John Kerry to Deliver Keynote Address at 2004 National Conversation in Phoenix (May 7)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) today announced that Sen. John Kerry will deliver the keynote address at the DLC's 2004 National Conversation on Friday, May 7th.

The 2004 National Conversation will be held in Phoenix, Arizona on Friday, May 7th and Saturday, May 8th. Sen. Kerry will join Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, U.S. House Democratic Caucus Chairman Bob Menendez, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon, DLC founder and CEO Al From, DLC president Bruce Reed and hundreds of well-known and up-and-coming leaders from around the country at this annual gathering of New Democrat elected officials.

Each year the DLC's National Conversation brings together rising political stars from every corner of America to hear from leading national voices and to discuss the ideas that will shape the country's future. This event is a one-of-a-kind forum for governors and other statewide elected officials, legislators, mayors, county executives, council members, and business and civic leaders to come together on a national platform to compare notes and brainstorm innovative strategies for governing in their states and communities.

More detailed information regarding this annual event will be announced and available at www.ndol.org in the coming weeks.

This is the group of (allegedly) "moderate" Democrats:

They call themselves New Democrats. Their centrist politics were so personified by President Clinton that they call their pro-business, progressive-but-fiscally-conservative agenda "Clintonism."

And they are headed this way.

The Democratic Leadership Council's eighth-annual National Conversation will be May 6-8 at the Biltmore. The event will attract more than 300 elected officials from around the nation to a key battleground state in Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's bid to unseat President Bush.

As DLC founder and Chairman Al From points out, Arizona Democrats like former Gov. Bruce Babbitt helped form the reform movement after a disastrous 1984 election when Republican President Reagan carried 49 states. And Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, whose centrist crossover appeal helped her overcome a five-point Republican registration advantage in 2002, will serve as the event's chair. Republic political reporter Robbie Sherwood talked about the DLC and Napolitano with From, who was in town from Virginia last week raising money and visiting his mother in Sun City West.

QUESTION: It was my understanding that the DLC's preferred candidate was Sen. Joe Lieberman. How well does John Kerry fit the mold?

ANSWER: Joe Lieberman happens to be a personal friend of mine, but the DLC didn't have a candidate in the primary election. To me, the central issue in the primaries was whether or not we were going to continue and build upon Clintonism, or whether we were going to reject it. The main thing for us was we had one candidate, Howard Dean, who wanted to reverse Clintonism, who wanted to go back to a base-only strategy. Kerry personally has had a long history with the DLC. Ariz. Republic

WASHINGTON, April 14 (UPI) -- U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., has been given the keynote slot at the Democratic Leadership Council's May meeting in Phoenix, the DLC said Wednesday.

The Democrat's probable presidential nominee, Kerry is from the party's liberal wing while the DLC represents the more moderate bloc. Kerry's appearance is seen in political circles as a sign the Massachusetts Democrat is attempt to reach out and broaden his political base within the party prior to its nominating convention in July.

The DLC is an important bloc within the Democratic Party and was originally formed as a reaction to the leftward positions taken by national Democrats on many social, economic and foreign policy matters. In 1992, Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton used his position as chairman of the DLC as the jumping off point for his run for president of the United States.

The May 7-8 event, which the DLC calls a "National Conversation," is an annual gathering at which moderate party leaders and perceived rising-stars come together to argue politics and debate policy.
http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040414-034845-9119r.htm

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