Mock Convention Nominates Edwards/Colbert
Posted on Friday, November 9, 2007
John Edwards was nominated as the Democratic candidate for president at Westminster College's 18th Mock Convention Thursday night.
Westminster's Mock Convention began in 1936 and is the second longest running event of its type in the nation. Nearly 600 Westminster students, faculty, and staff participated in this year's Democratic Mock Convention. Westminster's Mock Convention is held for the party that is out of office.
Edwards defeated Barack Obama 204-198 on the third ballot. He led after the first two ballots, but did not receive a two-thirds majority on the first ballot, nor a majority on the second.
Edwards' campaign manager was Dan Milcarzyk, a senior history major from North Huntingdon.
The vice presidential nomination went to Comedy Central television personality Stephen Colbert, who recently aborted his own presidential run.
In platform issues, the delegates endorsed a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq, beginning immediately, and to be completed by Dec. 31, 2008. They endorsed a resolution calling on the national government to recognize civil unions for same-sex couples, and passed a resolution mandating all automobiles and SUVs manufactured in 2011 and beyond in the U.S. must average a minimum 35 miles per gallon. A resolution to grant amnesty to all undocumented aliens was defeated.
Dr. James Rhoads, Westminster associate professor of political science and faculty adviser to the convention, said, "The 2007 convention exceeded my expectations. It began with a great keynote address from Bill Press, continued with a serious debate on important issues, and ended with students choosing candidates for president and vice president."
"I thought the student and faculty delegates did a great job, and I think this experience helps make politics more accessible to our students. They showed great enthusiasm and created an atmosphere that made the convention a lot of fun," he continued.
"I am very proud of the 16 students, led by executive chair Steven Ruperto, who planned and executed the convention. This group faced more challenges than any before them, with the exception of those who pioneered Westminster's convention in 1936. The committee put the convention together in little more than two months and did an outstanding job. Next semester this same group of students will begin to lay the foundation for Convention 2011," he concluded.
Visit http://mockconvention.blogspot.com to view video clips, interviews, and photographs from the Mock Convention.
Contact Rhoads at (724) 946-7255 or e-mail jrhoads@westminster.edu for additional information.
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