California Democratic Council
Encyclopedia
The California Democratic Council (CDC), an unofficial umbrella organization of volunteer Democratic
Clubs, was founded at conferences at Asilomar
and Fresno
conferences in 1952-53 by future U.S. Senator Alan Cranston
, State Senator George Miller, Jr. and other liberal Democratic Party activists, inspired by Adlai Stevenson's presidential candidacy; they intended to organize the existing "Stevenson Clubs" into a grassroots movement to win back control of California State Government from the Republicans, who then held the Governor's office and both US Senate seats.
According to the group's website, the organization, which coordinates the activities of Democratic clubs statewide, is the only one of its kind in the United States
.
After Cranston, its founding President, CDC has also been headed by Joseph Wyatt, Tom Carvey, Simon Casady, Gerald Hill, John L. Burton
(former State Senate President Pro Tem and Congressman, and now Chair of the official California Democratic Party organization), Nathan (Nate) Holden, Wallace Albertson, Lia Triff Belli (wife of legendary San Francisco attorney Melvin Belli
before their acrimonious divorce), Robert W. Farran, African-American leader Quincy Beaver, State Party Secretary Jim Clarke, DNC member Chris Stampolis and Henry Vandermeir.
The late President John F. Kennedy
has been quoted as saying, "I have always regarded the California Democratic Council as one of the United States’ most important centers of citizen participation in politics." (In reality, Kennedy and his brother Robert were closely allied in California to the Los Angeles political organization of Jesse Unruh, the powerful Speaker of the State Assembly, who was considered the bete noire of the liberal organization.)
In 1964, CDC endorsed the US Senate candidacy of its founding father, Alan Cranston, but he lost the Democratic nomination to former Kennedy Press Secretary Pierre Salinger
- who was lated defeated by the Republican candidate in the General election.
In 1966, the Council was bitterly split over the issue of American military entanglement in Vietnam. After a "horrendous struggle" in which Governor Brown and Cranston sided with a CDC faction that was more moderate in opposing the war policy of President Lyndon Johnson, both Brown and Cranston were booed and hissed at a CDC Convention. Cranston's sister later concluded that this rift with the Democratic leadership marked the beginning of CDC's decline.
Two years later, CDC endorsed the anti-war presidential candidacy of Senator Eugene McCarthy
over that of Senator Robert F. Kennedy
, who was supported by Unruh. Kennedy won the Democratic Primary, but was killed on the day of his victory.
Later that year, Cranston was at last elected US Senator, remaining in office for the next 24 years. Though he had somewhat distanced himself from the Council, his election symbolized the height of "citizen participation" in Party politics.
In 2006, the CDC adopted fresh vision and mission statements focused on local organizing:
VISION STATEMENT
California Democratic Council (CDC) envisions that every registered Democrat is represented by leaders at all levels of government who advocate successfully for Democratic Party values and high quality of life for all Californians, and that these leaders are informed about the most important issues concerning members of the Democratic Clubs that make up their constituency.
MISSION STATEMENT
California Democratic Council (CDC) ensures every California Democrat is served by a visible, organized, broadly-based geographic Democratic club that reaches out year-round to its community; recruits quality Democratic candidates for every appointed and elected position in its purview; and supports those officials in advocating for Democratic Party values both as candidates and in their sworn public roles. The CDC helps Democratic clubs to communicate their policy messages and positions on issues in a democratic manner and at the appropriate level to provide information and guidance to appointed and elected officials and candidates.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Clubs, was founded at conferences at Asilomar
Asilomar
Asilomar can refer to a number of things:* Asilomar State Beach – a beach in California, home to the Asilomar Conference Grounds* Asilomar International Conference on Climate Intervention Technologies in March 2009...
and Fresno
Fresno
Fresno is the fifth largest city in California.Fresno may also refer to:-Places:Colombia* Fresno, TolimaSpain* Fresno, a ghost village in Nidáliga, Valle de Sedano, Burgos* Aldea del Fresno, Madrid* Fresno de la Vega, Ribera del Esla, León...
conferences in 1952-53 by future U.S. Senator Alan Cranston
Alan Cranston
Alan MacGregor Cranston was an American journalist and Democratic Senator from California.-Education:Cranston earned his high school diploma from the old Mountain View High School, where among other things, he was a track star...
, State Senator George Miller, Jr. and other liberal Democratic Party activists, inspired by Adlai Stevenson's presidential candidacy; they intended to organize the existing "Stevenson Clubs" into a grassroots movement to win back control of California State Government from the Republicans, who then held the Governor's office and both US Senate seats.
According to the group's website, the organization, which coordinates the activities of Democratic clubs statewide, is the only one of its kind in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
After Cranston, its founding President, CDC has also been headed by Joseph Wyatt, Tom Carvey, Simon Casady, Gerald Hill, John L. Burton
John L. Burton
John Lowell Burton is the current Chairman of the California Democratic Party. He is an American politician who served as a Democratic California State Senator from 1996 until 2004, representing the 3rd district. From 1998 until he was forced out of office by term limits in 2004, he served as the...
(former State Senate President Pro Tem and Congressman, and now Chair of the official California Democratic Party organization), Nathan (Nate) Holden, Wallace Albertson, Lia Triff Belli (wife of legendary San Francisco attorney Melvin Belli
Melvin Belli
Melvin Mouron Belli was a prominent American lawyer known as "The King of Torts" and by detractors as 'Melvin Bellicose'. He had many celebrity clients, including Zsa Zsa Gabor, Errol Flynn, Chuck Berry, Muhammad Ali, Sirhan Sirhan, the Rolling Stones, Jim Bakker and Tammy Faye Bakker, Martha...
before their acrimonious divorce), Robert W. Farran, African-American leader Quincy Beaver, State Party Secretary Jim Clarke, DNC member Chris Stampolis and Henry Vandermeir.
The late President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
has been quoted as saying, "I have always regarded the California Democratic Council as one of the United States’ most important centers of citizen participation in politics." (In reality, Kennedy and his brother Robert were closely allied in California to the Los Angeles political organization of Jesse Unruh, the powerful Speaker of the State Assembly, who was considered the bete noire of the liberal organization.)
History
The CDC "club movement" played an important role in the 1958 election of Governor Edmund G. "Pat" Brown and a slate of other State Democratic candidates (including Cranston as State Controller), the first Democratic administration in the State since the New Deal.In 1964, CDC endorsed the US Senate candidacy of its founding father, Alan Cranston, but he lost the Democratic nomination to former Kennedy Press Secretary Pierre Salinger
Pierre Salinger
Pierre Emil George Salinger was a White House Press Secretary to U.S. Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson...
- who was lated defeated by the Republican candidate in the General election.
In 1966, the Council was bitterly split over the issue of American military entanglement in Vietnam. After a "horrendous struggle" in which Governor Brown and Cranston sided with a CDC faction that was more moderate in opposing the war policy of President Lyndon Johnson, both Brown and Cranston were booed and hissed at a CDC Convention. Cranston's sister later concluded that this rift with the Democratic leadership marked the beginning of CDC's decline.
Two years later, CDC endorsed the anti-war presidential candidacy of Senator Eugene McCarthy
Eugene McCarthy
Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician, poet, and a long-time member of the United States Congress from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971.In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first...
over that of Senator Robert F. Kennedy
Robert F. Kennedy
Robert Francis "Bobby" Kennedy , also referred to by his initials RFK, was an American politician, a Democratic senator from New York, and a noted civil rights activist. An icon of modern American liberalism and member of the Kennedy family, he was a younger brother of President John F...
, who was supported by Unruh. Kennedy won the Democratic Primary, but was killed on the day of his victory.
Later that year, Cranston was at last elected US Senator, remaining in office for the next 24 years. Though he had somewhat distanced himself from the Council, his election symbolized the height of "citizen participation" in Party politics.
In 2006, the CDC adopted fresh vision and mission statements focused on local organizing:
VISION STATEMENT
California Democratic Council (CDC) envisions that every registered Democrat is represented by leaders at all levels of government who advocate successfully for Democratic Party values and high quality of life for all Californians, and that these leaders are informed about the most important issues concerning members of the Democratic Clubs that make up their constituency.
MISSION STATEMENT
California Democratic Council (CDC) ensures every California Democrat is served by a visible, organized, broadly-based geographic Democratic club that reaches out year-round to its community; recruits quality Democratic candidates for every appointed and elected position in its purview; and supports those officials in advocating for Democratic Party values both as candidates and in their sworn public roles. The CDC helps Democratic clubs to communicate their policy messages and positions on issues in a democratic manner and at the appropriate level to provide information and guidance to appointed and elected officials and candidates.