On July 27-29, the Democratic Party held its platform drafting meeting in Minneapolis, Minn., where they prepared the initial draft of its platform, which will be finalized during a full committee meeting in Detroit later this month and approved by the convention on the first day it meets.
The hearing included time for public comments on the draft. The Committee then met to draft the 2012 Democratic Platform which is used as a working document by the full Platform Committee.
The committee was chaired by former Governor Ted Strickland (D-OH). Committee members included former U.S. Representative Tony Coelho, Tino Cuellar, U.S. Representative Barney Frank, Donna Harris-Aikens, Colin Kahl, Nancy Keenan, Heather Kendall Miller, Thea Lee, U.S. Representative Barbara Lee, Susan Ness, Mayor Michael Nutter, Carlos Odio, former U.S. Representative Robert Wexler and Christen Young. Serving as ex-officio members are Governor Deval Patrick, DNC Secretary Alice Germond, and Tom Wheeler.
Out of the draft meeting, it was announced that, for the first time, the Democratic Party Platform will include a gay marriage provision. The President came out in favor of gay marriage earlier this year.