For politicos, we have just entered the Holiday Season.
After the summer political doldrums, Labor Day represents the First Day of Christmas, with the following weeks full of parties, fundraisers, flyers, forums, and cigar mixers. And just like Christmas, I typically leave this time of year broke, tired, bloated and hung over.
As we get closer to the Holy Day (Election Day), the more intense these things will be. Soon my mailbox, email inbox, and voicemail will fill. Every time my blackberry buzzes at 11 p.m., although she knows better after going through the Primary Elections with me, my girlfriend will still give me a suspicious look. But darling, don’t worry; it’s only Meg Whitman explaining to me why Jerry Brown is a knucklehead, or perhaps an email from the Van Tran for Congress Campaign reminding me that I haven’t sent in my pledge money…
For the past month, it’s been one fundraiser after another, most of them held in Newport Beach, but ironically, most of them for folks not on the ballot for the Newport Beach voter.
To start September, there was a fancy lunch at the Pacific Club for Rep. Dana Rohrabacher with special guest South Dakota’s US Sen. John Thune. While Rohrabacher used to represent lots of Newport Beach, only a very select few up in Santa Ana Heights get to call him their own now. In attendance were many of the Newport Beach moneyed elite…and me. Sen. Thune is rumored to be a potential presidential candidate in 2012, so it was pretty neat to meet him (and get a picture, too).
Then I went to a Breakfast fundraiser at the Balboa Bay Club for Assemblyman Van Tran, the Republican nominee for Congress running against Hugh Hefner’s favorite congresswoman, Rep. Loretta Sanchez. In attendance were some of Newport Beach’s finest, yet not one in Newport Beach can vote for him.
Next was a Kick Off fundraiser for Kevin Muldoon held at Muldoon’s (no relation) in Fashion Island. Kevin’s running for the South Orange County Community College District to replace 70th Assembly District nominee Don Wagner. Doesn’t sound familiar? It shouldn’t. This district has Saddleback College and Irvine Valley College. In attendance were Newport Beach Mayor Keith Curry, Councilmember Leslie Daigle, Council candidate Ed Reno, and political consultant/deity Dave Ellis, amongst other Newport Beach attorneys, wealthy donors, and me. Blink twice and I would have thought I was at a Newport Beach-centric event. But most of the people there couldn’t vote for the guy they were writing checks to.
After that, at the Balboa Bay Club again, a cigar smoker for the Orange County Treasurer candidate Keith Rodenhuis. First off, do any of you reading this even know that we get to vote for the Treasurer? Second, do any of you actually remember voting for this seat back in June? Anyways, for once, Newporters do get to vote for this seat, but chances are, because you won’t recognize Keith’s opponent’s name either and you may just go by ballot designation. As Deputy Treasurer for Orange County, Keith definitely has the edge in that one.
To round off September is another cigar smoker at the Balboa Bay Club (see a pattern?), this one for Assemblyman Tran again. Mining for money amongst those who cannot vote for him.
But, as an aside, let me emphasize why donating money to Assemblyman Tran is almost as important as being able to vote for him. By donating to the Van Tran for Congress campaign, you will help defeat Democrat Loretta Sanchez, the Republicans in the House will be able to gain a majority in these mid-term elections, thus taking out the Supreme Commandant Pelosi, thus steering the United States of America into the Right direction again, thus saving America …
If you want to help save America, please check out Van’s campaign site, http://www.joinvantran.com.
You want to save America right?
Anyways, being fancily dressed all month, I almost feel like Lynn Selich, with all of her society events…but not nearly as beautiful, glamorous, or popular.
