Democrats’ spirits remain up at retreat

The event shows unification of the party

SUNRIVER — Oregon Democrats were in a feisty mood Saturday at their weekend retreat, blasting Republicans from Washington, D.C., to Salem to energize party faithful for next year’s elections.

“George Bush has been revealed to be a liar,” said Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Springfield, in a blistering attack on the president’s Iraq war effort.

Republicans are piling more debt onto the national budget deficit, he said, while cynically talking about a new balanced budget requirement once Bush is out of office.

State Treasurer Randall Edwards also portrayed Democrats as the best stewards of the public’s money. Republicans in Salem pushed a “borrow and spend” plan to balance the state budget that mars the state’s reputation on Wall Street, he said.

Rain clouds blocked the sun in Sunriver, and keynote speaker James Carville canceled his talk because of a family emergency. But that didn’t appear to dampen spirits among the 400 Democrats.

“It’s nice to get away with people of a like mind,” said Judy Sugnet of Salem, chairwoman of the Marion County Democratic Central Committee. “These are good places to get ideas, good places to meet people.”

A few potential legislative candidates made the rounds to build support for their campaigns. Other activists attended workshops on tax reform, raising money and other nuts-and-bolts matters.

In an straw poll, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean won the most support among the Democratic presidential contenders. Former general Wesley Clark wasn’t far behind.

Connecticut Senator and former vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman fared the worst, garnering only two red sticky dots by late afternoon.
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http://news.statesmanjournal.com/article.cfm?i=69071

...Carville's family emergency was. Nothing to do with any *leaks* I hope.

A former mole in "their" White House - Mary Matlin - I don't buy it for a second.