Kerry in Virginia yesterday (article in the Virginian-Pilot).

[Mass]

http://www.johnkerry.com/news/articles/newsarticle.html?id=82

Local roast becomes political pep rally for Democrats

The Virginian-Pilot
By MIKE GRUSS

CHESAPEAKE - Less than two weeks after control of Congress shifted, the region's Democratic leaders turned a roast of Del. Lionell Spruill Sr. on Monday into a victory celebration.

Surrounded by Rep. Bobby Scott and at least 15 other officeholders at the Holiday Inn Chesapeake, Sen. John Kerry rallied about 475 Democrats, playfully trading barbs with Spruill, but emotionally detailing the Democratic agenda for the next two years.

"We are the new American majority," Kerry told the crowd to a roaring ovation.

That word - majority - set off a firestorm of applause each time it was mentioned.

Kerry, wearing a blue shirt and light blue tie, was introduced to the U2 song "Beautiful Day," the anthem he adopted for his 2004 presidential campaign. In a short speech, he said jobs and education "haven't been attended to the way they ought to be."

Some leaders credit Kerry's candidacy in 2004 with identifying Democratic voters in Virginia. Those same voters, they say, later put Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and Sen.-elect Jim Webb into office.

Monday, Kerry said the Democratic majority would continue to grow in Virginia because it is a party with ideas.

"It is time for Iraqis to stand up for Iraq and for our troops to come home," he said of the war.

Scott, the evening's master of ceremonies, echoed the calls for change.

"Next year, when we vote on minimum wage, there will be a difference," he said.

Del. Franklin Hall, the House minority leader, said he expected "the overwhelming majority" of money raised Monday would go toward Democratic candidates in next year's elections.

[ProSense]

1. That's great!

We won!

[Democrafty]

2. Blogged, as ties were mentioned.

:)

[beachmom]

3. What the **^%@??????!!!!???? I knew nothing about this.

I live the next town over!!! Why was there no e-mail????? Fedup, me, and even IB could have tried to get there had we known.

[fedupinBushcountry]

10. OMG

I would have dropped everything to be there. OMG

[wisteria]

4. Nice article- I never know what to expect anymore. n/t

[karynnj]

5. Tis is so wonderful to read

Kerry rallied about 475 Democrats " playfully trading barbs with Spruill" "Roaring ovation"

Even some credit for 2004.

"Some leaders credit Kerry's candidacy in 2004 with identifying Democratic voters in Virginia. Those same voters, they say, later put Gov. Timothy M. Kaine and Sen.-elect Jim Webb into office."

this has to feel good sfter the last 2 weeks - though the applause seemed pretty friendly in SC too.

[beachmom]

6. On a professional note, glad to see a positive article.

Dare I wonder if my talk with the public editor made them ease up on him?



Okay, back to being mad at missing him. I haven't gotten the paper delivered in a couple of weeks, and I had no idea about this. Was there any advanced publicity about this?

[Democrafty]

7. Since the paper referred to it as a roast

it seems like it may have been some sort of private party?

[karynnj]

8. They say "Democratic leaders"

So could it be the county organization. They said there were at least 16 elected officials. (That's a lot of leaders.)

[beachmom]

9. I hope that's the case -- then I won't feel bad. But if it was open

to lay Democrats, well, then I just feel stupid for not getting there. I'm in Virginia Beach, and there was no publicity for this here. As I said, I haven't been getting the newspaper (a bit of a mix up, which I haven't cleared up yet), so I had no idea.

[beachmom]

11. I'm also very pleased to hear of Sen. Kerry and Rep. Scott

meeting. I saw Rep. Scott speak here, and he was the first public official to condemn the torture "compromise" -- that meant a lot to me at the time. He's very smart and principled. Good, good liberal representing Norfolk. I didn't find him to be a glad handler either -- just a handshake, and "hi, I'm Bobby Scott".

I see it was in a hotel, so yeah, that sounds like you needed to be invited.

I really did give the public editor of the Virginian Pilot a HARD TIME about their coverage of the botched joke -- this article was 100% positive. That's freaking awesome!!

[karynnj]

12. Given where he was when he talked to you and this

You had to have had an effect. It also sounds like a really really good event. I hope it's a sign that things are coming back.

[fedupinBushcountry]

13. It was a fundraiser

Check out the photo all smiles. I can't get it to post maybe someone else can.

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=114762&ran=246752

[beachmom]

14. Local blog post:

http://vivianpaige.wordpress.com/2006/11/21/spruill-roast/#more-1007

All were waiting for the arrival of the featured speaker, Senator John Kerry. Around 7:15pm, Kerry arrived.

Kerry spent about ten minutes moving thru the room, shaking hands and speaking to people. I got a chance to chat with him as well. First impression: golly, that man is tall! As I was one of the few folks with a camera, I had several requests for photos, which I was happy to take.

snip

Spruill took the ribbing good naturedly and then introduced Kerry. Kerry took the microphone to thunderous applause. After echoing the story of how he and Spruill met, he spoke briefly about the Democratic agenda for the next two years, touching on such issues as Iraq. I got the distinct impression that Kerry is going to put forth a full effort to obtain the presidential nomination.



In the comments, somebody complained that they didn't know about the event. She replies:

I don’t know how the word got out. I got an invitation in late September.


Vivian has run for local office before, and runs a great blog (even if I disagree from time to time), so she's definitely prominent.

[beachmom]

15. Here's from MY local blog (argghhh):

This guy is the leader of the Young Democrats in our area.

http://vbdems.blogspot.com/2006/11/del-spruill-dinner-in-chesapeake.html



I think that we could have gone, Fedup. Sean and Vivian are not rich, although they are more involved locally than we are. It probably cost $50 at the most, given there were 500 people there. I'm really disappointed I missed this. Of course, Boston will be better, but it would have been nice to say a quick hello, and then he would have recognized us (well, of course he knows you more than me) in Boston. Sigh.

[Democrafty]

16. Thanks for the link!

I enjoyed reading his account of the event.

[beachmom]

17. Yeah, I posted it on the JK blog, too. In actuality, my absense

meant nothing. Other bloggers went and covered it. Neither want him for '08, so you could say they gave fairly unbiased reports, which were decidedly positive. Sen. Kerry had a successful event with good publicity all the way around.



Edited to add: I just double checked the article and it was yesterday evening. I had plans already, so there was no way I could have gone. Okay. Phew. I'm feeling better now.

[politicasista]

19. I wonder who they really want?

Is it cause of 04? The joke? Or just want someone that's "electable"? :shrug:

[beachmom]

20. They want to win. That's it. Because Virginia has been red for

so long, they seem to be less principled than other more blue areas. All they want is to win, even if liberal values suffer. There's even this one Virginia poster named "Dannyboy" who is a Democrat but not liberal. Sorry, that's weird. To be a Democratic activist and not be liberal makes zero sense with me. It's like he's ashamed of being a real Democrat. Anyway, that's Virginia for you.

[Democrafty]

22. This is up on the JK blog now n/t

[fedupinBushcountry]

18. I doubt he knows me

BUT we definitely know him. Both the reports are great, and it sounds like he was very well received. That's all he has to do from now until '08, mingle with the people. "Thunderous applause", that speaks volumes.

[beachmom]

23. The nasty troll "Squeaky Wheel" has appeared to diss Kerry

We're talking REALLY bad. Any help would be appreciated. I handled the Webb angle. Anybody up for the rest?

http://vbdems.blogspot.com/2006/11/del-spruill-dinner-in-chesapeake.html

Squeaky Wheel lives around here, and when I first started posting on the blog, he scared me with his weird sociopathic ways (just the idea that he was one town over just freaked me out). The other girl who posts there posted a picture of her son once. He wrote "you should have had an abortion". He's also written other nasty things that were deleted.

[karynnj]

24. I clicked on his name - this guy is perverted

He is sick and needs help. I would stay away from him - others have to see through him.

[beachmom]

25. He's associated with a Chesapeake conservative blog

If my friend e-mails the owner of that blog, Jim, to complain about Brian (Squeaky Wheel), Jim can usually put him back into line. But, then he drifts back to being terrible again.

Another scary thing: I went grocery shopping last week and saw a car in the parking lot with a "Bearingdrift.com" bumper sticker on it. That's the name of the conservative blog -- and, of course, it is so obscure, that there is a good chance the owner of the car is a contributor to the blog. Even Squeaky Wheel. Going to MY grocery store. Luckily, I post under "Beachmom" at my blog so I am completely anonymous, but it is scary when these people live in your community.

Edited to add: I was going to tell Sean that the JK blog had linked to his story, but I didn't because I didn't want Squeaky or any of the other RW trolls to post on the JK blog and cause big headaches for them over there. These people really do suck the joy out of our work sometimes.

[Island Blue]

21. DRATS! I definitely would have tried to make this

if I had known about it. (Never mind that I'm not actually a VA Democrat.) This is probably the closet JK will ever come to where I live. (Unless of course he want to do a little kiteboarding.) Chesapeake is 90 miles away from where I live, but then again so is the nearest mall (which happens to be in Chesapeake). Bummer. Oh well, it sounds like it was a great event and that JK hasn't lost his charming touch or his sense of humor! Gotta love the "thunderous applause". :)

[JI7]

26. what a total difference when you read these things

of actual events that take place with KErry and what the ignorant talking heads blabber on about. talk about who is really out of touch.