AN ACTIVE WEEKEND AT DISNEY

I'll be spending much of Saturday, and hopefully Sunday, at the Florida Democratic Party conference at Disney's Contemporary Resort in Lake Buena Vista. It should be an interesting couple of days with the lineup of speakers and statewide Democratic candidates addressing the delegates.

Am working tonight, so obviously unable to be in attendance to hear Democratic National Committee chairman and 2004 presidential candidate Dr. Howard Dean and House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D - MD).

On the agenda for Saturday are Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack speaking at the breakfast. Vilsack has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the White House in 2008. Former North Carolina U.S. Senator and 2004 Vice Presidential nominee John Edwards will address the lunch, with one of the brightest Democratic stars on the national scene, U.S. Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, featured for the dinner.

In addition to the national notables in attendance Saturday, the general session will feature the major statewide candidates for next year's election making their pitch and (hopefully) getting the delegates' excitement to a higher level. The most anticipated speeches are expected to be from gubernatorial candidates Congressman Jim Davis (D - Tampa) and State Senator Rod Smith (D - Alachua). There are a lot of undecided Democrats out there, according to many of the recent polls, that Davis and Smith are hoping to impress during the weekend.

Sunday's breakfast will see another possible presidential candidate, Virginia Governor Mark Warner, speaking to the delegates.

Unfortunately, I was hoping to get into one of the training sessions scheduled for Saturday afternoon, but was informed that they are all filled. Was especially interested in the Earned Media and Communications session for two reasons. I am the media liaision for the Polk County Democratic Party, and the description also mentions how to deal with alternative media such as blogs.

I'm looking forward to the event, and will try to have a report early next week.

In the meantime, I'm hoping that the Geek Squad has my 'puter ready this weekend. I had to take it in after the power supply went bad, which is the reason for my lack of posts over the past few days. As the old saying goes, if it ain't one thing...