On Friday I attended the Deeds GOTV rally in Falls Church. Dressed as a gunslinger. I shouted a marriage proposal to our mayor from the crowd ... who pretended not to hear me. Jim Webb gave me an appreciative grin. Creigh Deeds gave me a goofy smile and a nod. Gerry Connolly stuttered a startled hello and shook his head with a "just another loon democrat" look in his eye as he walked away. I would have offered him a glass of cool city water, but, well, you know. Steve Shannon seemed to be trying to avoid me, but Jody Wagner and I had a (brief) pleasant conversation. Jody is good people - funny and prettier in person then she is in ads. Even though I had the commonsense to not bring my (toy) guns to the rally, security still followed me around and asked a bunch of people if they knew me.
Ah, good times. Scratch that off the old bucket list.
But, frankly, it would be much better if the rally had been better. It was a small turnout. Less than two hundred people by my very unofficial estimate. Most were local electeds and campaign workers.
The city police were not aware the rally was being held until just hours before. Jim Moran was reportedly asked not to attend. Local electeds were not informed until the last minute, and the local Democratic committee did not send out an email about the event until a few hours before it started. No offense, but it seemed odd to me our mayor (nonpartisan, not up for re-election) was asked to speak, as was Walter Tejada (not up for re-election), but Mary Margaret Whipple was not invited on stage; and Bob Brink, who was on stage and who has managed to get someone at WaPo mad at him (Really? No endorsement for Bob Brink? One of THE best Virginia delegates Bob Brink?), was not asked to say a few words.
But all was not lost. There was an after-party. Where I had the chance to catch up on some inside campaign and city gossip. And be thankful for the people who vouched for me with security.
More pics below the fold.
