By Mar-Vic Cagurangan
Variety News Staff

THE central executive committee of the Guam Democratic Party will meet this afternoon to vote on the Guam Delegate Selection Plan, which will guide the selection of a presidential nominee when the local party’s delegates cast their vote at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colorado.
“We published the selection plan for public comments for 30 days and there has been no objection to it,” party chairman Tony Charfauros said.
The executive committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. at the Sinajana Community Center to act on the delegate selection plan.
“Before we commit our support to a particular presidential candidate, it is important to know the candidate’s policy affecting the federal-territorial relations and it’s important that the delegation considers what’s best for Guam.”
Guam will send a total of 11 delegates and one alternate to the party’s national convention to be held from Aug. 26 to 28 next year. The delegation will include the party chairman and vice-chairman, committeeman and committeewoman, Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, and six at-large delegates and one at-large alternate, who will be elected on May 3, 2008. Elections for next year’s party officers are scheduled for Aug. 25 this year.
Guam is entitled to pledge three votes on the day of the convention.
“We may be a small territory with a small number of delegates, but we are part of the U.S. family and our voice must be heard. We must cast our vote for the candidate whose platform will address the issues affecting Guam such as the military buildup, war reparation and self-determination,” Charfauros said.
“We have to make sure that the promising changes and developments happening in Guam remain intact. We’ll never know if the direction of the military buildup on Guam would change under a new president,” he added.
Seeking the national Democratic Party’s presidential nomination are New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd.
Charfauros wrote to all of the presidential hopefuls inviting them to come to Guam and meet with the local Democrats. Edwards and Obama have sent their regrets. The rest of the candidates have not responded, Charfauros said.
“In the past national conventions, Guam delegates would go there uncommitted. Each camp would reach out to us to convince us to support their candidates,” Charfauros said.
Charfauros recalled that in 1992, the Guam delegation cast its vote for Bill Clinton because of his commitment to assist Guam in its pursuit of a new political status.
If he gets reelected as the party chairman for next year, Charfauros said he would sit down with party members and delegates to make a decision before heading off to Denver.