The 2008 Green National Convention took place on July 10–14, 2008 in Chicago, Illinois at the Palmer House Hilton and Symphony Center.Venue Options - Green Party National Convention 2008 - Chicago, Illinois This served as both the venue for the National Convention and the Annual Meeting of the Green Party of the United States.
Venues The convention was headquartered at the historic Palmer House Hilton, while the nomination event itself took place at the nearby Symphony Center on July 12.
Theme The theme of the convention was, "Live Green, Vote Green".
Events July 10 Main Events Introductory news conference and a reception for international Greens. Welcome Reception with International Greens
Additional Events Credentialing Committee meeting Accreditation Committee meeting Diversity Caucus meeting Platform Committee meeting Lavender Caucus meeting International Committee Meeting Ballot Access Committee Meeting National Women's Caucus New York State Caucus Bylaws, Rules, Policies & Procedures (BRPP) Committee Meeting California State Caucus Workshops: GPUS Budget & Finances in General: Input, Q&A, and more (presented by Jody Grage and Jim Coplen) Selling Yourself Without Selling Out (hosted by Scott McLarty) A Clear Path Towards Dismantling and Ending All "ism" (Racism, sexism, classism and white privilege) within the Green Party by 2012 (facilitated by Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza-Curry) Viral Campaign Marketing (presented by Jim Carr) What Every Candidate Should Know (presented Brent McMillan) What is Local Democracy? Building from the Bottom Up for Political Power (led by Juscha E. M. Robinson, Brenda Konkel, Pete Karas)
July 11 Main events National Committee Meeting News conferences for elected Greens, Green presidential candidates, and candidates for other offices Presidential Candidates Forum. moderated by Rich Whitney Evening reception with John Nichols
Other Events Morning Yoga Eco-Action Committee meeting Presidential Candidate Support Committee meeting Outreach Committee meeting Black Caucus meeting Dispute Resolution Committee meeting Disability Caucus meeting Youth Caucus meeting Maine State Caucus meeting Latino Caucus meeting Workshops Fundraising 101 (featuring panelists LaVerne Butler, Angel Torres, George Martin, David Cobb, Jody Grange, Emily Citkowski, Tamar Yager) The Role of Peace Movement in an Election Year (presented by Bruce Gagnon, Steve Shafarman and moderated by Ann Wilcox) What is Central to the Green Message: Ecology? Democracy? Social Justice? (presented Gloria Mattera, Ben Manski and John Rensenbrink, moderated by Mary Beth Sullivan) Sustainable Activism (presented by Alison Duncan) The 60th Anniversaries of the Palestinian Catastrophe (Nakba) and the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights: Green Party's Response The Constitutional MAP for Voter Disenfranchisement Update on NAFTA and the North American Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) The Law of Diminishing Returns as a Principle for Deciding How to Deal with the Need to Reduce Consumption to Restore the Environment Organizing Online for Everyone Campaign Fundraising Candidate Messaging Making Green Food Choices – How our diet affects animals and the environment Democratizing the Electoral College Endless War and the Military-Industrial- Governmental Complex Red, Black, Brown and 'Green': Positive Solutions to the Issues of Poverty, Immigration and Environment Destruction A Democracy Movement for the U.S.A. The Basic Income Guarantee - and the Power of Green Economics
July 12 Main events Platform vote Keynote speeches by Cliff Thornton, Kathy Kelly, Malik Rahim, Jill Stein, Omar López Speeches by Green Party presidential candidates Presidential nomination vote Vice presidential nomination and speech Presidential speech Press conference Post-convention reception at Palmer House
July 13 Main events National Committee meeting with the new presidential nominee
Other events Morning meditation led by Lewie Pell of the Network for Spiritual Progressives Green Alliance Meeting Workshops: Agrarian Revival at the End of Cheap Oil What to say when you're called a spoiler: instant runoff voting & proportional representation LGBT Activism: Recent Victories and Future Goals History of US-Iranian Relations and Its Impact on Current Tensions Regarding Iranian Nuclear Power Strategic Thinking for Campaigns Elections for Radicals
Speakers Notable speakers included: NamePosition/NotabilityDavid CobbActivist 2004 Green Party presidential nomineePat LaMarcheActivist 2004 Green Party vice presidential nomineeRich WhitneyGreen party nominee for the 2006 Illinois gubernatorial electionJohn NicholsJournalismMalik RahimActivist Former Black Panther Green party nominee for LA-02 in 2008Kathy KellyCliff Thornton JrActivist Green party nominee for the 2006 Connecticut gubernatorial electionOmar LópezGreen party nominee for IL-04 in 2008Jill SteinPhysician Green party nominee in the 2002 Massachusetts gubernatorial electionBrent McMillanGPUS Political Director (2004–2009)Sedinam Kinamo Christin Moyowasifza-CurryJim CarrBen ManskiJohn RensenbrinkPolitical sciencist Conservationist Co-founder of the Green Party
Presidential nomination The presidential nomination took place July 12 at Chicago's Symphony Center.
Candidates
Balloting
Candidate Green National Convention Presidential roll call votePercentage Cynthia McKinney 324 59.89% Ralph Nader3 85½ 15.80% Kat Swift 38½ 7.12% Kent Mesplay 35 6.47% Jesse Johnson 32½ 6.01% Elaine Brown 9 1.66% Jared Ball4 8 1.48% No candidate 6½ 1.20% Uncommitted 2 0.37% Total 541 100%Notes:1 2 3 Nader did not seek the Green Party nomination. His total includes 8 delegates fromIllinois where Howie Hawkins stood on the ballot in his place.4 Endorsed Cynthia McKinney. + Green presidential nomination ballotDelegation Cynthia McKinney Ralph Nader Kat Swift Kent Mesplay Jesse Johnson Elaine Brown Jared BallOther6001100040110011Black Caucus200000002352321410302205001010000006000000013110001011221000070100000530000002580600506.5001.5000030211001Lavender Caucus400000005100000015010.51.500060334000133131000174111000110000001402200005010200010010000800000006101100128.52.50230005001200031001001900010001020.512002.5500010001010000050111000101001000200000002310100110011000020006000191120001Women's Caucus20200000Total delegates32485.538.53532.5988.5
Running mate
After McKinney's nomination, the convention delegates selected her stated choice of running mate, Rosa Clemente, for the vice-presidential nomination through a voice vote of delegates.
References Official Press Release
Video of Convention State Delegate voting part 1 State Delegate voting part 2 Cynthia McKinney Acceptance Speech Vote and Rosa Clemente Acceptance Speech David Cobb Convention Speech Malik Rahim Keynote Speech Omar López Keynote Speech Malik Rahim congressional candidate Louisiana Jesse Johnson addresses Convention Delegates
External links Official Convention Website Green Party 2008 Campaign Web Page Presidential Nomination Delegate Count