Holding a fundraising campaign at the Forum sounded like a good way to draw young hip voters, but most of the folks who showed up for the John Edwards fundraiser on Monday evening were far from hip.
The event drew a mix of voters who looked like card-carrying members of the Young Democrats of North Carolina and card-carrying members of the Old Democrats of North Carolina (FYI: there’s no such association). The 75-100 people who turned out to see Edwards were stiff and serious looking. Although Boyd Tinsley’s band cranked out jamming covers of Marvin Gaye and more, no one seemed willing to dance. Tinsley is a violinist for the Dave Matthews Band, and Tinsley’s band is worth seeing.
The few people who were dancing during the band’s performance happened to be Edwards’ staffers. I snapped a picture of one campaign staffer dancing, and she freaked out saying that she couldn’t have her picture taken. After resuscitating her with a defibrillator, I deleted the picture. Whoa.
If Edwards’ or any other candidate seriously wanted to draw new and hip blood they should bumrush places. For example, instead of holding a scheduled fundraiser at the Forum, they should takeover the Forum on a Wednesday night. It’s college night so everyone should at least be age 18. The campaign peeps could buy a round of drinks for everyone; Edwards could deliver the same speech he’s delivered in a zillion other stops and have his staff register voters on-site. They could do the same thing at the Penguin, the Milestone and Tremont Music Hall. (Please note: I don’t cover politics so I’m not sure if providing free beer and registering voters is illegal, but if it is then don’t register voters, but keep the beer.).
Tinsley’s band played for more than an hour and then audience members watched a short video montage of Edwards’ speeches and interviews. After chilling in Pravda lounge, Edwards appeared about 8:30 p.m. While Tinsley performed, Edwards posed for pictures and shook hands. Then he took the stage and said what you’d expect: Bush is ruining the country, Congress needs to step up, everyone deserves healthcare, and we have to save the Earth, blah, blah. Don’t get me wrong, Edwards sounds like he believes what he’s saying but considering that we’d just heard the same variation of that speech on the video montage, it didn’t sound authentic.
Oh lastly, Edwards’s folks ought to change up his wardrobe. Levis and a blue pinstriped shirt aren’t hip or casual. At least give the dude a fat belt buckle with the Wright Brothers airplane on it and a funkier shirt. What does he have to lose?
Monday, March 19, 2007
John Edwards at the Forum
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11 comments:
You may be paid to party, but you shouldn't be paid to write - what a waste of disk space and ink.
i can't believe edwards was trying to charge $50 for this event. He was just a rambling man saying the same thing every democratic would say. anyways I was there to support Boyd! Boyd was awesome but the whole edwards party was weak. I could throw a bigger party then that in 5 mins notice.
How typical that you're hating on the white male. Save the fashion advice for Crystal Dempsey. She's not great, but at least she dresses gender appropriately and doesn't sport a mohawk in her pic.
In Kanye West form: "Tanya Jameson hates white people"
He He let the white collar preppy repubs chime in. And they are the first in line at church. Pray peope Pray
I attended the event and enjoyed it. Perhaps the crowd could have been a bit larger but for a Monday night I think the turnout was quite good. The area did that feel that the sidewalks had already been rolled up.
The blog entry above seems petty and obtuse, especially with the focus on Edward's fashion and the comments about the attendees. This was a presidential campaign fundraiser. It costs money to run a campaign. Granted, those funds could have been better used to get the message out to Charlotte in more ways than a couple of e-mails to supporters.
Granted, the campaign rhetoric was there but Edwards does bring something that Hilary and Obama do not: overkill. By the time those two finish battling it out and we O.D. on B.O. Edwards could come out looking like the front-runner.
But Edwards did have a good statement (paraphrasing): Let's be patriotic about something besides war. Amen.
Perhaps in the future those "paid to party" should dig deeper into the meaning and purpose of an event and not simply look for a good time with all of the pretty people.
John Edwards reads Penthouse Forum?
Tonya- your level of judgment on who is hip and not hip reminds me of seventh grade.
Further, I saw Edwards and given his schedule that day,(a high end fundraiser in the afternoon and something at the Forum in the evening) I thought his wardrobe was tasteful and classy.
Wow, Tonya wrote about the party--which is what she does--why do you all have such vemon toward her yet read her blogs religiously?
Something in the water does not compute.
Tonya, very funny blog.
Tonya, very good blog. What irrational responses you have had regarding Edwards. Those must be blogs from his campaign staff :) You are right on the money. He is repeating the same ole nothing from his previous campaign. Rock on Tonya, rock on!!!!!!!!!!!
Given what was announced about his wife's bout with cancer, who cares what his wardrobe was.
US President Tim Kalemkarian, US Senate Tim Kalemkarian, US House Tim Kalemkarian: best major candidate.
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