WV Democrats ‘build spaces in places where people can connect’ during Roosevelt-Kennedy dinner
By Matthew Young, RealWV
CHARLESTON, W.Va. – “Let’s make no mistake – this current shutdown – this most recent failure to govern falls squarely on the shoulders of President Trump, and his Republican lackeys in Congress.”
That’s what West Virginia State Democratic Party Chair Mike Pushkin told a Charleston Civic Center ballroom full of supporters on Saturday, during the annual Roosevelt-Kennedy Dinner. Pushkin referenced the current shutdown of the federal government while explaining that one of the night’s two scheduled keynote speakers, Virginia Congressman James Walkinshaw, was unable to attend the dinner due to his need to remain in his home district.
“Even though he couldn’t be here, we appreciate Congressman Walkinshaw fighting for us,” Pushkin noted. “We damn sure know that our West Virginia Republican delegation ain’t gonna do it.”
While Walkinshaw was not in attendance, the evening’s second keynote speaker, Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols, did make the trip to Charleston.
“We also find it morally reprehensible that our president is using government agencies to dishonestly disseminate propaganda and outright lies in an effort to shift the blame,” Pushkin said. “But unfortunately, none of this is new, and nothing shocks us anymore. Trump can blame immigrants, or he can blame the trans community, or he can blame people that don’t look like him, pray like him, or love like him. That’s what he does.”
“That’s what they do, because they damn sure don’t know how to govern,” Pushkin added.
Pushkin further stated that while Congressional Republicans “may have the numbers” of representatives to put an end to the government shutdown, they refuse to work with democrats to find a compromise regarding several issues.
“It (the government) shut down when the chief executive illegally and unconstitutionally defunded programs that are already approved by Congress, who holds the power of the purse,” Pushkin said. “This government shutdown when the commander-in-chief federalized National Guard troops and sent them to police U.S. cities, while here in West Virginia we’ve still got counties digging out from the most recent flood. This government shut down when the president and his attorney general used the Department of Justice to target his political rivals, and settle old scores.”
“And it (the government) ceased to work when the President of the United States uses his bully pulpit to incite violence against American citizens who don’t agree with him,” Pushkin added.
After Pushkin finished his remarks, and thanked those responsible for organizing the dinner, Charleston Mayor Amy Shuler Goodwin briefly spoke.
“I have lots of joy tonight,” Goodwin told those in attendance. “It’s so great, and I’m so joyful to be with so many wonderful people. But do you know what I am also super joyful about today? The new Taylor Swift album dropped.”
“Let me tell you why I’m excited about her album,” Goodwin continued. “It’s about a rebuild. It’s about joy. It’s about taking all the bricks thrown at her, and building a castle. Those are her actual lyrics, and it’s our story. It’s who we are in West Virginia, and Appalachia.”
“With everything that we have thrown in our way, and all the tough times that we have had in front of us, we continue to build,” Goodwin added. “We build spaces in places where people can connect and be together. That’s who we are, we are builders.”
Goodwin further said that the “work of a builder is joyful,” and that “the mission right now is to remain joyful, even when it’s tough,” before ending her remarks with the advice of her grandmother.
“She would say to me, ‘Stop stirring, stop complaining, and stop fidgeting. Get up off your ass and get back to work,’” Goodwin concluded.
As part of the evening’s program, the 40th class of county “Outstanding Democrat of the Year” were announced.
Outstanding Democrats of the Year
| Name | County |
| Brad Noll | Berkeley County |
| Susan Grubbs | Boone County |
| Linda Moyers | Braxton County |
| Heather Stone | Brooke County |
| London Donahoe | Cabell County |
| Jess Evansmore | Fayette County |
| Tim Lee | Hampshire County |
| Pam Allison | Hancock County |
| LaDonna Patterson | Jackson County |
| Antoinette Ringgold | Jefferson County |
| Pamela Van Horn | Kanawha County |
| Elizabeth Johnson | Lewis County |
| Katie Thacker | Lincoln County |
| Belinda Biafore | Marion County |
| Kathy Shreve | Marshall County |
| Lauren Caldwell Billiter | Mason County |
| Catherine Muth | Mercer County |
| Deanna Armentrout | Mineral County |
| Larry Croaf | Mingo County |
| John Williams | Monongalia County |
| Sam Abbott | Morgan County |
| Devin Spinks | Nicholas County |
| Bruce Teachout | Ohio County |
| Seth King | Putnam County |
| Nick Lennox | Randolph County |
| Judy Collett | Taylor County |
| Tammy Pritt | Wayne County |
| Wendy Tuck | Wood County |
| Christy Caldwell | Wyoming County |
