Health & Fitness
Diary of a Democratic Delegate - How I Got Here
Fred Hoffman answers the question, How are Natioal Convention delegates selected? In the process, he gives a peak behind the scenes about his own interest in seeking the post and how he went about it.
How does someone get to be a national convention delegate? That's a question I hear often since June 2, when I was elected at the 15th congressional district Democratic caucus in Taylor to be an Obama delegate a the Democratic National Convention in September in Charlotte, NC. The answer isn't a simple one - but it begins with a few obvious points . . . Delegates must be committed to both their party and their candidate . . . .They must be willing to serve, that is spend a week of their time, at their own expense attending the convention. . .They must know the delegate-selection rules and be sure they file all the right paperwork on time. . . .And, most importantly, they must convince fellow party members that they would be a good representative of their state. AS FOR ME, I made up my mind to seek this position soon after I left Governor Granholm's administration, where I worked as her point person on the Domestic Auto Rescue. I saw first-hand what President Obama and his team did to save the Detroit Three and a million jobs. They made the hard calls, some very unpopular, but they made the right calls at every turn - and I vowed right there to do everything I could to ensure this President was rewarded with our enthusiastic support for his re-election. ONCE THE DELEGATE selection rules were passed, I made a point to understand them and follow them . . .then started meeting with my Democratic friends to let them know of my interest. . . And over the last year, I attended many party meetings, fund-raisers and particularly Obama events (including local fund-raisers with the President, First Lady and two of his top advisors). . . .I was invited to nominate the President and speak on his behalf at the Dearborn Democratic Caucus May 5, where the vote was unanimous for Barack Obama. . . .and then, thanks to the active support of many party friends, I was "slated" with ten other nominees - from those who had filed - on the Unity Slate elected at the 15th District delegate selection convention June 2. They are: Ronnie Peterson, Kevin Moore, Fred Hoffman, Mike Jackson, Mack McCreary, Wendy Fields-Jacobs, Leigh Kegerreis, Ulanda Caldwell, Jumana Judeh, Laura Packard and alternate Katie Oppenheim.
