Senate Democrats Prepare for [this] Weekend Policy Retreat

[Adelante]

Senate Democrats Prepare for Weekend Policy Retreat

by Erin P. Billings

Roll Call Staff

Thursday, April 27; 10:19 am

Senate Democrats will head north this weekend to privately chart their election-year course, focusing largely on how to beat Republicans at their own game and get mileage out of issues they believe the GOP has mishandled.

On Friday morning, Democrats will head to Philadelphia for a three-day issues conference at the Ritz-Carlton hotel. The party is being tight-lipped about details of the gathering, but in the agenda obtained by Roll Call it is slated to feature appearances by several notables in the party, including former Vice President Al Gore; retired Gen. Wesley Clark, a one-time White House hopeful; and Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Vallaraigosa.

The minority party needs to achieve a net gain of six seats this November to win the majority, an uphill climb by anyone's measure. But pundits and polls agree that the Democrats have a decent shot at gaining some ground come Election Day.

Against this background, Senate Democrats will spend much of the weekend talking about how to seek advantage against Republicans. Democrats will hold panel discussions on whether the country is winning the war on terrorismn, how to go "head to head" with the GOP on national security this year and on White House power abuse in a session called "Bush, Cheney and the campaign to expand executive power."

-snip

(Subscription only)

http://www.rollcall.com/issues/1_1/breakingnews/13043-1.html

[incapsulated]

1. Kick

We WILL WIN in November! :)

[Donna Zen]

2. Leadership means standing up

Let's hope that Gore, the General, and Vallaraigosa have a positive impact on the group. Reaching out beyond the beltway policy so-called wonks, to people who actually get policy right, is a good sign.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. Remember this guy? He should be there too ....... holding seminars

at which attendance is mandatory.


Framing the issues: UC Berkeley professor George Lakoff tells how conservatives use language to dominate politic

http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2003/10/27_lakoff.shtml

[Adelante]

4. Maybe he will be there

It seems they are being pretty secretive about the agenda.

[Stinky The Clown]

5. This is a case

where secretive is good.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Very good!

About time we had some "secret" strategy! I always wondered why our stuff is always hanging out everywhere!

[CarolNYC]

7. From Hotline On Call...

April 27, 2006
Clark To Advise Senate Dems On Security Message

Senate Dems will retreat ... er, meet for a retreat in Philly this weekend, and among the topics for discussion: how the party should go "Head to head with the GOP on National Security in '06."

Ret. Gen. Wes Clark is on the panel, and an aide previews his message:

"General Clark will make the point to his fellow Democrats that we need to engage (not withdraw) from the world; we want a world where nations work together on mutual interests, and resolve disputes through the procedures of international law; we must strengthen international law, act in accordance with its dictates, and insist that others do the same; national security begins at home, with the fundamental strength of the American economy: this includes the specific instruments to keep the American people safe - effective law enforcement and other first responders, a means for early warning, and, as a last resort, the US Armed Forces; we must act abroad, to support and reinforce those who share our values, using all the means at our disposal: diplomatic, legal, economic, and, only as a last resort, (and proportional to the threat) the recourse to force or the threat of force. He will also discuss how this shows up on the campaign trail."

In New York tonight, Clark will raise money for his WesPAC; a fundraiser features, among others, George Soros.

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/04/you_are_the_fir.html