Monday, April 27, 2009

Democratic Convention Parties!

I went to a Democratic Convention and a Party broke out! Many of them.

The goal was simple for Shane Brinton and I at this year’s Democratic State Convention. We were going, to the best of our ability, not have to pay for a meal. How can that be done? With all the hosted receptions and invited get together and party events, we were going to try. (We were avoiding the big dollar dinners that were being held.) We traveled down to Sacramento and were at the State Convention center around 12:30 Friday afternoon. After the last caucus I attended was over at about 10pm, Shane and I went to the following events:

“SpeakerStein Palooza” Hosted by Hon. Darrell Steinberg & Karen Bass

“Pink Friday Dessert” Hosted by CTA

“Savory Suite” Hosted by Sactown Democratic Party

“58 County Party” Hosted by John Burton & Eric Bauman

“Apple Pie and Ice Cream” Hosted by Hon. Tom Torlakson


Free food, music and booze! What a combo. We got back to our motel (Po Dunk Inn, I mean the La Quinta) way late.

In the morning we were able to score a free breakfast, but we had to be in down town Sac by 7:30am. We made it and it was good. Then we had another full day of Politics. I saw former Humboldt County resident and HCDCC member Debbie Israel and we took in a free lunch hosted by 50th District Assemblyman Hector De La Torre. Debbie is working at the Shasta Lake City planning department and was at the State Convention as a volunteer.

On Saturday evening Shane and I had an invitation from Jerry Brown at the Governors Mansion. Free Bud by bottle or tap! I had a goal of getting a picture with Jerry, but he was crowded by people. Chris Kerrigan grabbed my camera and shoved me forward into the fray, and I got my picture. After I drained the party of much beer, we ended up at the Broiler downtown and broke down and paid for a meal.

Then it was off to Gavin Newsome’s block party in Mid Sactown with Mayor Kevin Johnson and Wyclef Jean performing. The music was great. Wyclef played a full set. One thing that disappointed was the $8 drink price. No thanks, I stayed dry.

We ended up the day into the next morning actually. Not much sleep again. But we made it in time for the General Session and the havoc on the floor. More on that as I try to sum it up later.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Were you and Chris stoned?

samoasoftball said...

5:46pm real brave, aren't you.

Fred Mangels said...

Funny thing is, you probably actually thing Jerry Brown personally sent you the invitation.

A bit naive, I would think.

brian said...

Dude , you sooooo need to go find a job. Mmmmmmmm free food.

Tapperass said...

If the anonymous drek have a problem with this trip, then their frustration should be directed to the Party Leaders who picked up the tab for all of these free meals, in spite of the economic mess.

If I was in Richard's place, I would have been all over free food.

My issue is that all of this was happening while people are struggling. Let me send Shane, Richard and Chris to Sacramento with a delegation of people I work for, because they have much to be fearful of right now. Let some of my poor and indigent people have a free breakfast with the people who are trying to balance the State Budget by cutting their essential services.

I am sure the anonymous who seem to congregate here have their own ideas of who to have go and eat with these politicians.

samoasoftball said...

Fred: I know and so do the other delegates that Brown does not know us. We were delegates on the list, so we were a high priority for kick off campaigns. Same with Newsome. I am not a backer in any realm. You know I am not that ignorant.

Brian-Free food-Good!

Boy: Yes. There are many people more worthy of a meal than Shane and I. But we are part of the working/non working poor, and I was just giving a real life illustration. It may smack of the advantaged sector, so I am sorry. Shane and I had a $10 certificate left for food on the Convention floor. I told Shane to buy out the certificate in Merchandise (food). When we went to our garage, we were meet by a black man on the streets with impaired vision. He walked over to Shane and placed his hand on Shane's shoulder and asked him about the bag of food (a sandwich) Shane was holding. Shane offered him the sandwich and this thrilled the man who told us of the condiments he had available to put on the sandwich. That is real life humanity. Most people would turn away and don't interact with people like that.

You anonymous assholes out there. What would you have done?

Anonymous said...

WE would have given him a job cutting brush,washing walls or painting overpasses,etc so he could raise his hopes as he ate food he worked for. We would not have supported or voted for the HCDCC bums that put you out of work and want homeless with their hands out.

Shane Brinton said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shane Brinton said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rambo said...

Keep telling ya rich, time to change your format to not allow anons. Make people stand behind what they say.

humboldturtle said...

Good post.
Great photo.
Boring trolls.

JB sort of looks like a turtle.

Anonymous Asshole said...

What a waste of time, energy, gas, etc.. If Richard wanted free food he could simply go down to Old Town and eat with the other jobless folks. I'd rather hang out with them than with Kerrigan, Brinton, and a bunch of crooked politicos living the good life off my tax dollars.

Humboldt said...

Wish I'd have been there to help with the chow and brewskis Richard. If you ever get another invite like it and need back up- I'm there.

Anonymous said...

Typical left wing crap Richard.
If you dont agree with it your delete it! And you still dont
have a job and all your young
buddies in Saco are drunk or
stoned.

samoasoftball said...

8:26am and you obviously have no life.

Anonymous said...

At least I'm sober & not high.

Rambo said...

Couldnt prove that by your osts