Platform Co-Chair Tells Convention American Dream at Risk

Former New Mexico Attorney and Platform Co-Chair General Patricia Madrid just delivered her comments on the DNC platform process from the main podium. She told the audience New Mexico is a battleground State that Obama will win.

She told the crowd the platform included more than 1600 hearings and that 30,000 Democrat Americans had expressed their concerns and their hopes while developing the 2008 Platform.

"Each succeeding generation should have the opportunity, through hard work and service, to enjoy a brighter future than the last."

Brian Colon Says Party Has 33 County Strategy

I spent part of Sunday in Denver getting settled into the convention setting. It promises to be hectic and even chaotic at times, but I knew I was going to have a great week when I pulled in front of the Sheraton hotel and found a metered parking spot open directly across from the Valet station. The sign clearly stated parking time limits and fees were excluded on Sunday. I grabbed the spot and then easily walked through the process of picking up my "all-access" media credential.

After finishing and filing a few interviews for the morning report on 770KKOB, including one with the state's youngest delegate Sean Stimmell from Los Alamos, I hit the party scene and hotel lobby gathering spots.

I spent time visiting with some of the state's top Dems, including Lt. Governor Diane Denish, who was joined by House Speaker Ben Lujan and Patricia Madrid. They all said Biden was a good pick, but they seemed nervous heading into the fall election.

Later, while smoking a few cigars at the Brown Palace, and enjoying a nice glass of 20-year old scotch, I ran into Brian Colon. He's the chairman of the state's Democratic Party. He's attending his third national convention

Colon told me he's proud of the diversity of the 2008 delegation. He says the party's confident they party is unified, and geared up to win offices in all 33 NM Counties.

Photo Credit: MG Bralley

Madrid Addresses Convention Tonight.

Though much of the convention here in Denver comes down to theater, Patricia Madrid hopes that doesn't obscure the policy platform. She speaks at Pepsi Center tonight just after 4pm.

I ran into her at the Crown Plaza just after her media training. She tells me the DNC is providing four tele-prompters and her speech on the platform will run about seven minutes

"I get very annoyed when people like Ralph Nader say there's no difference between Republicans and Democrats," said Madrid. Back in January, Howard Dean nominated three co-chairs — Madrid, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and Judith McHale, the former president and chief executive of Discovery Communications — to the 187-member platform committee.

The process was opened up to the public in unprecedented ways, Madrid said, noting that more than 1,600 groups from around the country conducted discussions or hearings on the Democratic agenda. The mass of ideas were culled together by the drafting committee, which divvied up issues and whittled them down. Then Madrid and her two co-chairs presided over a one-day hearing of the committee in Cleveland, and final tweaks were made in Pittsburgh early this month.

Madrid, the former attorney general for New Mexico, came close to unseating Republican Rep. Heather Wilson last election. She lost by a razor-thin margin and has since been mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate for 2010, when Gov. Bill Richardson's final term will be up. Now that her convention work is complete, she says she will dedicate herself to campaigning for Obama in New Mexico, a battleground state.

Photo Credit: MG Bralley

Biden Appears with Obama in Springfield

Denver, Colorado...

After being introduced as Senator Barack Obama's running mate at a rally in Springfield, Illinois on Saturday afternoon, Senator Joe Biden had nothing but praise for the man at the top of the ticket.

Biden said, "There's something about Barack Obama that allows him to bring people together like non one I've worked with and seen."

And he'll definitely be bringing people together here in Denver. More than 80,000 people are expected to watch him deliver his acceptance speech at Invesco Field on Friday night.

SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE BARACK OBAMA/JOE BIDEN TICKET?

Following their rally in Illinois Obama and Biden are not scheduled to appear together again until Thursday.

Obama will hit the road. He's going to campaign in several battleground states on his way to his nomination in Colorado. Meanwhile, we've learned Biden is returning to Delaware to prepare for his convention speech before coming to town on Monday. A big Vice Presidential staff awaits him.

And we're preparing here as well. We'll be live blogging and reporting for 770KKOB, Fox Radio News and America tonight. The relatives we're staying with handed over the key to the house and we plan to finally see each other sometime on Friday for dinner.

Biden Really Wants to be in the Executive Branch!

U.S. Senator John McCain's presidential campaign today released its latest television ad, entitled "Biden."

As the ad highlights, before he was selected to run on the Democratic ticket, Sen. Joe Biden questioned Barack Obama's lack of experience. Earlier in the presidential race Biden told Comedy Central host Jon Stewart that he'd be honored to run with or against McCain!



The ad will air in key battleground states. It's unclear if it's scheduled to run in New Mexico.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson who was on the short list for Vice President is taking the high road. Perhaps with Biden in the number two position he'll have a better chance at being appointed Secretary of State, a job he's said he'd love to have.

Richardson says he likes Obama's pick for Vice President:

"Joe Biden brings seasoned judgment, foreign policy expertise, and a great sense of humor to the ticket. Joe has paid his dues as a public servant and the Vice Presidential spot is a deserved capstone to a great career. Barack Obama has shown solid judgment by selecting Joe Biden as his running mate. Joe is someone that Senator Obama and our country can trust."

Check out Mark Bralley's photo essay on the Dem's trip to ABQ on Monday.

New Audio Player.

We're introducing a new audio player on the site before we head to Denver for the Dems convention. We searched high and low for it. Now we've found the one we like.

We're really pleased the player offers a time track feature. Now, if you can't listen to a complete audio file in one setting, just mark the time spot on the track, and comeback to the post when you have more time. When you restart the file just move the cursor to the exact spot you stopped at earlier.

So now, we just have to learn to operate the new web-friendly digital camera, shipped to us from New York, before we make the trek north to Colorado.

Obama Talks About Economic Security In Albuquerque.

Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama spent an hour talking to an all-women, invite only, economic security forum at the main library in downtown Albuquerque this morning.

LISTEN to the the group's discussion which ranged from equal pay, to the Iraq war, and read a NY Times blogger's take on the forum here.

Obama criticized John McCain's tax policies and say's he'll give tax relief, up to $1000 per family, to middle-class American families.

On Monday afternoon, Governor Bill Richardson revved up a crowd of more than a 1000 Obama supporters at a town hall meeting.

Here is the audio from the town hall meeting.

Boomp3.com

Clinton Delegate Ready to Cruise to Denver.

She's 54 years old, and a political novice, but Nila Lange, took a year off work and and her advanced studies to campaign for NY Senator Hillary Clinton. Now she's headed to Denver as a pledged delegate. It will be her first trip to a national political convention.

On Saturday, Lange attend a Democratic Rally in Rio Rancho. Lange told us in this AUDIO INTERVIEW she's still rooting for Barack Obama to pick Clinton for Vice President.

She also tells us why she thinks Clinton delegates will have a voice in Denver.

U.S. Chamber Endorses Steve Pearce for Senate

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today announced its endorsement Congressman Steve Pearce for Senate in New Mexico, praising his record of supporting the state’s businesses and workers.

"In the Senate, Steve Pearce will continue to be a champion for the people of New Mexico and an invaluable leader on important business issues," said Bill Miller, the U.S. Chamber's senior vice president and political director. "If elected, Pearce will continue to look out for businesses of all sizes."

A strong proponent of fiscal responsibility, Congressman Pearce helped spur business growth and job creation in the region by advocating for tax reform and energy exploration.

"On issues ranging from lowering taxes to reducing energy costs, New Mexico’s businesses and workers have no better friend in Washington than Steve Pearce," said Miller.

The U.S. Chamber plans to play a big role in the upcoming national elections, endorsing candidates who have demonstrated support for business priorities and will work to advance a pro-growth agenda in Congress. In 2006, 222 of the 277 Chamber endorsed candidates were elected.

Lame Duck Senator Says Follow the Money

N.M. Senator Shannon Robinson is speaking out about what he says was wide-spread "election fraud." He claims it was "the illegal actions of three non-profits" that contributed to a fraud on the voting public and his re-election defeat in June's primary

Listen to the AUDIO from our interview. It was taped just before he headed to Santa Fe for the Special Session.

Marjorie Childress over at the M-pyre blog has put together a summary of the latest opinions and news on this case. Visit her posts here and here to check out the non profits' viewpoint.

Photo: MG Bralley