Last week I learned that Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer was hosting a Thrusday fundraiser for Carole Migden along the Embarcadero. It was a cheap event and, though I am a Leno supporter, decided to drop a little spare change and check it out. It was a small room that was pretty packed. Betty Yee was the most prominent official there. But what struck me was that Migden knows how towork a room when her mood is on an even keel. She was even quite funny and actually had me questionning the rationale for change. Then I read the events at the State Convention and remember why. She really is Jekyle and Hyde.

Perhaps not surprising, but certainly striking nonetheless, is the explosion of press and outside-the-center activity now that Bill Clinton’s arrival is near at hand.  Where once the blogger riser was empty, now there’s no room for everyone.  Leno/Migden and Blumenfield/Healey/Waldman will apparently be kicking things off this morning- presumably catching everyone while they’re half asleep and/or hungover from last night.  Frank Russo kinda stole my headline before I could write it, but it’s a good one- Migden-Leno Endorsement Fight May Overshadow Bill Clinton Speech at California Democratic Party Convention Today.  As a few of us were discussing earlier, it’ll be a story for the ages if Carole Migden manages to steal the spotlight from Bill Clinton.

…and we’re off.

[Update by Lucas] To clarify how this vote is going down, a “Yes” vote would be for the initial winner of yesterday’s endorsement (Migden and Blumenfield) while a “No” vote would mean no endorsement of anyone.

[Update by Dave] …the Hillary visibility extras are massing on the floor.  Incidentally, I heard that Phil Donahue’s movie, which screened here last night, is uncompromising on Hillary’s war vote, and during the time when she talks about it in the film she was booed.  The reaction from the audience here to the Big Dog should be interesting.

[Update by Dave] …Christine Pelosi is talking about the party platform.  Marriage equality is in there, which is awesome, as well as the party’s commitment to a safe and orderly withdrawal from Iraq and single payer healthcare.  That’s a good platform.  And it passed without any incident.  Fantastic.

[Update by Dave] …Inola Henry on the Resolutions Committee reports that the party endorses a no vote on 98 and yes on 99 for the June election, and endorses the recall of Jeff Denham in SD-12.  That’s great, though I hope that the party will put some muscle behind the racall.  Prop. 98 would end rent control throughout the state, and it must be stopped.  Art Torres says “that’s the easiest resolutions report we’ve ever had.”

[Update by Lucas] San Francisco DA Kamala Harris is taking the stage now, speaking on behalf of Obama.  Suddenly people have energy in the room.

[Update by Dante]Debra Bowen is talking about her review of the state’s voting systems.  Meanwhile, both Robert and Brian are looking at Debra Bowen’s Facebook page.

[Update by Lucas] Video montage of the Convention just ended. Clips of Willie Brown being awesome, candidates, Pelosi, activists, on and on. Pretty cool, if with a bit of an ‘end of summer camp’ vibe.

[Update by Brian]: And we’re killing time. This has got to be the longest secretary’s report EVER.

[Update by Lucas] Well, here comes Bill. And everyone’s gettin excited. Also, I could do without ever getting shushed by Art Torres again.

( – promoted by Robert in Monterey)

By Frank D. Russo

A bitter fight for the endorsement by the California Democratic Party between incumbent State Senator Carole Migden and challenger Assemblymember Mark Leno is shaping up to be the biggest battle at the state party convention being held in San Jose.  The picture above is typical of what delegates and other other observers have seen over the last two days as they exit the convention floor.

The Democratic Senate leadership has pulled out all the stops to get Migden endorsed as dozens of Senate staffers, along with other supporters of hers, have been holding signs in meetings and the hallways urging that the party endorse her.  Unfortunately, this is one of those incumbent protection moves, where challenges to an incumbent must be fought at all costs.  Delegates appointed by Senators who would have supported Leno, the challenger, have been replaced by those loyal to Senator Migden.

Tempers flared last night at a dinner for Take Back Red California outside the convention center, and a Migden supporter grabbed a Leno supporter’s arm and blocked the doorway in an attempt to prevent her from gathering signatures needed to get a floor vote to overturn the packed endorsing caucus.  Migden suporters were out in force to prevent signature gathering by those seeking to force a vote by the full convention.

Over the flip…

It all comes to a head today when the full convention will vote on whether to ratify an earlier decision made by an endorsing caucus yesterday evening to support Migden.  That vote and debate will take place after former President Bill Clinton is scheduled to address the convention at 9:30 a.m. and San Francisco District Attorney, a supporter of Barack Obama speak.

Supporters of the move to overturn the caucus decision turned in 600 signatures of delegates, double the 300 required, despite the lengthy time it took to count the votes from the caucus.  The results were not announced until after 7 p.m. and the rules of the party required signatures be turned in by no later than 11 p.m.-a daunting task as weary delegates who had been attending the session since 9 a.m. left the convention center for food and drink in restaurants, hotels, and bars in the area.  For blocks in any direction, hastily printed petitions were being circulated.  Restaurants were crowded with delegates-without reservations my party had to go to three locations, and at each of them signature gatherers were there with clipboards.

In the endorsement caucus, Migden received 150 votes to Leno’s 115, with one lone vote for former Assemblymember Joe Nation, who is challenging her also.

Earlier this month, we reported on a David Binder poll

from February that showed Migden trailing not one, but two challengers. Binder, arguably San Francisco’s leading pollster found that Nation led Leno 27-24% on the initial ask, with Migden trailing at 17%. When pro and con statements about the candidates were read, the Leno-Nation numbers reversed, with Migden remaining at 17%. Joe Alioto Veronese, who has since dropped out and endorsed Leno was at 7 and 10%, and nearly a quarter of the electorate was undecided.

Matters have only worsened since then as Migden agreed to pay a $350,000 fine-the largest in state history-to the Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), a state agency since it was created in the wake of the Watergate scandal in the 1970’s.  Migden agreed that she had violated 89 provisions of the Political Reform Act.  She even filed suit against the FPPC for enforcing laws that she had supported when they were enacted, arguing that they were an unconstitutional infringement of her First Amendment rights after she was advised of legal problems spending $647,000 she had raised while in the state Assembly.

I do some web work for Mark Leno.

It’s not often that the 300 signatures are gathered to actually pull something off of the consent calendar, but it happens. What doesn’t happen is getting twice the number of required signatures. A few signatures over 600, in fact.

Tomorrow, Bill Clinton will be speaking to the convention, and Kamala Harris, SF’s DA, will be speaking on behalf of Obama. While I have great respect for the 42nd president of the United States, he is not known for being a timely gentleman. What time the platform, the SD-03 race, and the consent calendar will come up are pretty much all dependent upon when President Clinton shows up.

Tomorrow should be an exciting day for the San Francisco folks and the Clinton delegates. Should be fun.

UPDATE: From the comments, AD-40, Lloyd Levine’s (termed out, running for state senate) district, was also pulled from the consent calendar. Bob Blumenfield got the 60% required, but it will be going to the floor. Also competitive in that race are Laurette Healey & Stuart Waldman.

(The only live line in the room – promoted by Lucas O’Connor)

(Cross-posted on California Majority Report).

I’ll be liveblogging the SD-3 regional endorsement battle between Senator Carole Migden, Assemblymember Mark Leno, and former Assemblymember Joe Nation. Stay tuned! This should be fun, horrifying, or a fascinating drama depending on your perspective.

[Update by Lucas] Leno campaign is reporting more than 50 Leno supporter ballots are missing.  “Disenfranchisement” is running through the room.

5:41 — Sorry for the delay. I had connection issues. One of the moderators assured the crowd that “this is a fair and open process, and we will wait for all ballots to be counted.” Around 5:30 or so, Leno spoke followed by Migden. Both touted their records as one would expect. Said Leno, “Without choice, there is no accountability. Without accountability, there is no responsibility.” Meanwhile, Migden emphasized the gender imbalance in the Senate, concluding her speech with “I am a woman. I am a woman. And let me just say, I still am a woman.” Voting officially closed at 5:41, and they say results will be coming in 20 minutes or so.  

6:29 — Counting now. Attention Adam Borelli. You’re wanted in room. Currently 15-9 Migden ahead.

6:38 — Currently 46-27. About 270 in total.

6:47 — Some dispute over a vote by Migden’s folks. It would be a “fair and open process” if the moderators articulated into the microphone a little more! Seriously, I have no clue what that was about. Anyway, we’re up to 75-57. Migden still ahead.

7:05 — 128-97. Migden ahead.

7:13 — Vote is 149-115 with 2 for Nation, 2 without endorsement, 1 challenge against Leno, 1 questionable, and 2 unmarked. That leaves the unofficial but close enough for this famished soul tally at 55% Migden and 42% Leno. The next step: once the vote is finalized, Leno folks are going to try and gather enough signatures (300) of delegates to remove the endorsement from the consent calendar. If they succeed, the endorsement vote will happen during a general session with all delegates able to vote. The Leno folks have until 11 pm to gather the signatures. Obviously, the missing ballot issue earlier delayed this process a bit. I suspect this isn’t the last we’ve heard of that incident from the Leno campaign.

The buzz in San Jose is all about Carole Migden's meltdown yesterday at the CDP Convention. She was giving a speech at the Women's Caucus and became upset when she saw people handing out copies of press releases from the FPPC's recent $9 million fine against her. She began screaming and, not unlike Carole at most events, speaking loudly but incoherently. She attempted to lead the crowd in a chant (directed at Mark Leno) of “Shame on You, Shame on You!” Not exactly understanding what Mark Leno should be shameful about (he didn't break the law hundreds of times), nobody in the crowd followed her lead. So she was standing there, alone, chanting.

Visibly upset about not being able to “Lead,” Carole became even more belligerent. She pointed out a group of male and female supporters holding Mark Leno signs, and screamed “I mean, are those women or big fat men.” The crowd literally booed her off the stage using her only mantra of “Shame on you, Shame on you!!”

Now we all know that Carole often has lapses in sanity. But for her to attack people based not only on their gender, but also on their weight, is disgusting. It is an insensitive, transphobic comment that shows just how desperate Carole has become.

Even more reasons that the CDP must not endorse Carole Migden.

Randy Shaw wrote this for today’s Beyond Chron.

In late February, a David Binder poll found State Senator Carole Migden badly trailing Mark Leno and Joe Nation in the race for Senate District 3. Since that time, Migden agreed to pay $350,000 in fines for state campaign law violations, filed a federal lawsuit against the FPPC challenging campaign finance limits as unconstitutional, and was sued by the FPPC for $9 million in an action that charged, among other violations, that Migden “failed to report a number of large transactions entirely, while reporting other large transactions which simply never occurred.” In political trouble before the FPPC’s actions, Migden now has no chance to win re-election. She appears to be remaining in the race solely to defeat Leno, a strategy that would put a moderate Democrat from Marin in a seat that would otherwise be held by a San Francisco progressive.

In my view, Carole Migden lost her chance for re-election when tapes were released of 911 calls from terrified fellow drivers commenting on her reckless driving down Interstate 80.  Migden blamed health problems for her conduct and agreed to stop driving, but voters were unlikely to forgive her for the peril she caused those sharing the highway with her that day.

Migden and her backers insisted she could overcome the reckless driving charge, and a few months later was back behind the wheel. The State Senator also remained defiant after agreeing to pay $350,000 in campaign finance violations, insisting that voters “don’t care” about such violations.

Migden is likely correct that voters do not care about technical violations in campaign reporting, but her record as the politician who has been most fined for FPPC violations in California history is a different matter. Migden now faces a massive $9 million lawsuit for violations so egregious as to create the impression that the longtime politician has flouted campaign finance laws with impunity.

Republicans, not progressive Democrats, are those typically complaining about campaign finance restrictions. Yet it is Migden who will ask a federal court on April 1 to strike down as unconstitutional longstanding campaign finance regulations, all so that she can spend money she raised for her Assembly campaigns on the State Senate race.

This has been a bad week for the incumbent. On Monday night, Migden failed to win the sole endorsement of the San Francisco Labor Council, as it jointly endorsed both her and Leno.

The Council’s failure to solely endorse an incumbent Democrat shows her weakness as a candidate, and that this is becoming a Leno-Nation race. Leno has the stronger progressive record, and would be the clear favorite were he not losing some progressive votes to Migden.

If Migden cared about ensuring the Senate seat is occupied by a San Francisco progressive from the queer community, she would withdraw from the race. But word from those who know Migden is that she will keep campaigning in order to prevent Leno’s victory; she not only feels personally betrayed by Leno running against her, but believes that if he had not run, she would have coasted to re-election despite her reckless driving and campaign finance violations.

There is ample precedent of weakened incumbents dropping out of races to help ensure the election of a candidate of a similar ideological bent. Republican Congressmember John Doolittle of nearby Sacramento faced controversy over campaign law violations, and it looked for some time as if Democrat Charlie Brown would easily take the seat in November 2008.

But Doolittle put his ideology ahead of personal ambition and dropped out of the race. Conservative Tom McClintock has since declared his candidacy, and Republicans are now favored to keep the seat.

New Jersey Senator Robert Torricelli faced a situation similar to Migden, in that only a few months before the November 2002 election polls showed him losing to his Republican opponent. Torricelli dropped out of the race, and his Democratic replacement won the November election and continues to serve in the U.S. Senate.

Of course, Migden’s rivalry with Leno has a personal component lacking in the above two examples. Migden sees Leno as a Judas for running against her, while his backers would argue that she betrayed her former fundraiser when she backed Harry Britt against Leno in the 2002 Assembly race.

Migden’s personal animus toward Leno explains her willingness to play the spoiler role.

And if her spoiler strategy works and Nation wins,  it will be the district’s progressive constituents who will pay the price.