I went to a Dean fundraiser in Chicago today. It was held at the home of Dr. David Teplica, in the Buena Park district of Chicago. A good 500 people were there. I got to meet several folks from the Illinois for Dean mailing list, as well as Ald. Joe Moore and Nancy Skinner, candidate for U.S. Senate.
Dean addressed the crowd from the front steps of the house. When he came on, I hoisted my
Dean bat. He spotted it, laughed, and gave the thumbs up. He then gave his speech, touching on topics dear to my heart--the shabby tax cut and its consequences; health care for all; education; restoring respect for America in the world; speaking the truth when it's time to send troops into combat; and how to beat Bush. When he was done, I passed my bat forward and got it autographed. I then spent the rest of the gathering talking to Illinois for Dean's webmaster, Michael Kopp, and other folks; chatting with the hammer dulcimer player entertaining the crowd (my mother plays hammer dulcimer); and drinking. As folks drifted away, I asked the host for a garbage bag so I could help clean up. (It's a philosophical issue--Republicans expect "the help" the clean up, but Democrats clean up after themselves.)
I took my Dean bat home on the subway. On the way to the subway, a vintage Cadillac convertible with four guys passed by and one yelled, "Is that my bat?" As they were stopped at a light, I ran up and bopped him lightly over the head, and told him to vote for Dean.
All in all a very fun gathering. When I spoke with Nancy Skinner, I learned that several people on her campaign met at a party I threw a couple of years back, the Democrats.com Unpresident's Day pizza party in February, 2001--a time when we all needed our spirits lifted. So I guess my life has not been in vain.