State Democrats Discover Two Yakimas

Washington's Democratic Convention went down this weekend in Yakima and depending on your perspective the caucus either contained a diversity of ideas and opinions on the war in Iraq or was torn in two over the war in Iraq. Maria Cantwell, of course, seems to be the focal point of a lot of contention, regardless of how seriously you view that contention. Dueling chanters did battle when she took the stage arguing, "No more six!" and "War more years!" until she was finally allowed to speak. An exhasutive scouring of the internets has failed to turn up the text of that speech but according to the Seattle Times:

Cantwell used most of her speech to decry oil-industry profits and Bush administration policies on matters such as prescription drugs and funding for agricultural research.

She made only a vague reference to the war, saying, "2006 needs to be the year of transition, when the Iraqi people stand on their own and our troops come home."

"She glossed over the Iraq issue," said Todd Boyle of Kirkland, one of several dozen delegates who held up "No War" signs throughout Cantwell's speech. "She gave it less than 30 seconds."

Party chair Dwight Pelz was left to do the dirty work of Cantwell boosterism and was rewarded with the guaranteed standing O lines regarding the current administration. "We will have subpoena power and we will investigate ... Bush, Cheney, Donald [Rumsfeld] and [former House Majority Leader Tom] Delay and we will reveal to the American people what these people knew and when they knew it." It's almost too easy to fire up this crowd.

The Northwest Progressive Institute has way more words on the convention than you're probably willing to read, but here they are on the candidates' speeches, Clinton's remote address, and Lou Dobbs, all through glasses shaded very, very blue.

David Postman also has a ton of convention stuff online, but worth particular attention is his post from this morning entitled, "Which convention did the most damage?"

David Goldberg of Horsesass.org so far hasn't weighed in on the Convention, but he's been busy rocking the microphone for KIRO here, here and here.