Green Party National Convention

The Green Party membership nominated David Cobb and Pat LaMarche as party candidates for president and vice president at the national convention yesterday in Milwaukee. I watched a portion on C-Span and noticed the following:

There were no more than 300 people in attendance. Half looked embarrassed to be there when the camera panned the room.

The speakers were uninspired and uninspiring.

All whooping and hollering seemed to come from no more than a handful of members. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that they had stopped for a couple cold ones on the way in.

Speakers included:

Agha Saeed - American-Muslim Alliance National Chairman (Mr. Saeed could best be described as a Muslim Michael Moore. He compared Attorney General Ashcroft to Stalin. I did not believe one word he said.)

Medea Benjamin - Code Pink Founder (She began by stating that Rush Limbaugh spreads hate and then introduced Pat LaMarche as VP candidate.)

Anita Rio - Green Party Diversity Committee Co-Chairman

Sundiata Tellum - Green Party Black Caucus Co-Chairman and former Sierra Club functionary in Dallas

Kara Mullen - Green Party Fundraising Director, who passed the hat for donations to the party (Actually, it was a paper garbage bag and, before adjourning, she was thrilled to announce that they had collected $8,674.)

Adam Benedetto - Green Party Convention Director

Efia Nwangaza - Green Party candidate for the U.S. Senate from South Carolina (If I didn't know she was a Green Party member, I would have thought she represented the Anti-Slavery Party. She essentially spoke of nothing but slavery and reparations.)

Pat LaMarche - Green Party Vice Presidential candidate (Exuded an image which makes me confident that she could do a good job running a bowling league.)

David Cobb - Green Party Presidential candidate (Cobb spent his time on discussing end-of-world, oppression, sexism, racism, and Bush lied themes.)

I didn't catch a reading of the party platform, but I was able to glean elements discussed by the speakers. It was fairly typical end-of-the-world environmentalism salted heavily with oppressed-peoples-unite socialism.

Unexpectedly strong emphasis was directed toward reparations for slavery, abolishing the death penalty, and "BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW!" With these issues so important, it seems the party no longer sees the environment as their primary focus.

In summary, everything about the convention was without flair, without enthusiasm, and, seemingly, without adequate planning. I got the distinct impression that it was being put together while it was occurring. The Green Party message was muddled, yet strongly flavored with socialism.

As a caveat, I must mention that I didn't view the total event. I may have missed something salient.

[Update] It appears my estimate of attendees was wrong. According to this report, there were 408 delegates who voted for David Cobb as nominee for president out of a total of about 750 votes cast. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel also provides this description of the event.

The daylong proceedings Saturday comprised many of the theatrics not seen in mainstream political parties, including outright denunciations of the United States, literature praising Communist dictator Fidel Castro and even a ballot cast for the late Socialist Eugene Debs.

The convention hall stage didn't even have an actual American flag.

Therefore, I guess it wouldn't be inaccurate to say the Green Party is proudly anti-American and pro-Communist.

It's also reported that the Greens formally rejected the idea of endorsing Ralph Nader for president.