Miami
May 29, 2008

We are in a countdown situation with the three Presidential candidates attendance at our 76th annual Meeting in Miami, Friday June 20 through Monday, June 23.

Mayors Diaz of Miami, Hannemann of Honolulu, Daley of Chicago and I met with Senator McCain on Monday May 19 in Chicago during the National Restaurant Association Annual Meeting. We talked to Senator McCain about his attending and he was positive about coming to Miami. No word yet. Senator McCain addressed our Annual meeting in 1999 in New Orleans while he was running for President in 2000. And he addressed our Annual Meeting in 2006 in Las Vegas. He received a strong welcome to our Las Vegas meeting with a standing ovation after his speech. So while many of our mayors love Senator Clinton and Senator Obama, Senator McCain has many friends and supporters among our mayoral members.

On the Democratic side, we all know that Senators Obama and Clinton are fighting it out heading toward the final primary June 3rd. But by the time we convene in Miami they will be through with the primaries and our gathering of the nation’s mayors is an opportunity for each to come and present their vision and roles USA cities will play in their new Administration. And frankly, it is the place for all of them to be. This is the last opportunity candidates will have to address the nation’s mayors as a group before the general election in November.

Cities today are undeniably the driving economic engines for our national economy. All candidates must recognize this. While there has been some discussion of our issues during the primary season, we need each candidate to address our issues in a more comprehensive and, yes, specific manner.

Conference president Doug Palmer has done a masterful job in pushing our 10-Point Plan forward in this primary season. It’s out there and we continue to get lots of interest from members of the press, the business sector, universities, and the general public.

We must start now focusing on our priorities to present to the next President. In Miami, on Monday afternoon, June 23, mayors will come together in a “mayors-only” session to help our officers and staff provide a more specific drill down action plan for us to present the next President during the transition period after November and before the Presidential Inauguration.

Mayor Manny Diaz, as our 66th President, will lead us as we take our “10-Point Plan” to the stage in this very exciting political year. Together, we will have Mayor Greg Nickels, who is an Obama Mayor, and either Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett or Burnsville Mayor Elizabeth Kautz, who are both McCain Mayors and Mayor Diaz who has endorsed Hillary. So we will have the political waterfront covered with our three top officers. Plus, our new officers will be backed up quite fiercely with Immediate Past President Doug Palmer. Other Past Presidents, Daley of Chicago, Riley of Charleston, Menino of Boston, Abramson of Louisville, Plusquellic of Akron will all be a part of our team as we push our mayoral agenda forward.

But we must get the candidates to come to Miami. I have been in contact with a number of you from the McCain, Clinton, and Obama camps. You must convey immediately your strong demand that these candidates come to Miami and address the nation’s mayors. It is their place to be and we can make it happen if you will follow through to help us get them there. It is most important.

Conference President Palmer and I are in Miami this week meeting with Host Mayor Diaz as the city of Miami prepares to welcome the nation’s mayors to this great international and American City.

If you have not registered, please do so now. It is THE place for you, as mayor, to be June 20-23 in Miami for the 76th Annual Meeting of The United States Conference of Mayors. Please register now by calling 202- 861-6747 or e-mail Carol Edwards at cedwards@usmayors.org.