Democratic officials from across Maryland revved themselves up for today?s opening of the General Assembly?s regular session ? but everyone?s eyes were also focused on the November election and hopes of recapturing the White House.
At the annual Democratic Party luncheon before the session, even supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton for president were basking in the glow of record turnouts for the Iowa caucuses and apparently in New Hampshire as well.
“I want to salute Sen. [Barack] Obama,” said Sen. Barbara Mikulski, chairwoman of Clinton?s Maryland campaign. His win in Iowa “was a very important cultural moment in our American history.”
“There?s excitement in the air,” Mikulski added. It is now time to “take back the White House and put it back in the hands of the American people.” She also said it was time for the entire Maryland congressional delegation to be Democrats, knocking off the two remaining Republican House members.
Lt. Gov. Anthony Brown stressed, “We do need a partner in the federal government” to help achieve the goals of the O?Malley-Brown administration.
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, who heads the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, pointed out that Obama, Edwards and Clinton “all got more votes than Mike Huckabee,” the Republican winner in Iowa.
“We?re going to have the State House, and we?re going to have the White House,” said Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller, one of the most partisan of Democrats.
He promised a new partnership with House Speaker Michael Busch, with whom he often has had policy differences.
“We?re going to be together like peas and carrots,” said Miller about Busch, alluding to a line in the Forrest Gump movie. And O?Malley will be “serving us up.”
Prince George?s County Executive Jack Johnson said people can accuse them of being “tax-and-spend.” “We need to show them that there are tangible results” from the increased revenues passed in November, he said.
After more than an hour of speeches, some of which brought the 180 elected Democrats, staff and lobbyists to their feet, O?Malley said, “I?ve got nothing in terms of rah-rah material.” He thanked the delegates and senators for their tough votes and hinted that a focus on violent crime might be part of his agenda this year.
“There is no reason to content ourselves to be the third or fourth most violent state in America,” O?Malley said.
