Democrats refine party platform in Cleveland

CLEVELAND (AP) — Platform writers for Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton worked side-by-side Saturday as the Democratic Party developed a policy statement to promote nominee-in-waiting Obama and keep Clinton backers involved.

The 20-member drafting committee heard Friday and Saturday morning from scores of party regulars, policy experts and hard-luck Americans before beginning a draft of the platform, which goes before the full platform committee Saturday in Pittsburgh.

The committee, meeting through today, reviewed a 44-page document principally written by Karen Kornbluh, who has worked on Obama’s Senate staff. She said the draft included Obama and Clinton materials and was meant to highlight renewing core American goals.

Kornbluh said the Clinton materials in the draft include a commitment that “people who do the work in America will never be invisible to the Democratic Party,” echoing a common Clinton campaign theme.

The platform also commits the party to addressing the needs of another group often mentioned by Clinton, the “sandwich generation” of working parents who are also caring for aging parents.

“They are working longer hours than ever even as they are asked to meet a new and growing set of caregiving responsibilities,” the draft said.

The draft, subject to a number of changes to be offered by members, is to set the tone for the convention and Obama’s campaign.

“As we meet, our country is in the sixth year of a two-front war. Our economy is struggling. Our planet is in peril. These challenges, and many others, demand new leadership,” the preamble said.