YDA Fall Conference in Manchester

The New Hampshire Young Dems hosted the Young Democrats of America Fall National Conference in Manchester on November 16th -18th, 2007.  With close to 300 attendees from all across the country, the conference was the best attended and one of the most successful in recent history.

We kicked things off in style with a visit from President Bill Clinton.  The former president spoke about the importance of young people's participation in politics. Addressing a packed room of YDA conference attendees Clinton also reminisced about his 2nd place "Comeback Kid" finish in the 1992 NH Primary and encouraged the crowd to support his wife Hillary's campaign.  Clinton enthusiastically stuck around to shake hands and take pictures with Young Dems.

The New Hampshire Young Dems, the Young Democrats of America, the New Hampshire Democratic Party, the Stonewall Democrats, and the DNC-Eastern Region hosted joint events through the weekend.  Seminars on a broad range of subjects like new media, effective outreach, and LBGT issues filled the weekend.

Featured speakers included:

Elizabeth Edwards
NHDP Chair Ray Buckley
NH Governor John Lynch
NH Congressman Paul Hodes
NH Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter
WA Congressman Jay Inslee
CT Congressman Joe Courtney
PA Congressman Patrick Murphy
NM Congressman Tom Udall
Frmr MA Gov. Michael Dukakis
and James Carter,  son of President Jimmy Carter

In addition to getting to interact with our fellow Young Dems from all across the country, the conference helped the NHYD to strengthen ties with other groups in Northeast. These relationships will be an invaluable resource to us as we fight to Keep the Granite State Blue in 2008.

One highlight of the weekend was the NHYD hosted "Kicking Ass For the Working Class" Labor Caucus reception. A live bluegrass band play labor songs and the event featured speakers Stewart Acuff, National Organizing Director for the AFL-CIO, and NH Democratic Party Chair Ray Buckley.

At the end of the evening we raffled off our Primary Bookshelf collection to one lucky winner. The prize consisted of books authored and autographed by Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, John Edwards, and Bill Richardson. Also included was a signed copy of Joe Biden's crime bill and a Boston Red Sox cap autographed by Chris Dodd.

The NHYD teamed up with Women for Obama to host a seminar entitled "Women in the White House." Former Senior Official in the Clinton White House and National Chair of Women for Obama, Betsy Myers, was the headlining speaker at the event.

Gray Chynoweth introduced President Clinton on the 16th with a rousing speech touting the importance of the New Hampshire First in the Nation Primary. It was Gray's final appearance as President and Chair of the New Hampshire Young Dems. He resigned in order to publicly support Hillary Clinton's candidacy. NHYD Vice President Destie Hohman-Sprague graciously stepped in and served as Acting Board President until the NHYD elections on January 3rd, 2008.

The NHYD thanks our generous sponsors, including Governor John Lynch, Congressman Paul Hodes, State Senators Sylvia Larsen, David Gottesman, Martha Fuller Clark and Harold Janeway, Obama for America, Hillary Clinton for President, Shaheen & Gordon P.A., Bouley & Associates, Mr. Mike Vlacich, Hon. Donna Soucy, Int'l Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 35, IBEW Local 490, LIUNA 668, United Food and Commercial Workers Int'l Union, SMWIA Local 17 and AFT-NH. We would also like to thank Stonyfield Farms and Primarily New Hampshire authors Meryl Levin and Will Kanteres for their support of this event.