Officials to speak at Turn Nevada Blue

The Douglas County Democratic Central Committee is honored to host two distinguished guests, retired General Wesley K. Clark and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, at the third annual Turn Nevada Blue dinner on Jan. 27 at the Carson Valley Inn, Minden.

Wesley "Wes" Clark, 62, grew up in Little Rock, Ark., where he was an athlete and scholar. After graduating first in his class from West Point he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford University where he earned a masters degree in politics, philosophy and economics.

During his 34 years of service in the U.S. Army, Clark rose to the rank of four-star general as NATO's supreme allied commander, Europe. Prior to retiring in 2000, Clark commanded Operation Allied Force, NATO's first major combat action in Bosnia.

Clark was a Democratic candidate for president in 2003 and has been identified as being a potential presidential candidate this year.

Gov. Bill Richardson, 59, also a potential presidential candidate, has had a long and distinguished career in public service. He served as a U.S. congressman for seven terms, served as U.N. ambassador from 1997-98 and as U.S. secretary of energy under Bill Clinton from 1998-2001. He was elected governor of New Mexico in 2002 and re-elected in 2006. He is the first and only governor of Hispanic descent in the nation.

A gifted international diplomat, Richardson was been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995, 1997, 2000 and 2001. Gov. Richardson's major areas of interest are education, environmental responsibility, clean and renewable energy and health care. He also believes that "we have an immigration system that's broken."

This is an opportunity to hear both of these accomplished public servants and learn what their plan is to make America better.

There are still seats available for the dinner. The dinner will begin at 6 p.m. in the Shannon Ballroom with a no-host bar. Cost: $60 per person. A private hosted cocktail reception with the candidates along with preferred dinner seating will be from 6-7 p.m. The cost is $150 per person. Tables of ten can be purchased at a discount.

Contact DCDCC co-chairs Bud Orange at bud.orange@charter.net or 721-7530 or Cindy Trigg at F4trigg@aol.com or 338-1561 for reservations.