Joy in the World: Mark Warner's Election Night Party

There’s a party going on!

If I closed my eyes I was sure I was at a University of Tennessee football game (back when the school had a team) for the screams and cheers were just as loud and deafening. How happy not to be in Tennessee!

At the McLean Hilton, anywhere from several hundred (the Washington Post) to about 1,000 (my count) to 3,000 to 4,000 (an exuberant reporter who shed his “media” badge to jump in and clap and shriek with the rest of us) attended Mark's party to watch, scream, and cheer (most of) the projections which flashed across huge television screens, one to the left of us (CNN), one to the right of us (MSNBC).

Meanwhile: the media sat glumly behind us on its platform.

Shouts of joy drowned the ballroom when MSNBC projected a state for Obama, then, moments later ear-splitting screams when CNN called the same state for Obama (and vice-versa). Boos erupted when Tennessee was called for McCain, and later, when Sarah Palin's face was screened during John McCain's concession speech.

Off and on the stage: the “senior” senator from Virginia, James Webb; the governor, Tim Kaine; the winner and host of the magnificent buffet, Mark Warner; newly-elected congressman, Gerry Connolly.

Moments after Warner, Webb, and Kaine paraded on the dais for the first time for Senator-Elect Warner's victory speech, here they came again with their families for Gov. Kaine's announcement of a special telephone call just received.

The floor moved, the walls quivered, the lights twinkled and his pearly whites glistened when Tim Kaine exclaimed: AP was calling Virginia for Barack Obama!

The jubilant mass raised fists, shouted, cried, danced, and Gov. Kaine said Virginia’s electoral votes had delivered the presidency to Obama, but it was not Virginia.

An Arab American woman came up to me and sorrowfully asked where I, an Anglo-Saxon, had gotten my "Arab Americans for Obama" sticker which I wore proudly on my dress. I peeled it off and gave it to her who later wore it plastered to her cheek.

I passed Fairfax County Supervisor John Foust who smiled broadly: "It's a great day to be an American." He paused: "It's a great day to be a Democrat!"

To my pal in Blacksburg worried on Monday about the outcome, I said: "Don't you worry, Ann! We 'Communists' in the Great State of Northern Virginia will deliver for Barack Obama!" And we did...with sincere and everlasting joy.




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Veep Chat

Enter Jason:
So far, I'm not impressed with the list:

For Obama, Who's Being Vetted?
17 Jul 2008 05:01 pm

A simple exercise, based on public statements and some reporting.

Confirmed

Sen. Chris Dodd

Almost certainly being vetted (based on my and other's reporting)

Gov. Tim Kaine
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius
Sen. Evan Bayh

Unknown

Sen. Chuck Hagel
Sen. Hillary Clinton
Sen. Claire McCaskill
Ex-Sen. Sam Nunn
Ex-Sen. Tom Daschle
Ex-Sen. John Edwards

Not being vetted

Sen. Jack Reed
Sen. Joe Biden (yet)
Ex-Rep. Dick Gephardt
Sen. Jim Webb
Ex-Gen. Colin Powell


Patricia enters:
Dodd, I don't think will do much for the ticket although I like him and his voice a lot in the Senate. Isn't he from CT? What happens to his seat if he leaves? The gov. appoints? Is the gov. a Dem or Repub.? We can't afford to lose a Senate seat.

Jason:
The Gov of CT is in fact a Repub. So, Dodd is out. Plus, he's got bad ties to Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac and Countrywide. Uh-oh. Not good!!!

Patricia:
Agreed.

NO WAY another woman would get it over Hill. Her supporters would be furious!

Jason:
I'm beginning to think that there may be a chance for a woman. Maybe Sebelius or McCaskill. Both actually have more elected experience than Hill. And if Hill can signal her blessing, maybe her peeps would shut up? Although, I sincerely hope McBush picks Carly Fiorina. That would be AWESOME--for us!!!

Patricia:
If McShame picks her, he is truly has fewer brains than I think he's got. Should we call and write urging her nom.? I do NOT think O will pick any woman but Hill and please, not her!

Kaine is out; hell, he can't even get anything done in VA. Why would he be included? A firebrand. Yeah, Kaine is out.

Jason:
Plus, I think he likes being Gov.

Patricia:
There have been a lot of problems with his ineffectiveness as gov. He is quite frustrated!

Jason:
Bayh is an insincere Hill supporter. Bayh is BORING--read, Dan Quayle.

Patricia:
Where is Rendell?

Jason:
He would be a horrible choice, because he always puts his foot in his mouth. Remember, back in February, I think, he is the one who said O would not do well in PA because of all the racists that live in his state, hahaha!

Patricia:
No, no, no to Daschle! Ineffective as Senate head.

Jason:
Daschle will make a great Chief of Staff.

Patricia:
Edwards could not carry NC 4 yrs. ago. Why would O go with him? Nope, not him. NC's prob. sewed up with all the blacks, anyway. I think the Edwards of today is vastly improved from the Edwards of four years ago. And, I do think that his and O's message is exactly the same. The only problem is would an Edwards pick carry the baggage of the 2004 campaign? It may look like it.

I like Edwards, but I don't think he has a chance bec. of leftovers from 2004 and suggesting Kerry (ouch; becoming like Dukakis almost).
Nope to Powell (another minority; the racists would have a field day, and besides, yrs. ago, he refused to be vetted)

Jason:
Powell will endorse O and that will be BIG enough.

Patricia:
Gephardt? Hhmmmmmm...good for location. But a "has-been'? A Washington type too much?

Jason:
HAHAHAHAHA, yeah right. If he does, say goodbye. Gephardt is more boring than watching paint dry. And we used to work for him!!!

Patricia:
Is Nunn too old? I like him, but my No. 1 IS......THE COWBOY

Jason:
Nunn is 69. Too old. Hagel . . . I still like him the most!!!


Patricia:
Oh, goody! That's two of us! And there was another posting to the NYT yesterday (after mine) saying Hagel would be a great choice!

Ring, ring, ring...there goes my telephone. It's likely Obama's team wanting my opinions on all the above. I'll just send this e-mail to The Team

Yes, Virginia, there is Another Virginia

Tim Kaine for VP?


In Sunday’s Washington Post Chris Cilliza has Gov. Kaine listed at the No. 1 most likely person Barack Obama will choose as his running mate on the Democratic ticket.

How is that?

Kaine can’t get anything done with the Virginia legislature when Northern Virginia is facing a real emergency with its traffic torment. How long have we been at this now?

He called the legislature into special session in June (which cost $22,000/day, according to the Post) to tackle the transportation nightmare, and what has it achieved? How about a big fat nothing?

Not only is there gridlock on the roads, Dr. Gridlock, but there is gridlock in the Big House!

Yes, Virginia, it’s payback time: The “Rest of Virginia” punishes Northern Virginia for its political tilt the wrong way and for dragging all of Virginia left, young man, that is, whoops, “west.”

Imagine, if you will, electing a Democratic senator to replace a incumbent racist Republican senator, and electing a Democratic governor, and, most likely, another Democratic senator this fall! The nerve of those Northern Virginia Damn Yankees!

Yes, Virginia, there is another Virginia. It’s “Northern Virginia,” and it’s high time for it to secede from the “Rest of Virginia,” much like West Virginia did in 1863. Then, the “Rest of Virginia” can deal with itself and pay for itself, too.

Tim Kaine as VP? Timmy, I hardly knew ye.

Bob Novak's VP Candidate Column

To Friends: I know, it's Novak, but he DOES have credibility...

Kaine: Low charisma!!!
Rendell and Casey are "blood enemies"?
Georgia: "probably unwinnable"?
Where is my Hagel?
Who is Rob Portman?
Crist is getting "married" "erasing one question mark." Oh, sure...
John Warner has not yet endorsed Gilmore which says a lot.
Novak says a lot about N. VA (for you N. VA folks).

Frank replies:

WESLEY CLARK! WHY IS HE NOT ON THE LIST? HOW CAN YOU GET ANYMORE QUALIFIED THAT AN EXPERIENCED GENERAL WHO KNOWS THE DANGERS OF THE MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX AND WHO IS ALSO A RHODES SCHOLAR

Patricia replies:

He screwed up last wk with his comment that being shot down did not qualify McC to be prez. (I agree wi. him, as I think many do; however, it, in effectuality (?), lost him the veep seat!)

Wait, there's more! Developing story...

Where is Tennessee governor Phil Bredesen? Left off list! Tennessee has shot itself in the foot again. But it's got guns, and now, plenty of volunteers with nothing to do.

Oh yeah? Fred Thompson! Left off list! Maybe because he's hibernating in the Tennessee woods?

But Al Gore is on. Right on, volunteers, right on! They may have something to do, after all.

Frank replies:

That's ridiculous. Clark is by far the most qualified. That's not a screw up! Who could quarrel with that comment? Getting shot down doesn't qualify you for being commander-in-chief.

A Putin Convention in Virginia

What if they gave a convention and nobody came?

What if the "ballot" to elect delegates to attend the Democratic National Convention in Denver was already predetermined? What if? What if? What if it were all true?

Ahead of the Virginia State Democratic Convention last weekend in Hampton where 2,000 "announced" delegates met to, among other things, vote on delegates to go to Denver, the
Obama campaign and the Governor's office "pre-selected" delegates for Denver.

The state "slate" as determined by Governor Tim Kaine and the Obama campaign was promoted in e-mails to some Obama Convention delegates beforehand, and "promoted" to all the convention delegates in two promotional pieces distributed just moments before the "vote" on Denver delegates was taken on the floor.

A "vote"? Votes were scattered among the 148 convention delegates who signed up to run and compete for one of the 12 coveted seats for Denver, thereby assuring election of those on the Governor and Obama's "slate" who really had no competition. Those not on the "slate" stood no chance. We were unhappy. We campaigned on a "I'm not on the slate" platform.

Many had spent money and time creating flyers, making posters, parading on the floor. All for naught.

A gentleman sat next to me during "musical chairs" (we switched chairs often throughout the day), and we introduced ourselves. I told him I was running for national delegate, and he said the same. "Wow," I said, "your name is familiar. I'm not running on the slate." He said: "Well, I am, and that's why my name is familiar. I am a member of the Virginia General Assembly." Oh, my. "I am not quite sure why the Governor chose me," Mark Sickles said, "and I am voting for the slate." Thank you, Mark Sickles.

The "vote" was conducted just like it was at the congressional convention I attended a few weeks before in Alexandria where the state "slate" was announced and promoted ahead of time, and where one delegate told me the Governor's office called and asked him to withdraw his Denver candidacy, and he obliged. Rather like an election in Zimbabwe.

Leaving (most of) the negative behind... (Jimmy Carter, where are you?)

If Mark Warner wins
John Warner's U.S. Senate seat in November, it will be the first time in 39 years that Democrats have held both Senate seats, so said Gov. Tim Kaine who noted that Democrats will field candidates in all eleven congressional districts for the first time in ? how many years? No one seems to know.

"No Child Left Behind" was booed as was John McCain's name every time it was mentioned from the stage.

It was fun standing around talking politics, politics, politics all the livelong day.

Awards:

Most Outstanding Performance:

The young man who sang the national anthem a cappella. Hire him! The crowd was spellbound; tears were shed. He was magnificent and could not have been older than 12.

Most Significant No-Show: Congressman Jim Moran

Most Significant Omission: No mention of Flag Day

Biggest Ego: Jim Webb who delivered his (standard?) "I" speech: "I" this, "I" that, "I" everything, blah blah blah. He still doesn't know the three most important words in English are "you," "you" and "you."

Best Campaign Speech: Mark Warner. We were so happy to learn he'll keep his Senate, and not the Veep, candidacy running. Of the candidates who spoke, his speech was the only one which silenced the crowd and brought delegates to a standstill.

Biggest Presence: Mark Warner (signs and staff)

Loudest District: The 11th (portions of Fairfax and Prince William counties)

Unhappiest Delegation: Hillary Delegates who wore their candidate literally on their sleeves. Signs to the right of them, signs to the left of them, signs, signs, signs everywhere atop their person. "Grrrrrrrr..." said most of them. Not all "older" females.

Unhappiest Spouse: Larry Byrne

Cleverest Campaign Slogan: "I tell everyone the three most important things in any campaign all start with a "V": Vote, Volunteer, and Vite a check" (Gerry Connolly, Demo congressional candidate, 11th District)

Most Praise Delivered from the Podium for Hillary Clinton: Tim Kaine

Most Crowd Interruptions of "Yes, We Can!" During a Speech: Tim Kaine

Most Number of Handlettered Signs: Creigh Deeds (running for governor)

Best Party Host: Creigh Deeds

Best Dressed: Mark Warner (his peach tie and blue shirt complemented the Democratic logo on stage)

Best Accent: Brian Moran (running for governor)

Best Button: An upside-down "W" (= "M") on a Navy blue background with "McSame" under the "M"


VP Polling:

All sorts of names were offered during informal polling: Smith of Washington State (who?), Cong. Robert Wexler of Florida (yes, yes!), Mark Udall, Wesley Clark, Joe Biden (gaining steam), Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Sen. Claire McCaskill, Bill Richardson (rumored to have some issues). No one, no one, de nada said Hillary's name but it who was mentioned from time to time as a Supreme Court nominee (good idea!).

Before Mark Warner trounced speculation that he would join the Obama ticket as the VP nominee, someone said talk was circulating that Don Beyer (no-show) would become the Senatorial candidate if Warner took to national roads. All convention delegates who were polled frowned upon either Webb or Gov. Kaine becoming the VP nominee since Virginia stands the chance to lose a seat in the Senate, and Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling, "arch conservative" that he is as described by several, would take over the governor's seat.

On a musical note, I have asked Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs to step in and sing a few notes for Gov. Kaine:

Oh won't you stay, just a little bit longer
Please let me hear
You say you will, say you will

At the Latino reception where empty platters greeted delegates who got no food or drink because they stayed in the "big hall" to cast "votes," Gov. Kaine spoke Spanish and could not hide a longlasting broad grin when a portion of the crowd began to roar: "VP, VP, VP"!

Most Popular:
At least, silent auction items:

Prices shown are those posted at different times:

RFK Photo: $450, $480 (20 minutes later)

Three Clinton (BC and HRC) photographs in one frame: $225, no change after 20 minutes, $350 (75 minutes later)

Obama Photo: $300 (no change during time observed)

JFK Photos: $250 (no change)

MLK Photo: $120, $150 (20 minutes later)

Hillary Photo: $150, $170 (20 minutes later)

Why host a convention after all? An attendee at the 2004 convention said as far as she knew, no slate was pitched then. Why now?