Denver or Bust!

Under the bus training session at the conference.

Hey Everyone!!! I feel like I’ve been gone forever.  Mawm and I are on our way back home from DC as I write this, which gives me a great opportunity to share some of the highlights of the conference with everybody. 

I have to tell you guys, the PUMA conference was a blast.  Your fellow PUMAs are some of the smartest, selfless go-getters I have ever met.  When I tell you that this movement is in good hands, trust me.  I was more and more impressed after listening to each presenter, including our own Riverdaughter.  I know that you all know how fabulous she is already, so let me start with Darragh Murphy, Puma pac, and the Denver Convention. 

First, a lot of you already know Darragh Murphy, or Murphy, as we got to know her around here.  I know a lot of you hang out over at the Pumapac blog so forgive any repetition. But let me share some of the VERY EXCITING plans they have for the convention in Denver. First of all They have raised a lot of money to help PUMAs who don’t have the resources to attend. If that describes you, don’t hesitate to contact them and see if they can hep.  That said, they can ALWAYS use more donations, so if you can’t make it yourself send a little money their way to help a fellow PUMA (I see we’ve added a button at the top of the page).  Puma pac also facilitates a lot of activites to further our cause. Here’s how to get involved: first, make sure you join pumapac. It is simple and free. Just send Murphy an email to join@pumapac.org. That way you will be up to date on everything that is going on in the pumasphere.

Another important place to visit is the Puma pac action center. That’s where you can find the latest on how to contact your elected officials, print out flyers and postcards, and download the latest copy of The Daily Growl. And again, if you can spare some cash, visit their contribution page and take a look at the ad they’d like to get on tv, just another one of the many great things this amazing organization is doing. You guys, Murphy and Marylandpuma know how to get the job done!

Ok, so here are some of the things that your contributions are helping to make possible.  First of all there is going to be a PUMA headquarters in Denver just 2 miles from the Convention Center that will be open to the public and serve as kind of a home base to all PUMAs going to Denver.  It will be open from Augusat 24-28 from 8am-12am.  They will have resources like water, chapstick, flyers, and will serve also as an area to make banners and signs.  In fact there will be an opportunity for people who aren’t able to come to have someone make a sign in their name.  They will also have a flatscreen TV which will show a constant loop of PUMA youtube clips (keep your eye open for requests).  They will be coordinating activites from the headquarters and providing services such as transportation shuttles running between events (which at this point includes a huge march and rally at, get this, Confluence Park, in Denver).  They will have a PUMA store where you can get your t-shirts and other gear as well.  Keep pumapac bookmarked, because details will be listed there shortly. 

On the 25th they will have a meet and greet for all PUMAs arriving in Denver.   There will also be a casual get together at the Confluence Park that day.  On the 26th we all plan to wear white to remember the suffragettes and commemorate the August 26, 1920 ratification of the 19th ammendment.  Later that evening there will be another meet and greet at the headquarters for us all to get to know each other and relax.  On the 27th they are going to have an ambassador day for PUMAs to reach out to the citizens of Denver and explain what we are there for.  We want to tell people what a wonderful champion Hillary Clinton would be for all of Americans.   On the 28th (nomination/coronation day) we all plan on wearing bright orange shirts that say “you bet your ass I’m going to Denver”.  The point is to stick out and really show what kind of presence we have there.  Finally on the last day will be the “Lion’s Share”, for all of us to get together, share our experience, and energize for whatever the task may be after Denver.  Most of us still believe that will include fighting for Hillary in the general to ensure that we hear Chief Justice John Roberts address her as Madame President on January 20th, 2009. 

Ok, that’s all for now, I’m getting carsick from typing and riding.  We have SO much more to share, so stay tuned.  Coming up…  The big story of the delegates’ petition to get Hillary’s name put into nomination (this WILL become a historical document of GREAT significance).  There is a lot that we can do to make sure this happens, and will be the most important thing we focus on for the next two weeks.  Also news about The Audacity of Democracy and how this film will help capture all that has happened this primary season.  There is also news from Real Democrats, who are building a grassroots organization to support Hillary in the general election if she manages to win the nomination.  But even if it doesn’t go Hillary’s way in Denver, they have a flawless plan for how to proceed and educate the public and move forward toward the General Election. and ultimately “take our party back, one neighborhood at a time”.

So stay close to The Confluence this week, do anything and everything you can to help us make sure that we make our voices heard in Denver. 

 GO PUMA!!!!