbarn and I feel bad now - we stayed in that hotel and would have been happy to run down to meet some of you guys.

BTW, my baby Bundt cake was caramel, not chocolate. Mmmmmmmmm.

Schumer -> <- DU

[Smarty Pants Liberal]

15. SPLs best and worst

Best speech: The gracious and inspirational concession speeches from Charlie Urbina Jones, Glen Maxey, LaKesha Rogers and Lydia Cabellero
Best booth: SD13 Credentials - Borris Miles worked the line as soon as he arrived at the convention center and told each delegate how important they are.

Worst speech: Probably could find fault with some but hey, we're the Party of free speech
Worst booth: Pro Life gave me the creeps - I didn't see any women there - that ought to speak volumes

Best party: Guitar jam session in my hotel room, the October SE Texas PPC meeting is going to be a riot. Houston People's Lawyer David Mitcham and leader of the Electronic Voter Machines Issues group for HCDP brought two of his guitars because he knew that Mr. SPL was apprehensive about bringing his own. Wait till you hear the Paper Trail song.
Worst party: Well, I never made it to any but folks who know me well know that partys aren't really my thing. Would have liked the Pachanga I'm sure though.

Best part of the convention: Floor vote for chair
Worst part of the convention: Ted Weisgal forcing us to vote for Bob Slagle for permanent convention chair so that we wouldn't still be at the convention center today. Hadn't thought of it before it happened, Ted made his point loud and clear but it took over an hour to deal with the frivolous matter. Honestly, he's not an RRO expert. He knows enough to fake it but he's no expert.

Best food: Jack in the Box has gourmet coffee. Who knew?
Worst food: Jack in the Box gave us 6 Breakfast Jacks instead of 6 Breakfast Burritos - blech

The attendance at the 2006 convention was three times greater than the 2000 convention in Ft. Worth and in an off Presidential year, Woo Hoo!

[robbzipp]

20. Ted Weisgal and RRO

Worst part of the convention: Ted Weisgal forcing us to vote for Bob Slagle for permanent convention chair so that we wouldn't still be at the convention center today. Hadn't thought of it before it happened, Ted made his point loud and clear but it took over an hour to deal with the frivolous matter. Honestly, he's not an RRO expert. He knows enough to fake it but he's no expert.

That's really funny you say that because Ted came to our Democracy for Houston meeting last night and was pimping out his RRO class that he teaches for a living through Leisure Learning, Inc. His major complaint was that no one else seemed to follow the rules.

[Smarty Pants Liberal]

21. Those who can, do and those who can't, teach

Put Ted up against a certified parliamentarian like the chair of SD13 and they will bring him to his knees in seconds if they so desire.

The class is a good starter course and gives anyone with confidence the ability to fake it too.

RRO was written by an engineer hoping to expedite long and unproductive social organization meetings. For the first time since anyone can remember when, SD13's caucus adjourned early AND had their credentials report together at least half an hour before any of the other senate districts. We didn't get out of our caucus until almost midnight in 2004. One of the delegates from the same precinct as Ted told me that their PRECINCT convention lasted at least two hours thanks to him - quite the contrary of RRO's purpose.