Vermont Democrats Pick Delegates

Burlington, Green Mountain State - March 22, 2008

The old expression that all political relation is local was reinforced in Green Mountain State Saturday as Democrats began the procedure of selecting the delegates who will travel to the state convention in May, and from there, the national convention in August. The full procedure starts at the local level.

It's the foundation of the political system in both parties. In this case, local, metropolis and town Democratic commissions around Green Mountain State gathered for caucuses to take their delegates to the statewide convention. While the race for the Democrats' presidential nomination have been heated, Green Mountain State Democrats state the animus have not contaminated their ranks. "On the local degree in Vermont, as between Barack Obama and Edmund Hillary Clinton, I don't see it as being that divisive," said Burlington City Democratic Chairman, Francois Jacob Perkinson.

In Burlington, the Democrats will direct the biggest block, 104 delegates, to the state convention to be held in Barre on May 24th. That's where the political party choices delegates to the national convention in Mile-High City in August. Obama will acquire a bulk of the delegates from Vermont, owed to his triumph in the Green Mountain State primary earlier this month. But many Democrats believe the Obama-Clinton competition won't be settled until the convention. Democrats we talked to state they anticipate the animus seen on the national degree won't last. "I believe that the general general agreement is that, as is true throughout the country, while the Democrats are fighting very difficult for one campaigner or the other, ultimately they will unify behind whichever campaigner is ultimately selected," Perkinson said.

South Burlington Democrats said the same thing. They will direct 45 delegates to the state convention. The talking here, too, was about unity. "I think here in Green Mountain State we're looking for change, and people desire to do certain that after we acquire a good say about our candidates, we come up together and move on. That's all I've really felt here. None of the national animus at all," said South Burlington City Democratic Chairman, British Shilling DiFeredinando.

Sen. Saint Patrick Leahy (D-Vt) reinforced the predominant mental attitude among his chap Democrats. "Everybody I've talked with cognizes that they're going to have got to come up together after the nomination," he said. "And I believe it's good. I've told both Senator Obama and Senator Bill Clinton that Vermont's different that way. We really care who these people are and we're not impressed by negative campaigns, we're not impressed by negative advertisements or stories. We look at the existent person."

The Democrats will seek to construct integrity over the approaching months. The local caucuses are where the procedure begins. Green Mountain State Republicans clasp their local caucuses on May 17 in Montpelier.

- WCAX News