THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 25, 1996 TAG: 9608250069
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A9 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: 171 lines
Lee Bass
Norfolk
Age: 58
Occupation: Retired postal worker
Party activism: poll worker
First convention
Goals: To learn more about how politics works; meet influential people in the party; get Clinton back in office.
Greatest concern: How to help people without putting us so in debt that we will never get out.
Sandra Brandt
Virginia Beach
Age: 50
Occupation: Executive director
Party activism: Chair, Virginia Beach Democratic Committee; member, Virginia State Democratic Central Committee; regional chair, Virginia Association of Democratic Chairs
First convention
Goals: Go forward to re-elect the president and vice president; demonstrate to the nation that the Democratic Party is an all-inclusive party; overcome the propaganda of Gingrich and the 104th Congress and showcase the accomplishments of the Clinton-Gore administration.
Norman Fuller
Virginia Beach
Age: 56
Occupation: High school teacher/department head
Party activism: Past first vice chairman, Virginia Beach Democratic Committee; member, State Central Democratic Committee
First convention
Goals: To participate in the official nomination of President Clinton and Vice President Gore; to help formulate the party platform and agenda; to provide visible support for the 1996 presidential election campaign.
Concerns: That the party maintain the success it has generated over the past four years nationwide.
David Midkiff
Chesapeake
Age: 44
Occupation: Insurance sales
Party activism: Chair, Chesapeake Democratic Party
First convention
Goals: Network with grass-roots people from other parts of the country; gain additional insight into issues; have a good time.
Concerns: Losing touch with the grass-roots basics of the party in a chase for the money.
Harrietta Eley
Norfolk
Age: 66
Occupation: Retired educator
Party activism: Former city committee chair; current parliamentarian and precinct captain
First convention
Goals: Support the candidates; help with identifying responses to changes; recognize key issues.
Greatest concern: That voters will accept some of the comments made by Republicans as the truth rather than recognizing statements as exaggerations.
State Sen. Yvonne Miller
Norfolk
Age: 62
Occupation: Professor
Fourth convention
Goals: Vote to nominate the Democratic ticket for president and vice president; work with other delegates on a winning strategy for Democratic candidates
Concerns: Effectiveness in communicating concern for all of the American people.
Jeff Breit
Virginia Beach
Age: 41
Occupation: Attorney
Party activism: Vice chairman, Virginia Democratic Party; former chair, 2nd Congressional District; former chair, Virginia Beach Democratic Party
First convention
Goals: Leave with a clear, concise, uniform message about the issues; help distinguish the Democratic Party as the party that walks the walk and not just talks the talk; turn a public spotlight on the extreme Republican (Gingrich) congressional agenda.
Concerns: Taking the Republican bait to discuss apple pie, life, liberty and family values. We must talk specifics - specific legislation, specific ideas, and not make promises we don't intend on keeping.
Ann Fallon
Norfolk
Occupation: Vice president, human resources, Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.
Party activism: Member, Norfolk Democratic Party
First convention
Goals: Observe and enjoy the convention process; increase my understanding of the issues; register my concern on welfare reform.
Concerns: Loss of commitment to children with the passage of welfare reform.
Robert Barclay iV
Portsmouth
Age: 36
Occupation: Lawyer
Party Activism: Chairman, Portsmouth Democratic Party
First convention
Goals: Nominate the president; meet Democratic activists from around the country; help form the Democratic agenda for the 1996 campaign.
Concern: Articulating a message that the Democratic party stands for preserving the proud American middle class while providing opportunities for the less fortunate to share in the nation's prosperity.
Grindly Johnson
Chesapeake
Occupation: Marketing analyst
Party activism: Past chair, Chesapeake Democratic Committee; president, Democratic Women; Women's Political Caucus; Virginia Democratic Steering Committee
First convention
Goals: To reach agreement on the platform.
Concerns: That the party be more in tune with African Americans. It cannot take them for granted; it must be inclusive.
Joseph C. Lindsey
Norfolk
Age: 37
Occupation: Attorney
Party activism: Chair, 3rd Congressional District Democratic Committee; member, State Central Committee; treasurer and board member, Norfolk Democratic Committee
Leah Stith
Portsmouth
Age: 46
Occupation: Assistant administrator, Pines Residential Treatment Facility
Party activism: Member, Democratic National Committee; member, Democratic State Steering Committee; member, 4th Congressional District Democratic Committee; member, 5th District Black Caucus
Second convention
Goals: Platform issues that address the diversity of the group; unity - a united front presented by all Democrats; bold leadership into the future that will improve the lives of all Americans.
Concerns: That we do not resort to negativity; only talk about all the great accomplishments of the past four years.
State Sen. Louise Lucas
Portsmouth
Party activism: Congressional liaison, Old Dominion University; National Women's Political Caucus ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Brandt
Eley
Miller
Breit
Lindsey
Stith
Lucas
KEYWORDS: DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL CONVENTION 1996 CHICAGO
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