Tonic: What A Party

Tonic is at the corner of 29th and 3rd, something like that. On 28th and Lex there is Curry In A Hurry. The official Barack Obama Super Duper Tuesday victory party was in Little India. Good pick. I had a mixed platter Indian dinner on my way to Tonic.

There were so many TV vans on both sides of the road. It was such a sight. And there was a long line. The crowd got so huge, a few other nearby bars had to quickly be arranged as alternate locations. It was a circus. I was already about 15 minutes late but I decided to stay across the street and take it all in for a few minutes. Two young women pedestrians approached me and asked, "Is this where Barack Obama is going to show up?" Yeah, right. They looked excited, like they might be able to catch a glimpse. They looked like they were 18.

"Well, he is in Chicago, but this is where many of the top Obama volunteers in the city are going to gather."

Another passerby asked me what was going on, why the ruckus? I said it was the Obama Victory Party.

"He won?"

"He is going to."

After that I got in line. While you waited you got to peep through the window of the next door bar that was one of the alternate destinations and see some of the early results. The guy ahead of me in line gave a nice recap.

Barack swept the country. He got more states and more delegates.

The white media kept showing Hillary won Michigan and Florida. That is so disrespectful of Howard Dean.

The Kennedy endorsement helped all across the country but not in MA. In MA the voters decided Patrick, Kerry, Kennedy, that was a little bit of an overdose.

I am not complaining about early voting in California. That is a big state's way of making up for not being a January state. I am thinking long term in not complaining. When Bill Clinton was president, he would fly off to California every other month or so. He has a thing for Hollywood.

The Blac - Black, Latino, Asian Coalition - identity is nowhere close to forming. You would think Hispanics and Asians are more racist than whites in terms how they viscerally stayed away from a black candidate. That was one of the shockers to me when I moved to NYC, all these Nepalis talking vile anti-black stuff.

But of course that is not the full picture. The Blac identity has to be forged. It has to be a positive one. It has to be about pride and participation. Plus, as people become more educated, they open up to possibilities.

Hispanics went 2-1 for Hillary, Asians 3-1 in CA. I don't think Barack has the option to try too hard to get the Hispanic and Asian votes. There are more white votes out there. And he has made a firm decision to stick to his broad themes. It took me a little while to realize that. And that is the right decision.

To come so close in CA, NY, NJ, come on. We did good. I am on record hoping we would do 40-60 in CA, NY, and that is what we got.

If we did 40-60 in NY state, we must have pulled even or better in New York City. I would like to know how we did in the city. Where do I go to get the breakdown?

Hillary was looking great on TV. There have been times in January when she looked harried.

I think by now both Barack and Hillary are resigned to the idea it will be a unity ticket. Good thing they like each other. I mean, that glaring possibility has been there all along. But now it is so concrete.

I routinely meet Obama volunteers who are like, no way, not Hillary. Duh, just crunch the numbers, dude.

Lamont is the pearl of the Obama 2008 operation in this city. I have only seen him a few weeks now, I don't know who found him, how he got in, but this guy is a magician. He works the crowd like noone can.

So Tonic is downstairs and upstairs, and from upstairs you can see most of downstairs. After having explored all nooks and corners - quite a task since the crowd was so thick - to look for any familiar faces, I was downstairs next to a nice semi-circular black leather couch, table in between. Lamont appeared out of the blue, stood up on the sittery, placed his left arm on my shoulder for balance, and waved with his right hand once this way, once that way, then twice to the crowd above, and a hey here, and hey there, and he had literally everybody's attention. How do you do that? This guy is supple. Then he led the chants. I say O, you say Bama, O-Bama, O-Bama. And one more. He got everyone riled up. Then when he cooled down and looked like might call an end to it, Sylvan from upstairs shouted a new chant for him to repeat, O-O-O-Bama-O. He pretended not to hear. Then he did the Barack thing on Sylvan: I Love You Back. Ha.

This guy is sheer joy. And to think Arthur introduced me to him only a few weeks back. He is one of those sunshine cheerful guys.

Bumped into Mistry. It is like as soon as I got in, he left. "Ain't gonna happen," he said. Looked to me like a busy banker was trying to go home and get some sleep before a busy day tomorrow.

Watch Out For Bill Clinton

Bill Clinton had fun in South Carolina. But he is a quick study. He must have learned his lessons. That makes him more dangerous. He is going to work the phones like a demon. But we are in good hands. These superdelegates are not his cousins in Arkansas. These are power brokers. If it is between a past and a future president, I think they will go for the future president. But I guess now Barack has to do some of what he had made hundreds of thousands of volunteers do across the country, and that is phone bank. How many are there? 700? I think the superdelegates from the states he won will be under some pressure to come along.

February should look good for us. March 4, the actual Super Tuesday, will have its day, looks like.

Barack's Victory Speech

I feel like we should keep giving him victories so he keeps giving those wonderful victory speeches.

Bill

Bill Perkins walked straight in when I was in line waiting for my turn. I guess he is a famous, important kind of guy. I call him Bill. When he becomes Mayor, I start calling him Mr. Mayor. But until then I will stick to Bill. Soon he was facing a TV reporter, and then he was gone. I guess he had a few different bars to make happy.

But my greeting Bill sped up things for me. Because the bar was full, you had to wait for someone to come out before you were let in. Soon after I was in. Some old faces, mostly new faces.

In The News

How Clinton won California San Francisco Chronicle by winning big among women, Latinos, Asian-Americans, gays and lesbians, older voters and working class Californians ..... She had a narrow edge, 49 percent to 46 percent, with those who made up their minds in the last three days, but held a 17-point advantage among voters who had decided earlier. ..... Clinton with a huge 59 percent to 34 percent advantage with women. ..... winning among Latinos by a 2-to-1 margin and among Asian-Americans by a 3-to-1 margin. ..... The two major immigrant groups voted for Clinton as opposed to the candidate who has the immigrant background. ..... Clinton won overwhelmingly with voters who did not complete high school (82 percent to 15 percent)
Barack Obama ahead of Hillary Clinton Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom
Clinton Lent Campaign $5 Million, Considers More New York Times
Many Indonesians cheer Obama in Democrat race Reuters
Feminist leader sides with Obama over Clinton Baltimore Sun
Obama Wins Big on Independents Yahoo! News
Barack Obama Wins Missouri Democratic Primary, Fox Projects Bloomberg
How He Can Washington Post Obama's failure to engage Hispanic Americans on the issue of race. ....... Obama's insistence on treating race as a secondary matter is morally laudable. ..... all people are of mixed racial descent, and that there is no "pure" race. We are all the synthesis of many racial origins
US Primaries: Obama wins in 13 states Rediff, India
Did Obama or Clinton win Super Tuesday? Slate
The Obama wave Boston Globe Clinton watched 20- to 35-point leads in the polls shrivel all over the nation. ..... Nationally, Obama got 64 percent of the young white vote.
Super Tuesday fever reaches Obama's Kenyan village Times of India Barack Obama "said to me right in front of this home that he would be seeking the presidential seat," Sarah Hussein Obama said. "I joked with him: 'You just got the senator seat and now you want to leave that one and go for the other?'"
Hillary vs. Obama: It Ain’t Over - New York Times He took the most states last night, he continues to build momentum, and there’s starting to be talk that the nomination is his to lose. .... him sweeping on Feb. 9 ..... the contest does not look a whole lot different today from how it looked yesterday.

Bill Perkins: Next Mayor Of New York City

7 Point Agenda For New York City

We Barack Maniacs are going to take over the party, I mean we already did as Deaniacs, but we are doing it all over again, then we are going to take over the country - you are looking at a sweep of 40 plus states - and then we are going to take over New York City. Bloomberg is the last Republican Mayor this city will see. We have to reform the Democratic Party and make it transparent and accountable directly to the people instead of to narrow interest groups inside the party structure. New York City is the progressive capital of America, it is the progressive capital of the world. That fact has to reflect in the city's power structure.

Bill Perkins is the mascot for Obama 2008 in this city. And he is the next Mayor of New York City. Perkins 2010 is going to be a city version of Obama 2008.

I have said this before. I don't know a whole lot about local and state politics. But does it matter if the soccer field is in Brazil or Germany?

If this city is 40% white, and 60% nonwhite, the campaign staff and the subsequent administration necessarily has to reflect the diversity. It can not feel like some kind of a black takeover, although there is no escaping the black empowerment theme. But primarily it has to be about getting the job and doing the job well.

Bill Perkins can't be running to be the Black Mayor, but simply Mayor. That is the Barack way. He has a strong base in Harlem and Brooklyn. He has to ride the Obama 2008 wave for the rest of this year and go to events all over this city and get on a first name basis with 1,000 and more Obama volunteers all across this city. Become a man of all peoples. Barack did it by birth, you are going to have to do it one conversation at a time.

A place like New York City, you have to be tough on crime. Most of the crime infested parts of the city tend to be minority, and so tough on crime is a necessary minority agenda. But a Democrat could do one better on an issue often neglected by fire-breathing Republicans like Rudy: community policing.

Bloomberg has been a pretty good Mayor. You might not able to replicate the management skills of a self-made billionaire, but there is a strong message there to hire competent technocrats to keep the wheels running.

If you do a good job, that is the best racial statement to make also. Bill Perkins should make it feel like it is but natural for a black person to be Mayor of New York City.

I have seen Anthony Weiner in action. His personality type is for legislative work, not an executive position. He should keep working the ladders in DC. He lacks the gravitas to be Mayor. Bill Perkins got the gravitas.

Jewish Governor, Black Mayor, brown friend to the Mayor: that will look good. Does someone running for Mayor get a running mate? Could Jessica be that person?

The subway, education, health, crime control, baby, you can keep. I am personally interested in only one thing, and that is to help ensure a total spread of democracy by 2020. The single best thing anyone could do to help achieve that goal is to give everyone who lives in this city a right to vote in the city elections. That will bring about a political mobilization that will be a huge boost to the democracy cause. This most progressive of all cities will simply have to deliver on this one, or it is lying in its progressive claim.

Bill Perkins for New York State Senate 2006
New York State Senator | 30th Senate District | Bill Perkins Perkins served on the New York City Council. During his eight year tenure, he was the third highest ranking member of the Council serving as the Deputy Majority Leader. ..... After graduating from Brown in 1972 with a BA in Political Science Perkins returned to and dedicated himself to giving back to his community through activism and public service.

7 Point Agenda For New York City

Barackface: Ferrer Gets Aggressive At A Ferrer Fundraiser Like this guy Bill Perkins. I saw him at the Bill Clinton event, (Bill Clinton Had Icecream For Lunch) and he looked like someone important and pleasant
Barackface: Mixing It For Ferrer
Barackface: Staff, Volunteers, Elected Officials
Barackface: Michelle Obama Is Just Fabulous
Barackface: New York City For Barack Obama 1-10
Barackface: Martha Outed Kenton And Women With Issues
Barackface: David Paterson
Barackface: Dean And Ferrer At City College
Barackface: DL21C Annual Summer Bash: Barack Won The Straw Poll
Barackface: Events To November 7 Victory
Barackface: One National Primary, Monthly National Debates ...
Barackface: The Meaning Of An Iowa Victory

7 Point Agenda For New York City

Michael Bloomberg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rudy Giuliani - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
David Dinkins - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




In The News

Rival Democrats Clutch Their State Prizes, and Look to Collect a ... New York Times
Talks on Political Settlement to Election Violence Open in Kenya Voice of America
Most Punjab labourers not from Bihar Times of India
Pakistan Is Threatened, Intelligence Chief Says Washington Post
France watches Chad-Sudan border BBC News
Clinton, Obama Brace for Long Battle After Super Tuesday Split Bloomberg Obama won more states, extending their struggle for the Democratic presidential nomination into next month and beyond. ...... Obama, 46, prevailed in Connecticut, next door to Clinton's home base. He also won his own state of Illinois as well as Georgia, Delaware, Alabama, Kansas, North Dakota, Minnesota, Colorado, Idaho, Alaska and Utah. ..... the racial and gender divisions that appeared in earlier contests were once again in evidence. ..... one in five Democrats said gender was important in determining their votes ... Hispanics gave about 60 percent of their votes to Clinton ...... blacks favored Obama by 80 percent to 17 percent. Women favored Clinton by 51 percent to 46 percent while men backed Obama 53 percent to 42 percent. ...... Mark Penn, acknowledged that his candidate may be at a disadvantage in the next contests. ``We're coming on to some states that are more favorable to Obama,'' he said, adding that Clinton would likely fare better in the Ohio and Texas primaries on March 4. ..... He brought in about $32 million last month. Clinton raised about $13.5 million during that same period ..... the two were also deadlocked in national polls.
Clinton Wins California Primary The Associated Press
Was Clinton's Massachusetts win a surprise? Los Angeles Times
Excitement builds in Clinton camp BBC News Already the focus is on the super delegates








1054 Page Hits On February 5

This blog had 1054 page hits on February 5.

Party Tonight

Saturday was hectic.

I showed up for the Women For Obama rally at noon: Columbus Circle. It was great to see Anna again.

"Hey, I have not emailed you yet, but I am going to," I said to her after tapping on her shoulder.

It was a great rally.

It has been amazing to watch the Obama 2008 operation grow in New York City. I have pretty much watched it since day one. There is no strict hierarchy. Many organizations and committees have sprouted up. Leaders have emerged. Crowds have grown and grown some more.

I met some Indians. When you meet Indians, you get reminded what you look like.

"I came all the way to New York City, and still I mostly end up meeting white people. We should figure out ways to meet more often," I said to the Indian women at the rally after it was over.

One said she was married. Another said she was a "trite Indian doctor." She said she was taking the train to Long Island a little later to meet her "in-laws."

"You are married?"

"Yes."

Just then this young woman approached me. She handed me this really pretty, colorful postcard. It was an invitation to an event on Thursday.

"Is this a DL21C event?" I asked.

"No. This is not a DL21C event. This is a Planned Parenthood event."

"Hmm."

"But their women's committee people are going to be there."

I don't know about that committee. They never jumped onto the 2.0 bandwagon.

I decided I was going to show up. I have been curious a long time as to who the women politicians in the city are. I know one: Jessica. I mean, I know of her.

Politicians in this city are white guys, and black guys, and some more white guys and black guys. Women are few.

I met her last at this event with the Washington state Governor. She looked kind of familiar but I was not so sure. I asked her if she was with the Governor, and she said no. And then she got introduced and I realized.

If I get to talk to her, this is what I am going to say.

"Jessica, I hope you forgive some day, but I gave about two hours of my time to Cesnik when he ran against you. He was a Dean 2004 person, and I was a Dean 2004 person, and I met him at an event. But I look forward to seeing your career unfold."

Nina was shopping around a party she was throwing later in the evening somewhere in Chelsea trying to get as many Obama people to show up as possible. I asked her the precise location for it. She said go home and look it up online. It was a sublime moment of Indian self hate.

After the rally, I took the train to Washington Square park. There was supposed to have been some small event there. But I did not find it. The next event was Times Square, 4:30. So I decided to go to Chinatown.

I like the Chinese. If you are in Nepal, you have one option, and that is to be friendly with the Chinese. But if you like the Chinese in New York City, that is an act of free will.

I bought a watch for five bucks.

After I put it on, I asked the guy, "Is this waterproof?"

He burst out laughing. "For five dollar you want waterproof?" His eyes squinted further.

There was an Indian who looked like worked at the same shop.

"You from India?" he asked. It was not curiosity. It was an act of bonding.

I was not dressed right. Underdressing is Britney's thing to do during summer, not Paramendra Bhagat's thing to do during winter. I did not have my woolen cap, not my woolen socks, no woolen scarf around my neck.

I walked inside a noodles place. I wanted dumplings. No dumplings. They gave me something that looked like dumplings, but were rice cakes.

The event in Times Square was the most boisterous visibility event to date I had been to. There were about 200 of us. Next to us were about five Hillary people. And I was wisecracking about them most of the time.

"Did you notice? There are like f-i-v-e Hillary people over there."

The line always got a laugh. We were scheduled to be there from 4:30 to 7:30. Towards the end I realized as our ranks went down in number, the Hillary ranks gradually swelled. MTV might have arranged it that way. Civil wars are for Kenya, not America.

"So, Mikie, you think Harlem can do 80% or more on the 5th?" I asked.

"More like 99.9%. You know who that one person voting for Clinton is gonna be: Charlie!"

Half way through Barack showed up on this huge screen across the street. That gave me another line that I delivered upon at least two dozen people.

"Do you think Barack can see us?"

I also met a student called Hillary who was an intern at the downtown office.

"You spell it the same way?" I asked.

"Yes."

"So you are Hillary For Obama."

"Yes."

I made two trips to the 99 cent pizza place on the 41st and 9th before the event was over. The pizza did not taste good. That was a warning sign. I was falling sick. But I told myself I was just maybe not hungry. The cold was getting at me. I also made two trips to the nearby Toys R Us store. The founder of that chain was the primary investor into the dot com I was one of the founding members of in 1999. I also made one trip to the Starbucks, just to sit down for a little while.

Wait a minute, it was not Toys R Us, it was the Zany Brainy dude.

I knew of a Desi party that started at nine: Leela Lounge, 1 W on W 3rd St. I was interested in going. I showed up right on time. This was an Indian place, Indian food and all that.

I checked in, and then I gravitated towards this circle. I was surprised they were eating full fledged meals. But I was impressed so many Obama Indians had showed up. I sat down and introduced myself to two people. Then I looked around. I waved at one or two people who looked at me.

As the small talk rolled on, I came to realize this was not the Obama crowd.

I begged off. It was somebody's birthday party. One or two women who looked at me curious must simply have been amused. "Maan na maan main tera mehman." (You like it or not, I am your guest.)

I joined the then thin Obama crowd that grew over the hour. I met a white guy from Ohio who followed his college sweetheart to Mumbai where he works a local job on local pay for Rediff, our primary competitor with that 1999 dot com. "Yes, I ride the trains."

He told me of the anti-black sentiment in India. He said two Kenyans got thrown out of a restaurant in Mumbai. They were refused service. He said of another time, there was this black guy in this train, and trains in Mumbai are packed affairs, and it was like he was in a phone booth. Everybody had just stayed away from him, kept their distance.

Racism is wrong no matter which angle you come to it from. India has its many social ills. But an India that can not see an ally in Africa is an India that will not become a superpower.

For me taking pride in India, its heritage and its possibilities, and totally denouncing its social ills are no contradiction. They go hand in hand.

I met Assem Chhabra. I said, you know, I remember you from somewhere. It was from SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association. He knows some top journalists in Nepal. He writes a column for the Times Of India on the US election. He got me to read an article of his on his handheld that was set to be published the day after.

After an hour, I begged off. I said I was tired after going to a few different events.

I came home and went straight to sleep. I just felt so tired.

The following morning I woke up sick. I decided I was going to wait out this bout of sickness in bed. I knew where it was coming from. I knew it was not anything serious. But there were small stretches of time when it felt like pain. By the time the bout was over, I must have lost track of time, because I showed up at the Tonic Monday evening for Arthur's party scheduled for Tuesday evening. I had not been sick as long as I thought I had been. But my falling sick proves I have been absolutely dispensable to the Obama 2008 operation in NYC.

The waitress who told me it was Monday and not Tuesday yet gave me a mischievous smile. From there I decided to walk over to pay homage to the Empire State Building. How do you pay homage to the Empire State Building? You go stand right next to it, and then you look up.

That is the grassroots way. The only person who is indispensable is The Leader. The only thing indispensable is The Message.