Dukakis urged the audience to consider running for public office. “There is no mystery to running for political office today,” he said. “Knowing yourself, having a passion for [public service], feeling very strongly about why you want to be in public life, and what you want to do when you get there, is critical.”
Barrios emphasized authenticity as the key to his success at overcoming what he saw as the challenges of being both an openly gay and Latino candidate in Massachusetts. “Your genuine interest in [your constituents], and your genuine interest in what you want to do for them, is what will carry you through politics,” said Barrios.
The convention also included a cocktail reception on Friday night which put students face-to-face with representatives from Democratic candidates’ campaigns.
Steve Grossman, former chair of the Democratic National Committee and current chair of the Dean for America campaign, was on hand for the reception after making a speech earlier in the day. Other representatives included Cam Kerry, John F. Kerry’s brother, and officials from the campaigns of Joseph I. Lieberman, Wesley K. Clark, John D. Edwards and Richard A. Gephardt, respectively.
“It was a rare opportunity for young people who are undecided about which candidate to support to gain a personal connection with the campaigns,” said Ben Schiffirn, secretary and treasurer of the HLS Democrats. “Many members of our group are conflicted about whom to support, and this was a great event to allow them to come to a better decision.”
Though the convention was generally well received, organizers expressed their desire for better attendance in the future. The Ropes-Gray Room in Pound Hall, which was set-up to seat over 200 people, was less than half full for both Reich’s speech and Dukakis’ panel.
“The small forum provided for a lot of interaction between students and speakers,” said Arun Bhoumik, co-president of the HLS Democrats. “Doing something for the first time means you don’t have a lot of credibility to start. It makes it hard to convince people that it’s going to be a worthwhile event.”
Nonetheless, attendees were optimistic about the event and the foundation it lays for the future. “It’s a good start; people would have liked more people to come with a liberal student body, but I feel the one’s that did show up will be galvanized and ready to support Democratic candidates,” said A. Jesse Tampio, a second-year student at HLS.
“A lot of people talk about what a liberal student body we have, but I think it’s a lot more diffuse in comparison to how disciplined conservatives have been,” said Tampio. “It’s crucial that progressives and liberals come together frequently in this way to strengthen the community and present a unified voice.”
Other important speakers at the convention included Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank and Tennessee Representative Harold Ford.
According to Neuman, overall attendance for the two-day event was about 150-200 people.