Topic: This should really be in H&S - But I had a fun weekend at the...

[TheJudge]

Yup, folks, I spent last weekend at the California Democratic Party 2007 Convention in beautiful San Diego.  It was a working weekend for my partner and I (since he works for the Party and I work for a political consultant who had an issue before the convention).  Luckily I got to hear all the Democratic candidates for President speak (or rather unluckily in the case of Kucinich).  Some quick thoughts (without actually going into politics!)

Hillary Clinton - I don't want to like her, but I had to admit she impressed me with her speech.  Her voice was hoarse from way too much campaigning, but she still managed to sound like she actually gave a damn about people whose names are not Hillary Clinton.  She had some good personal stories that really 'spoke' to a roomfull of bleeding heart liberals.  My biggest gripe was she still didn't admit it was a mistake to vote for the war...but I found myself facing the horrid realization that I would vote for her before Kucinich, Richardson, Dodd, and Biden.

Barak Obama - You have to hear this guy speak in person.  He really is a 'rock star'.  This guy actually brought tears to my eyes a couple of times, and for the first time I've let myself hope that he might really be able to pull of being President (as long as he has some REAL advisors helping him). 

Dodd - I fell asleep

John Edwards - Here was the surprise for me.  I've seen John Edwards speak before.  (I've actually seen every politician who spoke at the convention speak live before except for Obama).  John Edwards really, really blew me away.  I walked away dreaming of an Edwards/Obama ticket giving us 8 years of President Edwards and 8 years of Barak Obama.  I'm still dreaming of that.  Edwards with Obama's rock star charisma will be unbeatable.  It'll be another Bill Clinton with a MUCH better Al Gore. 

Bill Richardson - Republican-lite.  Okay guy, might make someone a good VP candidate.  Would make an excellent Secretary of State for an Edwards/Obama ticket.

I also got to hear Nancy Pelosi speak twice.  Damn the Republicans in the House are in trouble, and so is the President with her in charge.  It was also fun to actually get to meet her.  I've met one of her daughters quite a few times, but it was my first time actually saying hello. 

Most of the time I was working to get a resolution passed opposing the alignment of a toll road through San Onofre State Beach (and the park).  We won, which was good.  Now I'm home, exhausted and wishing the Slave Girls server lasted longer...

[Nemesis]

You spent a weekend with a bunch of lawyers who are also politicians and didn't go berserk with a machete?  Seek help.

[Dash Jones]

Hmm, On Clinton, the best and most intelligent Politician of the bunch.  However I doubt she really cares for people on the personal level.  Everything and everyone is merely a step and an item for political positioning.  Can cuss out with the best of them.  However, VERY smart politician.  If one has seen how smart her husband is...she's probably ten times his brainpower.

Obama is probably the one that cares for people the most on the personal level, however due to either his lack of experience as a politician or just how he is...he is probably the weakest as far as playing politics goes...which means I'm not his fan.  As seen in recent US history, if you can't play the political games...you might resort to methods other than diplomacy.

Edwards is the best of the bunch in my opinion, a nice middle path between Clinton and Obama.  Actually he might be more than just a middle as being close to each in BOTH categories...but not as good as they are in each single category (politics vs. caring for people).

Nice to hear you had a nice weekend.

[TheJudge]

To see what I worked on...go to www.savesanonofre.com  That's the website we put up a while back and I have to keep updated...grrr. 

You'd think getting the Democratic Party to oppose a toll road that is planned to go through the middle of a state park would be easy...but not in this world of ours.  Ended up with a major union, Building Trades, vehemently in support of the toll road (they had a PLA - an agreement that promises the road will be built with union labor).  Therefore we had a real fight on our hands.  We won, but barely. 

[AlienLXIX]

Good for you guys!  I say keep up the good work because if you don't all the pretty places that are left will be paved or houses will be built on them.  Or even more evil a golf course! 

[TheJudge]

This is why I say I have my dream job at long last.  As people may remember from H&S, I'm very passionate about liberal causes.  Now I get paid to advocate for liberal causes (for the most part - although to pay the bills, we sometimes have to 'compromise' on a few things).  I also get paid to help elect Democrats to office.  Could there be any better job for me?

I don't think so.

What's really interesting is when you see elected officials doing something you really support, and you say to yourself "I helped put him/her there!" 

[Dash Jones]

Don't know much about the park, but I hate toll roads, so (if I'm reading it right) glad you stopped the road from being built.

[TheJudge]

It's not stopped yet...but another nail in its coffin was hammered in place.  It's a long process to stopping it, and it might well be years yet before we succeed. 

[GE-Raven]

What's really interesting is when you see elected officials doing something you really support, and you say to yourself "I helped put him/her there!" 

    Yeah so what do you for the rest of the 99% of the time they are in office? 


GE-Raven

[TheJudge]

What's really interesting is when you see elected officials doing something you really support, and you say to yourself "I helped put him/her there!" 

    Yeah so what do you for the rest of the 99% of the time they are in office? 


GE-Raven

I get hundreds of people to send them letters on different issues (like um...stopping Net Neutrality!)

[TheJudge]

I've been meaning to tell this story about the convention too...so here goes.

One of the people from my office who attended was Nikko.  He's a fairly attractive 20-year old, and while at the convention he finds that they don't usually check your ID, and that the Tribute Dinner for Nancy Pelosi had two bottles of wine on every table.  Then he finds out that the Morongo Tribe has a HOSTED bar (they spent about $30 grand for the night).  Yup, free booze+twenty year old.  Around 11:30 he calls me and says "Dan, come get me!"

I find him in the hallway, sprawled in a chair with a security guard standing over him.  The security guard goes "He yours?".

I almost laughed but accepted responsibilty for the drunk straight boy.  Manuel (my best friend and ex-boyfriend), help him stand up and start walking him down the hallway.  Not too bad until he starts to puke.  He pukes into the empty cup, filling it halfway.  Whew, not too bad, and we head for the nearest garbage can.

Halfway there, he erupts with a lot of vomit (wine+tequilla=not good).  A janitor rushes over with a wheeled garbage can and Nikko finished puking in there.  It takes fifteen minutes to round up my partner and get going, putting Nikko in the luggage area of the SUV.  We stop in gaslamp quarter so he can puke some more, drop an attorney off at his hotel, and then take Nikko to his very posh room at the Hyatt Islandia.  The bastard.  Much nicer room than we had...

So, here he is being half-carried back to his room by three gay men.  We get him inside, and he flops down face-first on the bed.  I comment:  "Hmm, there's a drunk straight boy face down on the bed and three gay men in the room.  How interesting."

He sobered up instantly. 

Poor Nikko...he's never going to live this down...

[Sirgod]

Blah blah blah, Not hearing this.

God Dan, that whole scene is hillarious. 

Still chuckling over after reading about Nikko. Silly Dems, Tequilla is for milatary people. D:



Stephen

[TheJudge]

I offered to take him to Tijuana, but after a few of my stories of my visits there when I was his age, he flat out told me he didn't want to go.

[Sirgod]

I offered to take him to Tijuana, but after a few of my stories of my visits there when I was his age, he flat out told me he didn't want to go.

Offered, Sorry Kirk, I know that you are like 8 feet tall. I doubt offered was so much the case as grabbing him around the waist and dragging him down south. That whole scenario still cracks me up.

Stephen

[_Rondo_GE The OutLaw]

Wow talk about media bias.

I didn't even know this was happening.

San Diego is a Republican town.  Now I watch the news every monring and they hardly made mention of it.