Tuesday, February 21, 2006

Hillary In Person

The artist Hillary brought along for the event played hip hop on violin. I had not imagined that was possible.

There are benefits to being on Leila Noor's mailing list. I got invited to this Hillary fundraiser. Cost $50 but more in the priceless category. After making the payment online, I teased her. After Hillary Obama. The reply email said sure, I will put you down for an Obama fundraiser I might be hosting. I was not expecting that. Then I said, after Obama Amitabh Bachchan.

"Who is Amitabh?"

The most recognized face on the planet.

I video recorded Hillary's entire speech which I will display here after uploading. Her basic thrust was it was time to start winning elections again. She did not say as much, but her point seemed to be that Nancy Peloisi should be the next Speaker.

If more 18-35 crowd voted, we would not be in this sorry shape, she seemed to suggest. That was the crowd she was addressing, people who buy cheap 50 dollar tickets.

"Now I will have to host a fundraiser of my own," I emailed Noor after purchasing the ticket.

If we can send a man to the moon, we can put biofuel in your tank. That was another point she made.

She also talked about health care for everyone, "starting with me and my throat." She was on the verge of losing her voice.

After getting the wild-eyed personal attention along the rope line I said, "Senator, it is such an honor." Then I requested a photo. Her staffer did the clicking. It's a big deal.

I had been growing my hair all winter. Today I had a haircut for the event.

I met a French guy who is originally from Chile and his job is to order clothes from places like India. He has been in the city three years. We talked much Chile and France politics for much of the evening. Hillary signed her autobiography for him. She made a point to ask him his name. She made him say it a few times to get the spelling right; he was to my right. Authors like the idea of being read, I guess.

Meeting Hillary in person is a big deal. After seeing her on television and in countless pictures, and reading so much about her, as well as reading her writings, listening to her speeches online, I still really really wanted to do this event. You meet in person, and it is like breaking the sound barrier. There she is in flesh.

A few evenings back I watched her appearance in San Francisco recently, archived online by C-Span, to prepare for this event.

American Perspectives: Sen. Clinton (D-NY), Fmr. Pres. Bush, Coretta Scott King
On this week's program, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and journalist Jane Pauley sit down and discuss a variety of political issues. Next, George & Barbara Bush, fmr. President & First Lady, talk about a wide range of topics, including memories of their White House years. Then, a tribute to Coretta Scott King, the civil rights activist who passed away Tuesday at the age of 78.
2/4/2006: WASHINGTON, DC: 3 hr. : C-SPAN

The anti-war hecklers showed up again, just like at the San Francisco event. Two young women with alike banners, alike slogans both times ("Hillary, stop the war! Stop the war!"). You would think Hillary were Commander In Chief. Hail Chief, stop the war. Is someone coordinating this? The crowd drowned them out with pro-Hillary cheers. Now that part was spontaneous.

Hillary looked a little tired, with wrinkles she did not have in 1992. A politician's job does ask for much physical stamina. Golley, shaking all those hands, smiling at all those people, endless speechmaking. Talking is hard to do.

To my left was a guy from Ohio who had just moved to the city, four weeks. He was relieved to know I had spent some time in Indiana.

"Everything is three times more expensive here," he noted. He was paying $2800 for his apartment.

Leila and Dana were two DFNYC folks I bumped into. Tonight was also the DFNYC Mixer. We missed it. But that's okay. They are screening a Dean 2004 themed movie in a few days. I plan to show up.

The hubbub of the city has many layers to it, some of it is to do with how much people are making. A lot of money is being made and spent. The caching sound is loud and strong.

Come to think of it, this was the same bar where I showed up for the Lampson fundraiser. (Lampson, Mistry, Dance-a-thon, LinkUp) Crobar. 530 West 28th Street.

My new French friend told me he also attended a Bill Clinton fundraiser for Hillary the same venue. And that Bill Clinton was in Delhi, India, for a wedding as we speak. He told me of privately owned roads in Chile, privately owned pension schemes. We talked Bachelet. (Michelle Bachelet: Yet Another Woman)

Noone I know talks of Hillary without not mentioning 2008 in the same breath. Tonight was no exception. This was a loyal crowd. But Hillary is pragmatic, disciplined. She is focused on 2006. There is no way to guess where she herself stands on 2008.

Hillary Clinton is focused and disciplined, concepts that are alien and imaginative to Bill Clinton.

I feel protective of the Clinton couple. They have done so much already. You really miss them when you are out of power, don't you? One person does make a whole lot of difference. Supporting the leader is part of the package deal of activism. Leadership particularly matters to the Democrats because this party tries to represent the powerless. That is a tricky proposition. There is much infighting you end up dealing with.

At the end of the day I was just thankful. Thanks for making the time, Senator.

Bill Clinton Had Icecream For Lunch
Bill Clinton Has Left The Building

In The News

ABC Asks Bill Clinton To Endorse Hillary's Odd View of Cheney's ... NewsBusters
Poll: Condoleezza Rice Up, Hillary Clinton Down NewsMax.com, FL
President's Day Poll: Hillary Clinton Numbers Continue to Dive National Ledger, AZ
The upcoming Hillary Clinton wreck Wizbang, DC
Hillary Clinton to speak at Latino event New Britain Herald, CT
Purple Heart group gets flak over nod to Sen. Clinton Scripps Howard News Service, DC
Why Hillary Clinton is so disliked Sarasota Herald-Tribune, FL
Hillary Rodham Clinton Looks Like a 2008 Candidate ABC News
Magical moments with Hillary Clinton Northwest Asian Weekly, WA
Hillary Clinton Sides with Conservatives in Ports Controversy NewsMax.com, FL

Visitors

20 February