HuffPost's OffTheBus members produced these superdelegate profiles as part of its Superdelegate Investigation. You can find all profiles here.
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Kenneth M. Curtis
Maine
Basic Bio
*Kenneth M. Curtis was born on Feb 8th, 1931 in Leeds, ME.
*He has a number of degrees: his B.S. is from the Maine Maritime Academy, in 1952; his J.D. is from Portland University in 1959, and he has an LL.D. from Bates College in 1981.
*Before getting his J.D. he spent time in the U.S. Navy, where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
*He's currently semi-retired, though works as the Senior Counsel to Curtis, Thaxter Stevens Broder & Micoleu. (He is a member of the Maine Bar.)
*He owns a residence in Sarasota, Florida.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_M._Curtis
http://www.curtisthaxter.com/attorney_detail.php?a=48
Involvement in Democratic Party
*Secretary of State in Maine from 1965-1966.
*Maine's Governor from 1967-1974.
*US Ambassador to Canada (1979-1981),
*DNC National Chairman from 1977-1978.
*Thanks to his role as former DNC chair, he is not just a superdelegate, but a "Distinguished Party Leader," a distinction reserved for former DNC chairs, past Democratic presidents and vice-presidents, former Democratic Speakers of the House, etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_M._Curtis
http://www.curtisthaxter.com/attorney_detail.php?a=48
http://demconwatch.blogspot.com/2008/01/so-what-is-distinguished-party-leader.html
Personal political interests and issues
*In the 1970's, Curtis served on the National Governors' Conference as the Chairman of the Environmental Task Force.
*According to his firm's website, he's represented clients in "energy matters," among others.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_M._Curtis
http://www.curtisthaxter.com/attorney_detail.php?a=48
Involvement in 2008 election - campaign appearances, statements
*Mr. Curtis endorsed Hillary Clinton on October 3rd, 2007. He has not appeared in a prominent role in her campaign.
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=3545
Contributions to Candidates
*According to the FEC's campaign donation site, Curtis donated $500 on September 30th, 200y7 to Tom Allen's Senate race (Maine '08 Race).
*http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/norindsea.shtml
*Also according to the site, Curtis made a 1999 Donation to "Bill Bradley for President" in the amount of $250.
http://www.fec.gov/finance/disclosure/norindsea.shtml
Family's Involvement in Politics, the Democratic Party
*According to Curtis, "the whole family" was active.
Previous Campaign Work
*Curtis says, "I worked on the Kerry campaign.
*Probably the one I worked the most on was for Jimmy Carter. He and I had served together as governors and we're close friends."
*He also campaigned for Bobby Kennedy, Hubert Humphrey, and Walter Mondale.
Connections to Politicians, Leaders On State Level
*Mr. Curtis was a prominent state individual himself, serving as Maine's governor from 1967-1974.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Curtis
http://www.curtisthaxter.com/attorney_detail.php?a=48
This profile was produced through HuffPost's OffTheBus Superdelegate Investigation. If you have information that should be added to this profile, please send an email to campaigntrail@huffingtonpost.com with "superdelegate profile" in the subject line. All profiles will be donated to the
Superdelegate Transparency Project.
This profile was produced through HuffPost's OffTheBus Superdelegate Investigation. All profiles will be donated to the Superdelegate Transparency Project. If you have information that should be added to this profile, please join the Superdelegate Transparency Project and update the profile there.
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John KnutsonChairman, Maine Democratic Party (8/07 through 1/09)
Maine
Basic Bio
* Retired CPA and insurance executive
* Lives with his wife Margaret in Brooklin, Maine http://www.mainedems.org/people/mdp-chair.aspx
* Chairman, Maine Democratic Party (8/07 through 1/09) http://www.mainedems.org/people/mdp-chair.aspx
* Founding member and Treasurer of Friends of Blue Hill Bayand
* Past member of the Board of Liberty School in Blue Hill http://www.mainedems.org/people/mdp-chair.aspx
* Former Hancock County Democratic Committee Chair (HCDC)
* Former Chair of the Caucus of County Chairs http://www.mainedems.org/people/mdp-chair.aspx
Pledged Status
* Endorsed John Edwards http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendID=202450436, http://www.johnedwards.com/news/headlines/20070425-maine/
* "Knutson announced that he will support the candidate who wins the majority of the vote in Maine. "For all intents and purposes, Maine now has 25 delegates up for grabs since I will be embracing the candidate who wins Maine's caucuses," said Knutson." http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5276/is_20080207/ai_n21414642, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-sirota/a-shortterm-solution-to-_b_85532.html
* Pledged to Obama as of March 08 http://www.bangordailynews.com/news/t/news.aspx?articleid=161108&zoneid=500, http://www.turnmaineblue.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=795, http://www.boston.com/news/local/maine/articles/2008/03/05/maine_delegation_remains_pat_after_latest_primaries/
* Knutson will nominate an additional Maine superdelegate in late March: "Delegate X will be nominated by Knutson by late March HOW HE OR SHE WILL VOTE Is likely to share Knutson's commitment to Obama" http://69.25.198.13/article_ektid57872.aspx
Contributions to Candidates
* Knutson and his wife seem to be wealthy campaign contributors.
* Knutson contributed $270 to the DNC in 2004 and in the same year, the total contributions to the DNC for his address totalled $655
http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=loc&addr=&zip=04616&search=Search
* Other Knutson family contributions:
Knutson, Margaret Mrs., (Zip code: 04616) $250 to DNC SERVICES CORPORATION/DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE on 09/24/03
Knutson, Margaret H. (Retired/Retired), (Zip code: 04616) $458 to MAINE DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE on 04/09/04
Knutson, John A. (Retired/Retired), (Zip code: 04616) $250 to MAINE DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE on 08/09/04
Knutson, Margaret H. (Retired/Retired), (Zip code: 04616) $250 to MAINE DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE on 08/09/04
Knutson, Margaret (NA/Retired), (Zip code: 04616) $250 to HERSETH FOR CONGRESS on 05/21/04
Knutson, John A (N/A/Retired), (Zip code: 04616) $1950 to MICHAUD FOR CONGRESS on 06/23/04
Knutson, Margaret H (N/A/Retired), (Zip code: 04616) $1950 to MICHAUD FOR CONGRESS on 06/23/04
Knutson, John A (N/A/Retired), (Zip code: 04616) $2000 to MICHAUD FOR CONGRESS on 05/07/04
Knutson, Margaret H (N/A/Retired), (Zip code: 04616) $1750 to MICHAUD FOR CONGRESS on 05/07/04
Knutson, Margaret H (N/A/Retired), (Zip code: 04616) $250 to MICHAUD FOR CONGRESS on 01/13/04 http://www.city-data.com/elec/elec-BROOKLIN-ME.html
Family's Involvement in Politics, the Democratic Party
* Wife Margaret, a retired attorney, is also a Democratic activist:"With Margaret and John Knutson, it is said, the Maine Democratic Party gets "a two-fer" as Chair. Under John's leadership, the average annual HCDC budget of $5,000 rose to more than $30,000.
* With the help of Margaret and a strong volunteer team, the Democratic performance in the county increased dramatically. They essentially dedicate all of their available time to strengthening the Democratic Party and electing Democrats." http://www.mainedems.org/people/mdp-chair.aspx
This profile was produced through HuffPost's OffTheBus Superdelegate Investigation. All profiles will be donated to the Superdelegate Transparency Project. If you have information that should be added to this profile, please join the Superdelegate Transparency Project and update the profile there.
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George Mitchell
Former United States Senator
Maine and New York
Basic Bio
* Mother was of Lebanese ancestry and was a textile millworker. Father was a janitor and was of Irish ancestry. Mitchell, an attorney and former US senator from Maine (1980 - 1995)
* Was born August 20th 1933.
* Raised in Waterville Maine and attended Bowdin College (1954) and Georgetown Law Center (1960).
* Served in the US Army Counterintelligence unit from 1954- 1956.
* Has been married twice and has three children.
* Currently the Chair of DLA Piper Law firm in NYC.
* Most recent case of notoriety is about use of steroids in baseball.
* George Mitchell is currently on the boards of the following organizations:
o Disney ( Chair '04-06); DLA Piper ( Chair, Global Board '02 - to present); Fedex; Xerox; Unum Provident; Unilever; Staples; Starwood Hotels.
This profile was produced through HuffPost's OffTheBus Superdelegate Investigation. All profiles will be donated to the Superdelegate Transparency Project. If you have information that should be added to this profile, please join the Superdelegate Transparency Project and update the profile there.
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Sam Spencer
Maine
Basic Bio
*Born and raised in Portland, Maine area.
*Spencer attended Harvard College as an undergraduate (Government major).
*Following posts in Clinton-Gore administration, he earned MBA from Harvard Business School.
*Post MBA, Spencer returned to Maine and has worked in real estate development. He recently formed his own company, Spencer Monk LLC, focused to the conversion of old mill complexes to retail and residential uses.
*Sources: www.samspencer.org, http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=167091&ac=PHnws, http://www.politico.com/superdelegates/, http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=169875473, http://www.linkedin.com/ppl/webprofile?action=vmi&id=3898451&authToken=J5vt&authType=name&trk=ppro_viewmore, http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/4731487.html
Involvement in the Democratic Party
*Sam Spencer has been active in the Democratic Party since his early youth.
*His father was a member of the Democratic Party, and served as a senator in the Maine senate.
*As a youth, Spencer participated in a number of state-level campaigns, with his first paid post in the Clinton re-election campaign of 1996 as an organizer.
*As a youth, he was also head page of the US Senate pages.
*Served as deputy associate director and acting associate director in the White House office of Presidential Personnel for President Clinton, and then as a Special Assistant to Vice President Gore at the White House (planning for Gore's transition to president during the 2000 campaign sequence).
*In 2004, Spencer was elected to the Democratic National Committee representing Maine in May 2004.
*Sources: www.samspencer.org, http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=167091&ac=PHnws, http://www.politico.com/superdelegates/, http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=169875473, http://www.linkedin.com/ppl/webprofile?action=vmi&id=3898451&authToken=J5vt&authType=name&trk=ppro_viewmore, http://morningsentinel.mainetoday.com/news/local/4731487.html
Personal political interests and issues
*Democratic Party
Involvement in 2008 election - campaign appearances, statements
*Unclear.
Contributions to Candidates
*Maine Democratic Party, Senator Obama.
SPENCER, SAM
PORTLAND, ME 04102
STUDENT/STUDENT
MAINE DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE
05/11/2004 372.00 24961637089
08/09/2004 1000.00 24962337734
06/12/2006 1000.00 26930268924
05/03/2007 500.00 27930830341
SPENCER, SAMUEL
PORTLAND, ME 04102
OBAMA, BARACK
VIA OBAMA FOR AMERICA
09/30/2007 2300.00 27931427850
SPENCER, SAMUEL O
PORTLAND, ME 04102
ALLEN, THOMAS H
VIA TOM ALLEN FOR SENATE
06/05/2006 250.00 26930215003
http://query.nictusa.com/cgi-bin/qind
Family's Involvement in Politics, the Democratic Party
*Yes, his father was a Democrat serving in the Maine House of Representatives in the late 1970s. http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/lawlib/legbiog/webform1.aspx
Previous Campaign Work
*Yes, several state-level campaigns and the Clinton-Gore re-election campaign of 1996. Also, presumably the Gore 2000 campaign given
his role as special assistant to Vice President Gore at this time.
NB Information for this profile also drawn from OffTheBus telephone interview of 2.22.08.
This profile was produced through HuffPost's OffTheBus Superdelegate Investigation. All profiles will be donated to the Superdelegate Transparency Project. If you have information that should be added to this profile, please join the Superdelegate Transparency Project and update the profile there.
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Marianne T. Stevens
Superdelegate
Maine
Basic Bio
*Born and raised in Portland, Maine region.
*Went to college for nursing.
*Worked as a training supervisor for Verizon in Massachusetts.
*Retired back to Maine. (from interview)
Involvement in the Democratic Party
*Active unpaid campaign volunteer for democratic state, local, and national candidates through her young adult and adult life. (from interview)
Personal political interests and issues
*Issues surrounding the Supreme Court, including reproductive freedom and civil liberties. (from interview)
Family's Involvement in Politics, the Democratic Party
*Father was active in democratic party in Maine.
Previous Campaign Work
*In unpaid volunteer roles. Active volunteer in the Dukakas 88 campaign.
This profile was produced through HuffPost's OffTheBus Superdelegate Investigation. All profiles will be donated to the Superdelegate Transparency Project. If you have information that should be added to this profile, please join the Superdelegate Transparency Project and update the profile there.