Hoyer relishing role at convention

Parliamentarian had spot at podium

Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008

Click here to enlarge this photo Special to the Independent The Maryland delegation to the Democratic National Convention in Denver cheers while displaying their support for presumptive nominee Sen. Barack Obama on the opening night of the convention Monday. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story

The House Majority Leader is serving as one of several parliamentarians at the Democratic National Convention, a largely ceremonial role that counsels party chairman Howard Dean on any rules questions that arise during the four-day conference.

‘‘It’s a wonderful job,” Hoyer told reporters during a conference call on Monday. ‘‘Rarely do you have to do anything.”

Parliamentarian responsibilities aside, Hoyer (D-Md., 5th) will have a busy few days in Denver. He was scheduled to address delegates Tuesday evening after the Independent went to press and is hosting a happy-hour reception for the Maryland delegation on Thursday prior to Sen. Barack Obama’s acceptance speech. He is also attending numerous party functions and policy seminars throughout the conference.

During his five-minute speech, Hoyer said he would highlight America’s desire for change and the failures of the Bush administration.

‘‘America’s view overwhelmingly is we’re on the wrong track,” he said.

‘‘They want to get on the right track.”

Obama (D-Ill.), the first African-American to win a major party’s nomination for president, has strong credentials in a broad swath of domestic issues and has chosen a running mate, U.S. Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.), who is a leading voice on foreign affairs, Hoyer said.

‘‘This is a candidate who’s going to reflect America’s values,” he said. Obama ‘‘offers a fundamental choice to the American public, a realization of the change which they voted for in 2006, but unfortunately was not fully realized because of Republican vetoes in the White House and Republican obstructionism in the United States Senate.”

While some of the focus at the Democratic convention is directed toward Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and her supporters, Hoyer downplayed whatever bitterness may linger and said the differences between the two camps are scant compared to the positions of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain.

‘‘[McCain] tells us we’re worse off than we were four years ago, but he’s offering the same prescription,” said Hoyer. ‘‘Clearly, I think the American public is going to say more of the same is not what we’re looking for.”

He predicted Clinton’s speech on Tuesday night would encourage unity behind Obama.

‘‘While there’s still hurt feelings, while there’s still some deep disappointment ... the fact of the matter is Barack Obama won the nomination of his party fair and square and I think there’s great enthusiasm for his candidacy,” Hoyer said.

As a parliamentarian, Hoyer will help apply and enforce convention rules during the roll call on Thursday night, giving him a bird’s-eye view of Obama’s momentous nomination. The parliamentarian used to have a more significant role when the nominee was not selected prior to the convention.

‘‘What we now have is the decisions have been made by the time we get here,” he said. ‘‘They need to be ratified and they need to be coalesced. As a result, the convention itself is not a very contentious meeting of the party representatives and the parliamentarian doesn’t have to make too many judgments.”

Other convention parliamentarians are U.S. Rep. Doris Matsui (D-Calif., 5th), North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson, Cassandra Butts, domestic policy adviser at the Center for American Progress, and Helen McFadden, who has served in the capacity at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 conventions.