By Tom Cochran
August 9, 2004

At the National Democratic Convention in Boston, Conference President Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic, representing the U.S. Conference of Mayors, hosted a special luncheon honoring the Democratic mayors attending the Convention.

Featured mayors who offered remarks to over 300 guests were: Trenton Mayor Douglas Palmer, President of The National Conference of Democratic Mayors, Jackson (MS) Mayor Harvey Johnson, President of The National Conference of Black Mayors and the host Mayor for the Democratic Convention Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino.

Plusquellic welcomed Arlington (MA) Selectman Charlie Lyons, President of The National League of Cities (NLC) and County Commissioner Angelo Kyle, President of The National Association of Counties (NACo) along with their Executive Directors, Don Borut of NLC and Larry Naake of NACo.

The mayors were honored to hear from one of their own Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell — former mayor of Philadelphia — who was also Chairman of the Democratic National Committee under former President Clinton. Rendell introduced Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico. Richardson, the Chair of the Boston Democratic Convention, was most generous to the mayors thanking them for participating in the Convention. He also stressed the importance of the mayors recounting the strong relationship he enjoyed with The U.S. Conference of Mayors when he was Secretary of Energy under President Clinton.

Former Governor Howard Dean of Vermont also addressed the mayors- luncheon. He was introduced as the candidate who sparked the fire that began to give Democrats the idea that President Bush can be challenged. Many mayors had given Dean their support before his campaign waned and Senator John Kerry captured the nomination. Dean expressed profuse thanks to mayors for "sticking their necks out early" to support him. He received a standing ovation.

Also in attendance and recognized was former Denver Mayor Wellington Webb, Vice Chair of The Democratic National Committee. Also recognized was Cook County Chair John H. Stroger, Jr., former President of NACo, a legend in Illinois and Democratic politics.

Plusquellic told mayors, friends, and guests that he is leading a campaign to use the Conference of Mayors as an advocate to ensure that issues facing mayors in metro areas are discussed in the upcoming Presidential campaign. He stressed the importance of being united in the effort with the NLC and NACo.

Mayors were hosted to a cocktail reception before the elegant lunch where buttons and baseball caps were distributed. Buttons read "Battleground Mayors Fighting for Battleground Jobs" and "Mayors Do America's Business" and Battleground Mayors for Kerry/Edwards.

Sponsors for the pre-lunch cocktail reception and lunch were American Management Services, Inc., Bechtel, Council for Investment in the New American City, CH2M Hill/OMI, DaimlerChrysler Corp., New Century Financial Corporation and Nextel.