Conventional wisdom

Political conventions often work against a party's simple goal of electing delegates and firing up the troops.

Take the state Republicans. They have a platform that calls for the abolition of the Federal Reserve and the death of the Patriot Act, but they can't even figure out where or when or how to reconvene their failed state convention.

Since the Republican convention blew up without the election of delegates, the inner squabbles between Ron Paul supporters and the party apparatus have bubbled to the surface in media reports of the event.

Meanwhile, last weekend's convention of Nevada Democrats largely went off without a comparable hitch. The party elected its executive board, delegates and national committee members without too much trouble.

It was the other stuff that left many delegates wondering why the heck they made the trip to Reno.

Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are campaigning to end the war in Iraq, but the party's platform committee did not initially even consider that issue.

The committee proposed a "support our troops and veterans through actions, not words" plank that made no mention of Iraq or Afghanistan. Instead, it congratulated itself for its shout-out to Harry Reid by mentioning the platform would be adopted on Armed Forces Day.

One rural delegate could barely contain his rage in a call home. "I may as well re-register Republican. There's not even anything in there to end the war."

He wasn't alone. But in the end, the party added five words to the "support the troops" plank: "End the war in Iraq."

Platform fights are inevitable at any party gathering, as the public face of the group tries to moderate the more liberal or more conservative members of the so-called "big tent."

But you really have to moderate on the Democratic side of the aisle to forget Iraq.

Former Sen. Richard Bryan is one of the most beloved Democrats in the state. He's revered for his service as governor, for his anti-Yucca Mountain work in Congress and for his impressive knowledge of the state's political history.

He's the kind of person grass-roots Democrats rush to hug at events, and his endorsement can help bring Republicans and independent voters over to a Democratic candidate.

On Saturday at the convention, however, he was treated as if he were Karl Rove.

Bryan had the job of serving as temporary chairman. His role was to fire up the crowd, pass the consent agenda and turn things over to permanent Chairman Chris Wicker.

How dare he think Democrats were ready to consent to anything before noon Saturday?

"This is our time," he urged Democrats in his welcome remarks. "This is our year."

For the next 45 minutes, it became clear the Democrats' time and year would have to wait.

The critical issue dividing delegates that morning was an item naming five Democrats to serve as electors to the Electoral College if the nominee wins the presidential election. These positions are typically reserved for party activists, large fundraisers or key operatives. They aren't typically offensive.

And as best I can tell about the five original selections by state Chairman Sam Lieberman, each was someone deserving of the potential trip to Carson City to sign a piece of paper.

But Washoe County delegates were in an uproar. They wanted that vote removed from the consent agenda. There was shouting, a division of the house, and Bryan's unfortunate determination that the "ayes" had passed the agenda.

"I've never seen such a ramrod of a motion," yelled union activist Richard Daly of Sparks. "What kind of bullshit is that?"

Bryan had simply tried to move things along. Former President Bill Clinton was waiting in the wings. Finally, after much debate and more votes, the party decided to shelve the disputed item for a later time. Bryan turned the dais over to Wicker and practically ran from the room.

Clinton took the stage right after, probably wondering what Bryan, his longtime friend, had done wrong.

"What a rowdy group," Clinton said. "Whatever y'all were arguing about when I got here, I don't understand it."

Some delegates said they thought the Electoral College representatives were delegates to the national convention.

The other convention furor involved the election of the party's executive board. Competing slates, one well-funded and pushed by the Culinary union (although not printed with the union seal) ran against some party stalwarts passing out nuts as the "Nevada Unity Team Slate."

Delegates took some from each slate -- people, or at least names, they knew. Maybe they should call the new e-board "mixed nuts."

And while the Culinary saw Obama do well and won a few internal elections, it also saw its choice lose the race for national committeewoman. It's no wonder state Sen. Maggie Carlton was named to the Electoral College a day later.

It's a darn good thing they had to hold that item.

Contact Erin Neff at eneff@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2906.