What are your political "brushes with greatness"?

[CoffeeCat]

Since most everyone on here is highly interested in politics, I thought it might be interesting to hear what politicians people have met/spoken with/shook hands with?

<makes a cup of General Foods International Coffee>

:)

[Historic NY]

1. John F Kennedy...May 1963......

I was on a class trip in a school bus when we heard police sirens and saw his limo coming. We all began yelling President Kennedy as the bus had to put over on the should. Must have been really loud because the next thing we saw was the limo pull up on a grass median. He got out and came on the bus...he shooks hands and patted or mussed with our hair..the teachers were dumb founded. He laughed and joked with all us kids....it sure was a high light in my life then. I talk to a Republican Judge friend..(closet Dem)and he always talks about it since his wife was one of the teachers. Oh JFK was going to West Point for graduation of cadets.

I've crossed paths with a few other mostly at a distance...except for Wm. J Clinton..we talked and shook hands several times.

I even had breakfast (brunch) with Sen Patrick Moynahan as his farm.

[Sannum]

2. I met Ted and Caroline Kennedy at a fundraiser...

For some reason, I was assigned to be the "greeter". I think it was the dress:P. They seemed very down to earth. Governor Blogoivitch(sp) was a prick though...

[bear425]

3. I touched John Kerry's wrist at a townhall meeting.

It was a little fuzzy, but warm and really exciting for me. :)

[Skittles]

4. was in an elevator with Bob Bullock

he and his buddies laughed their asses off when they overheard me saying IF YOU PUT A GUN TO MY HEAD AND TOLD ME TO VOTE REUPUBLICAN I'D STILL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT IT

[paineinthearse]

5. I'll go first, and backwards......

Friday night, JK held a "thank you Massachusetts volunteers" party (also in attendance were Teresa, Kam, and Ted Kennedy). After waiting an hour after his speach while he spoke with anyone who wanted a word, he reached where my son and I were standing. We chatted a bit, I called him "my president" and he said "thank you, pal".

Last February (seems a long time ago) dad and son met Wes Clark in New Hampshire. If the primary system were different, I feel he would be in the White House today.

Now a large gap. I was working as a "student for McGovern". Shirley McLain spoke to us at the UMass ballroom. Seems like it was in another lifetime.

But my #1 experience, and I'm really dating myself, was in 1957 or so. I was just a little kid, but the first JK, JFK that is, was campaigning for Senator my my town; in 1962 or 63 I saw him again with Jackie going into the church in Hyannisport.

As a very, very young kid, I vaguely remember seeing Dwight Eisenhower in a motorcade in my home town.

[SW FL Dem]

6. I've shaken hands with Jimmy Carter (1976), Wes Clark (2003)

John Kerry (2003), Bob Graham (2003) and John Edwards (2004). My favorite was being kissed on the cheek by Mo Udall after the NH primary in 1976. I was a volunteer and we lost my precinct by 4 votes. I was 17, hadn't slept in days and was at the hotel for the concession speech. I burst into tears after the speech, Mo saw me from across the room and came over to give me a hug and kiss me on the cheek to thank me for my efforts. My parents saw me on the national evening news. During the 2004 primaries, I had the pleasure of meeting George McGovern who was working for Wes Clark.

[RaleighNCDUer]

7. During Bill Clinton's first presidential campaign, I volunteered

to help set up the auditorium and work crowd control during his visit. Wound up in the reception line and shook hands with him after the event.

How things have changed, compared to the Kerry rally I went to. No metal detectors, no hordes of cops, just a couple secret service who gave us a visual once-over as we lined up backstage.

Busholini has turned us all into paranoids.

And does it count that I shook hands with Gregory Peck when he was on a promo tour for "Amazing Grace and Chuck", in which he played the President?

[Adelante]

13. Big Dog's got some handshake

I met him a few times during both of his campaigns and attended both inaugurations, but my favorite time was when he spoke at Cooper Union in New York. I had a seat in the second row. The man is just magic.

[SharonRB]

48. When I saw him on his 1996

train to the 21st century tour, I was way up in front and when his eyes lock on yours, you feel like you're the only person there. It's a little eerie, but great at the same time.

[grasswire]

8. Jesse Jackson kissed my hand...

...and I was at his fiftieth birthday party.

(This isn't fair for me to answer the question, as I worked in Washington and had some good-level access.)

I interviewed Colin Powell at the Pentagon, one on one, when he was Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

When I worked briefly for Special Olympics in Washington I often saw the Kennedy boys and of course Eunice Shriver. The staff at S.O. often joked about Mrs. Shriver's eccentric clothing habits.

And then I worked for some years for someone famous who had been a major Watergate figure, whose name I don't want to mention.

[moggie12]

14. Was it Deep Throat??? n/t

[Pacifist Patriot]

71. Oh you just reminded me...

I worked at FORSCOM when Powell was in command. I met him once or twice.

[chieftain]

9. The day after Bobby Kennedy announced

for the presidency in DC , he spoke at Kansas State University and then at the University of Kansas at Lawrence which was a short distance from Kansas City where I lived . I got a speeding ticket trying to get there in time for his speech . He was given a great welcome at Allen Field House and gave the greatest speech I have ever heard in person . He spoke eloquently about how the measure of a nation is more than its GNP but rather its ideals . He was mobbed by the audience . As he was leaving I got thrown next to him . He was a slight figure and he seemed almost overwhelmed by the adulation he was receiving . I shook his hand and got to touch greatness . When he was shot I thought America was finished and I would leave . I didn't , but '68 was so depressing and I thought I would never have thoughts of giving up on the USA again . Now I am not so sure . We seem to be in a proto fascist state and the '06 mid terms and the '08 presidential elections may well determine the fate of the American Ideal .

[Geek_Girl]

10. I shook hands with Al Gore

It was right after 911. And I never went to any kind of political fund raiser or event before. But a co-worker invited me and I went. After a nice dinner he spoke and I was very engaged.

After wards I went up to him to shake his hand and I just blurted out "you need to speak out more".
He said, "thanks for the advise" in kind of a smart allaky way and then I said "No you really do."

It was sort of emotional for me because it was right after 911 and I couldn't help but feel that I just shook hands with the rightful president of the United States.

[moggie12]

11. Well, (sipping from huge glass of Jack Daniels)

Spent first seven years out of grad school working for NYC, some years in City agencies, some in Mayor's office. Ed Koch was Mayor at the time. My impression then: Much taller than appears on TV. My impression now: Asshole.

Also met bunch of NYC politicians: Charlie Rangel, Carol Bellamy (wonderful then and now!!), Mark Green, Robert Johnson (now Bronx DA, then a Criminal Court judge -- great guy), Fernardo Ferrar, and a lot of other people who's name you'd never heard of.

I once met Bill Bradley at a reception ('87 or therabouts). When I shook his hand, I told him I'd vote for him if he ran for President -- he seemed genuinely shocked and pleased, almost bashful about it.

Left NYC so we could buy a house, raise kids. Since then, I've not been meeting too many interesting politicians!! Did get to see John McCain from afar at a rally once when he was running in '00 (I confess -- I used to really like him) and in '04 went to see John Edwards speak when he came to town -- as I'm not in a swing state, not to many candidates come by........

[woodsprite]

12. Hmmm, mine's just with state gov.,

Sat next to Biden at the Blue Rocks game. What can I say? Delaware is REALLY small. Up until last year, we went to church with Carper, but he doesn't seem to be too enthralled with the new minister so he's going to another Presby. church now. Taught him and his kids Sunday school music. Have spoken with Gov. Minner on several occasions and attended church with Lt. Gov. Carney and his family at Xmas and various times over the past few years. We're friends with his in-laws, that's where the that comes in.

Everyone is a democrat, does that tell you something? Whoops! Guess not everyone. I petted Roth's 2 Saint Bernard dogs once. :) Yes, Roth was on the other end of the leashes'. He was a good guy and we really miss him here in Delaware. He was having health problems, I really feel that was the only reason Carper won the senate seat. It wasn't too long after that election that he died.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

15. Met Zoe Lofgren in front of safeway

Asked her if she would be seeking the death penalty for drug dealers like Bush 1 and Ray-Gun, since Gary Webb exposed the right wing cabal for dealing drugs to finance the war in Nicaragua.

Unfortunatly, Gary Webb Just commited suicide by shooting himself (twice). in the head.

I'm sorry officer, he just ran into my knife 18 times.

Yeah, right.

[quaoar]

16. Trent Lott

I was working as a reporter intern covering Washington for a newspaper in Mississippi. I had interviewed Trent Lott a couple times so he knew me. One day I was sitting in the press gallery overlooking the House floor. He looked up and saw me and waved, motioning me to meet him off the floor. When I went to talk to him he wanted to make sure I knew he was introducing a bill to dredge a ship channel that would benefit only one company.

I also spent a day with John Stennis in his last Senate campaign. I've interviewed Sen. Thad Cochran.

I once worked as a press secretary for a Democratic congressional candidate -- we lost.

And I knew James Carville back when he was getting started in the consulting business and living in Baton Rouge.

[Adelante]

17. I met Wes Clark

It was during the Kerry campaign and a bunch, a couple hundred Clarkies had a gathering in a bar with Gen. Clark. He had wanted to thank us and encourage us in our support for Kerry. It was New York. It was August. There was a heat wave. The humidity was 100%. The air conditioning in the place was broken. I thought I would die. He was at an earlier event for Kerry and showed up in a tux, cool as can be. He got up on the stage and blasted the Bush Administration to Kingdom Come. Then he shook hands and spoke with every single person in the room. I wouldn't have missed it for anything. You do know when you are brushing with greatness and you hold it in your heart always.

[latteromden]

18. My FAVORITE was Walter Mondale...

I was working a Kerry event (I was an intern on the campaign) and I was in charge of the VIP gate (which was actually a bike rack!). I had to open and close it for everyone that came through.

Let's see. I got to chat with Fritz Mondale (absolutely my favorite meeting ever), Sen. Mark Dayton (I also stopped and talked with him on Nov. 2, at the Kerry-Edwards "victory party"... honestly, he just rambled on after a while, and I stopped listening, hah), saw Max Cleland, but he was in a hurry.

Then there's Betty McCollum (US rep for Minnesota) and of course, Jim Ramstad (my US Representative - (*J@!(#*F Republican, but he's polite, at least). I talked pretty often to the lady that ran against Ramstad, Deborah Watts. I'm proud to say I've never said a word to Norm Coleman.

I run into the mayor of Minneapolis quite a bit - once, at the event where I met Mondale, then he spoke to my GOTV group, and Nov. 2, I was doing visibility on a street corner (I was way too tired to do anything but visibility), and he drove by and gave me a thumbs up. We weren't even IN Minneapolis.

I won't even count state representatives or senators. Although, I do know where my FORMER (he was beaten by a Democrat this past election - YES!) state rep. lives. I still point and laugh when I see it, once in a while. Yes, I'm immature, but it's fun.

I met a Minnesota Democratic candidate for governor at a meetup this week - Bud Philbrook. I honestly was not particularly impressed, but I'll definitely be working for the best candidate that comes along.

Also - not politians, but throughout the course of the campaign, I got so used to having the Secret Service around, that, when I went to Washington, I stopped a guy who was walking home at night with a White House Secret Service badge and asked him for directions. :P

And all in one year. Imagine how long the list will be by the time I'm old enough to, uh, actually DRIVE... :X

On edit: I am the ONLY person who could EVER forget John Kerry from their lists. He was in a hurry, too, so I just got to say hi, shake his hand, and thank him for running for president, but that stemmed from my internship, as well.

[Contrary1]

19. I shook hands with

Bobby Kennedy six weeks before he died, when he was campaigning
in Indianapolis. I also got to meet his wife, Ethel, and Pierre Salinger
when they visited my high school. Our band was supposed to play at
his inauguration when he was elected president. :cry:

[Hidden Stillness]

20. The Great Who Might Have Been

When I was a kid, I went up with my Mom to the parking lot of a shopping center for a Democratic rally, during an off-year election campaign. Several top Democrats from our state were there--former Governor, Senator, etc.--and the star attraction; I consider it one of the highlights of my life that I saw and heard Robert Kennedy, the Senator from New York, in 1966. Just to show you what era this was, what I remember most was some adult male voice shouting out from the crowd, not unfriendly, "Hey, Bobby! Where's your guitar?" because of Kennedy's long hair. You recall that Kennedy was known as "Senator Bobby" in New York State.

[Adelante]

21. Welcome to DU, Hidden Stillness

:hi:

[Greybnk48]

22. I have a fun story

When I was 12 both JFK and Nixon came to our town in PA where I was living at the time--about a week apart. I was eager to see JFK and was right in the thick of it most of the day (I got to touch his fingertips which has made me a family celebrity). The volunteers were stationed along a parkway leading to our shopping center where JFK was set up to talk. They were wearing old-fashioned straw skimmers with hatbands that read JFK. Across the four lane parkway were the spoilers--the Nixon people--wearing their skimmers that read Nixon. A buzz went through the crowd that the limo would be going by soon. As I said, I was hangin' with the official JFK people mostly being ignored. When this buzz started the JFK people went to an official truck off the road and hauled out a huge bushel basket of tomatoes to chuck at the Nixon people. They let me throw some--it was a blast! Afterward they gave me a hat (I had a good arm).

I met the Gov. of Alaska in 1968 when I was living there. This guy stopped me on the street and began randomly asking me questions. After he walked away someone with him told me it was Gov Hinkley(?).

I'm in WI now and have met Toby Roth (R), but I liked him. Bill Proxmire. Russ Feingold recently at a small gathering but did not get to talk.

But the most exciting for me was meeting Kerry this past fall at a rally and shaking his hand. I spoke with him and I do not believe we have seen the last of JK, and I'm not referring to 2008.

Oddball: My husband and I were married by Greta Van Sustern's father.

[demwing]

45. Nothing too noteworthy.

Nothing magical. I met Tom Hayden, Jerry Brown, and Kathleen Brown over the years, either working on their campaigns or at a rally, etc.

Once I got a chance to meet Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, so I used the opportunity to tell him I didn't vote for him, and that I hoped that the Democratic party would eventually have a stronger presense in Utah. He laughed. So I said, yeah, I guess that is pretty funny. then he moved on to a more friendly face. Thats all.

Of those, Kathleen Brown was the nicest, but meeting Hayden in the mid-seventies was pretty cool for me. Hero worship stuff.

[Crunchy Frog]

23. I'm not sure you could say I've "technically" met any,

but I do have some stories.

I accidentally saw Al Gore, I think it was in '92. A friend and I had decided to go down to the Tattered Cover Bookstore and hang around for a few hours. We went in, and eventually mosied on up, I think to the third floor. We could see that there was someone delivering a speach, and a large crowd listening. As we got up closer, we could see that it was Al Gore, talking about his new bood Earth in the Balance. So we stuck around and listened to the rest of the presentation, and the question and answer period. I remember we were both really disappointed when we heard him say he would not be running for President that year.

Incidently, I have an uncle, now retired, who was a high powered, liberal Memphis lawyer, and I've been told that he was good friends with Al Gore's father.

I also have a brother who was at a military academy with Jesse Jackson Jr. during either 7th or 8th grade.

The closest that I've come to actually meeting a politician was when Wes Clark came to Colorado to hold a rally for Kerry/Edwards. I managed to shake his hand, and I think he may have said a few words to me, but I'm not sure since I was kind of shaken up by it.:)

[Hand]

24. Met Mondale back in the 70s

When he was Carter's VP. I was working as sound man on a documentary about Hubert Humphrey, and we went to the White House to interview Fritz. Nice, very intelligent, articulate guy with good taste in ties (had to clip a mike to his tie for the interview).

Other than that, I did see Kennedy from a great distance when he drove by my high school in NYC looking GREAT.

:toast:

[Speck Tater]

25. Ronald Reagan

Shook his hand when he was running for Cal Gov. He came to my work place and shook everybody's hand, like it or not. ;-)

Shook Howard Dean's hand too at a rally in Portland OR.

[Pork Chop]

26. No one comes to Seattle :(

Or maybe it's just because I'm only 16 years old and haven't really done much yet. The only politician I've met is my congressman Jim McDermott, and I didn't even get to shake his hand.

[muse]

27. 41 and Barbara

Both were friendly, gracious and nice to talk with.

[Stinky The Clown]

28. Memory Lane .......

We shook hands with Hillary Clinton at the Million Mom March in DC when she was just starting to run for the Senate. Sparkly's daughter's name is Hilary, with one "l". I said to Mrs. Clinton, "Hello Senator" and she said "I hope so!". Sparkly, Jr. shook her hand and said "My name is Hilary, too!" and Mrs. Clinton gave her a big smile and told her she had a great name. Sparkly never got to shake her hand.

Sparkly, Jr. has been to the White House to sing with her father's choral group for Christmas when the Clintons were there. Two years in a row. We have a signed picture of that upstairs in Sparkly, Jr's bedroom.

Also ....... many years before, in 1959, my Dad took my brother and me to see JFK at Bridgeport (CT) Airport. I remember the "big" four engined prop plane landing and taxiing up to the then-new terminal. We were right at the fence and got to shake his hand and Jackie's hand. That was quite special.

[Lindacooks]

29. Paul Wellstone

the summer before his death.

[no name no slogan]

63. I miss him a lot...

I first met him in 1988 during the Jackson campaign. He also helped out on one of my professor's races for a leg seat. He won, btw, in a very Republican district, too....

I was a delegate to the 1990 DFL convention for Paul. I'd hopped on board before the primaries, when all money was on a prominent suburban DFL lawyer to get the nod. Although it took seven ballots, Paul finally got the endorsement, and won the primary in September-- and then shocked the world by winning the GE in November!

I went to college with my state legislator, and she was good friends with the Wellstones. In fact, they did a couple fundraisers for her when she ran for re-election. And it all goes back to that 1988 race when Paul was so active, getting young people out to vote and make a difference.

[Dinger]

78. Oh, That He Were Still Here

Miss you Paul.

[FrenchieCat]

30. I've met quite a few here in California.

I know Barbara Lee pretty well as we attend the same church, and my husband is one of the church's dignitaries. I also have spoken and shaken Rev. Jesse Jackson's and Rev. Al Sharpton's hands a few times (they come to speak at our church a couple of times per year, at least).

I also know Willie Brown (former S.F. Mayor) thru my husband, who knows a great number of the local politicians. I have also spoken to Jerry Brown (current Mayor of Oakland, Former CA Gov) and have shaken hands with Barbara Boxer and Diane Feinstein (back when she was mayor of S.F).

I have shaken hands with Wes Clark on 2 separate occasions, and had a short conversation with him at the last one. The first, in San Francisco during his campaign, and another time in New York, during the general election.

I tried to go and see John Kerry, when he held a rally at a Union Hall in Oakland, CA. That was shortly after Wes Clark had endorsed him. But I got there kinda late, and there were so many that came to see him, a bunch of us turned away after being told that we could wait outside of the venue and they would try to get some kind of speaker hook-up. Guess that one wasn't ever meant to be.

Went to Berkeley with the intentions of meeting Bill Clinton at one of his book signing bookstore visits. But let me tell you, the line was sooooo long, I had to say.... forget it! (funny to hear him being described as this evil power hungry DLCer....when in one of the most liberal cities in all of the US, the line must have gone around 4 huge city blocks!)

[LeahD]

31. Bill Clinton when he was President

He came to a very small town north of Albuquerque to visit a health care clinic and hold a town meeting. I lived a few miles away and decided I'd never forgive myself if I didn't at least try to catch a glimpse of the motorcade. Luckily, I found a parking spot on a side street, and since the crowd wasn't huge, I was able to find a place to stand where the motorcade would be turning off the main street to go up to the clinic. About 30 minutes before his expected arrival, a man motioned to those of us at the intersection to come up the street where the clinic was located. We passed through the barricades. There were metal detectors for us to walk through, and tables set up for military personnel to search purses, backpacks, etc. Great....if I'd have known I was going to see the President that day, I would have cleaned out my purse beforehand so the young man in dress uniform and white gloves wouldn't have had to wade through gum wrappers and grocery store receipts! We were led to a cordoned off area across from the clinic. I have to say that seeing the President's limo, with flags waving, come up the street in this little, dusty town was surreal. It was quite an event....stone-faced Secret Service Agents, with sunglasses on, walking the rope line in front of us, snipers on the roof, helicopter flying overhead from time to time. After Pres. Clinton finished with the town meeting, we were told by one of the SS Agents that the President would be coming over to shake our hands, and that as he moved down the line, we were NOT to reach out to him. We were to hold our hands up in the air, and he would reach out to us. I'll never forget the joy on people's faces....one young woman with a brown cardboard sign that said, "Support Mental Health," an older Hispanic man wearing a cowboy hat and a grin from ear to ear. President Clinton did not disappoint, grabbed my hand and each and every hand near me, chatting and smiling. You always hear that he's in his element working a crowd, and I believe it.

[foo_bar]

32. it was the waiter... Jean-Luc!

[Blue_In_AK]

33. Let's see...

I went out with John Glenn's son the summer after I got out of high school, but that was back when JG was an astronaut, not a senator. Does that count?

[EFerrari]

34. Bill Clinton played my brother's sax on Arsenio.

And for months, the whole family watched the clips and said, hey, that's Gene's sax! And paid no attention to the President at all.

lol

[dogman]

35. John F. Kennedy and Wes Clark.

Also one who I hope does great things, Barak Obama.

[CWebster]

36. Ralph Nader held the door open for me in the NJ State House

I was walking down the steps and when I reached the level of his face, I thought, "I know this face". His eyes were sad. Another time, I saw him speak in front of a small,intimate group of people at the Princeton U store. Fascinating mind and when he is relaxed, he is surprising gentle in nature.

[in_cog_ni_to]

37. I met Howard Dean , Wes Clark, Barak Obama and Tari Renner.

Dean is a truly nice man and Wes Clark is, well, just awesome and even better looking in person (if that's even possible):loveya:. Obama, I didn't talk to, but did shake his hand at a rally and Tari Renner ran for Congress against Weller. Terrific guy who didn't have the big $$$$ that Jerry Weller had.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

38. mother recieved an invitation to JKF's inauguation dinner to be seated at

the table with Robert Frost...she (we all did) worked hard in Miami for his campaign and she wrote a beautiful poem about JFK and his mother which is in his archives in Boston.

Sadly, of course she couldn't attend, as she was the mother of 10 children and didn't have the means nor the time and did not want to say so....Later JFK sent her his bronze bust with a beautiful letter of gratitude.

[LizW]

41. Wow

That's a nice story. I wish she could have gone to the inauguration.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

39. I Met RFK When I Was Eight...Arnold When I Was Twenty...

Little did I know at either time there would be a nexus between the two...

[DemGirl7]

40. I met Hillary Clinton on a trip to D.C.

and also on that same trip I had Trent Lott smile at me from arcoss the hallway in the Senate(BARF!!!!)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

42. Good Thing He Didn't Give You One Of Those Creepy Handshakes

Where He Uses His Fingers To Massage Your Palm...

[JNelson6563]

43. My Senators and Governor

Being heavily involved on the local scene I have had many opportunities to talk with Levin, Stabenow and Granholm. I did a brunch for Stabenow last year and though it was a bad blizzard enough people came out that we raised $8,000. She returned the favor by attending a workshop I hosted for the counties of my district last month.

I can tell you Levin has a deep disdain for Condi. He's just great. I wish I could share with you his speech from our state convention last August. It was one of the greatest ass-kicking speeches I've heard yet.

Granholm is a great presence. People are very excited when she is around. At least half of them are in love with her. :-)


Juie

[txaslftist]

44. Met and shook hands with Anne Richards... that's it.

[SharonRB]

46. I saw Bill in person twice,

once was very close up -- in the front row, so to speak, while he spoke, and very, very close as he went through the front of the crowd. In addition, on a third occasion, he drove down the emptied out freeway right by my house on his way to a town hall meeting and I stood on the overpass and watched him as he went by, working in the back seat of his limo.

I went to see Kerry twice during the campaign -- the first time, I got to shake his hand.

I've met and spoken to Jim Blanchard and have spoken to Sandy Levin, my rep, on several occasions. I've also been up close to Carl.

Edit: I almost forgot, I also heard Bill speak at my friend's daughter's graduation from Michigan State and heard Madeline Albright speak at our local Jewish Community Center book fair and got her autograph afterward when I bought her book.

[TheOriginalAmerican]

47. I met Patricia Ireland once.

I felt like I had met a celebrity or something. I was so excited.

I respect the organization she was head of at the time (NOW), but I wish they knew more about how to better include us black women into the group. Sorry to get off the subject by saying that.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

49. How Did I Forget...

I shook Al Gore's hand and Tipper kissed my mom who's in a wheel chair when we sent to see them during the 00 campaign...

[FightinNewDem]

50. A partial list

Bill Clinton (several occasions)
Al Gore

Current and former senators:

Bob Kerrey
Bill Bradley
Joe Lieberman
Chris Dodd
Paul Wellstone
Mary Landrieu
John Breaux
Blanche Lincoln
Mark Pryor
David Pryor
Dale Bumpers
Tom Daschle
Barbara Boxer
Dick Durbin
Paul Simon
John Kerry
Ted Kennedy
Paul Tsongas
Ken Salazar
Jay Rockefeller
Joe Biden
Tom Carper
Chuck Robb
Sam Nunn
Wyche Fowler
Max Cleland
Bob Graham
Evan Bayh
Tom Harkin
Gene McCarthy
George McGovern
Barbara Mikulski
John Durkin
Fritz Hollings

Current and former House members:

Adam Smith
Allyson Schwartz
Norm D'Amours
Dick Swett
Ed Markey
Jim Shannon
Vic Snyder
Marion Berry
Mike Ross
Bill Jefferson
Chris John
Ken Lucas
Dennis Cardoza
Ellen Tauscher
John Larson
Tim Roemer
Marty Russo
Joe Kennedy
Tom Andrews
Jerry Nadler
Dave McCurdy
Jim Cooper

Current and former governors:

Janet Napolitano
Kathleen Sebelius
Jeanne Shaheen
John Lynch
Michael Dukakis
Bill Richardson
Mark Warner
Howard Dean
Jennifer Granholm
Joe Brennan
Chub Peabody
Dick Celeste
Doug Wilder
Hugh Gallen

Others:

Gen. Wesley Clark
Maj. Gen. Claudia Kennedy
James Carville
Bruce Babbitt
Dick Reiley
Robert Reich
Caroline Kennedy
John Silber

[loudsue]

58. Good grief!! What are you?? A "staffer" in the congress, or a journalist

How in the world have you had access to all these people??

How wonderful! I hope you speak to them, and I hope you tell them that we're being taken over by a fascist dictatorship!!! And, while you're at it, tell them about the voting machine fiasco that is killing our Democracy!!!

:kick::kick::kick:

[DaveinMD]

51. I've met a lot of politicians

I wouldn't consider these brushes with greatness. These are mainly decent people trying to do some good for the nation and world.

[Igel]

52. Handshake, Bill Clinton when he visited my college and I

was student body prez. Shimon Perez, same situation.

Passed the chance to share the stage with Clinton and to meet others.

[Hissyspit]

85. My Uncle Taught Bill Clinton In High School

He likes him a lot, and he comes from my father's right-wing side of the family.

[proud patriot]

53. I met my hero Abbie Hoffman before I knew who he was

Got to shake his hand my dad told me to thank him
I did ...Then I went on to learn about his life .

I'm so glad my dad made me shake his hand and thank him.

I also had the opportunity to meet Medea Benjaman
another hero of mine .

I sat on Country Joe Mc Donald's amp backstage once
because he asked me to keep an eye on it .

I met Greg Pallast and got to shake his hand .

[JohnOneillsMemory]

73. Wow. Abbie Hoffman is the most impressive one on this thread!!

Now he was a....HERO! The COINTELPRO persecution he suffered without the protection that mainstream politicians get, wow.

[proud patriot]

91. I only wish I had know it ALL when I met him I was only 18 at the time

I had to learn about it all afterward . I studied
Abbie because he said he was suing the CIA which
sounded very Cool to me . Shortly afterward maybe
a year I forget exactly he died .

He is where I get my name proud patriot I liked
his ideas and plan to carry on if ya know what I mean.

I met him at an UC Berkeley Extension in 1987
called "The sixties leading figures and legacies"
Abbie was great he stayed after and talked with us
and took questions at the front of the stage .
It was a three day Class . My dad was able to show
me the WHOLE picture of "the 60s" I'm so thankful
we could attend that together . It's one of my
favorite memories , cause those 3 days really changed
who I'd become as an adult .

[BurtWorm]

54. The most extraordinary political brush with greatness I've had

was when I had Allard Lowenstein, Teddy Kennedy's campaign manager and a close associate of Bobby Kennedy's as well, in my apt. in Portland, Maine, to meet with college students for Kennedy during the 1980 primary campaign. My roommate was a Teddy head who was involved with the campaign at the University of Southern Maine. I had no idea who Lowenstein was, but I got the distinct impression that night that he was a closeted gay man who greatly enjoyed the company of college boys. A few weeks later, he was assassinated by one of his proteges, who told police he'd been ordered to kill Lowenstein by aliens who were communicating to him via radio control courtesy of the braces on his teeth.

[tavalon]

55. Shirley Chisholm

when I was five.

[kwassa]

56. Bill, Hillary, and Diane Fienstein, and most Maryland pols

Shook hands at two different functions on the South Lawn of the White House with Bill Clinton. Went to a booksigning with Hillary at the Women's National Democratic Club near DuPont Circle.

Chatted with Diane Fienstein at a fundraiser in Los Angeles, she was very nice.

Went to a Maryland Democratic fundraised where we were up close to Senators Sarbanes, and Mikulski, our Congressman Al Wynn, and Chris Van Hollen and numerous other Congresspersons. I've talked to my congressman a few times at public functions.

[borg5575]

57. I met Hubert Humphrey

He was a great man however his loyalty to LBJ led him to publicly support LBJ's Vietnam policy although he privately opposed it.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

59. Dennis Kucinich, Mark Dayton,

Minnesota Congressmen Martin Sabo and Jim Oberstar, Oregon Congressmen David Wu, Earl Blumenauer, and Peter DeFazio and Governor Ted Kulongoski.

[izzybeans]

60. My hand melted off when

I had to shake hands with John Hostettler (repugnant party-Indiana) in high school. It grew back moments later. But my cornea has had an imprint of the devil on it ever since. It burns from time to time. And I can see his smug face whenever I close my eyes. It was quite frightening to say the least.

[Pacifist Patriot]

70. LOL!

[pdxmom]

61. When I was about 6, I got lost at National Airport

and Ted Kennedy found me crying and helped reunite me with my parents.

I've met a few other Kennedy family members, including Jackie.

Met John Warner while he was married to Elizabeth Taylor.

Rubbed shoulders on a regular basis with State people all the time, until around 1990.

[Carni]

79. LOL! That had to be a little strange for your parents

You don't expect your lost child to show up with Ted Kennedy!

[pdxmom]

82. It was very strange, and they were very angry at me

They told me Mr. Kennedy was a very busy man and didn't have time for having to deal with children that went where they weren't supposed to.

He was very nice, as were all of his assistants that were around. At the time, I didn't really understand what was going on, but remember it happening very clearly. Lots of press following him around. No wonder I got lost!

[no name no slogan]

62. Paul Wellstone, Walter Mondale, Dennis Kucinich, Hubert Humphrey,....

My great-grandfather used to run for Minneapolis City Council back when Hubert H. Humphrey was mayor. Consequently, my grandfather was on HHH's christmas card list until HHH died in 1978.

I also knew Paul Wellstone 'back in the day' when he was the MN chair of Jesse Jackson's 1988 presidential bid. Since he was a PoliSci prof and I was a PoliSci major, we had a number of great discussions about the art and science of politics. He was a brilliant man, and also remembered everybody he talked to, too.

Paul helped one of my PoliSci profs defeat a hardcore incumbent right-winger for a state legislature seat in 1988-- which was a very big deal that year, considering how poorly Dems did as a whole. He was very good at motivating activists, young people in particular.

Naturally, I was on board early with Wellstone's 1990 Senate run, and helped organize a couple of precincts for him for the caucuses. I was elected as a delegate to the state convention that year for Wellstone, and stuck around through all seven ballots it took to endorse him. Now THAT was a floor fight!

I also met Mike Dukakis a couple times in his 1988 presidential bid, too, and have some pictures around here somewhere...

I've met Dennis Kucinich a few times, too during the '04 campaign. Dennis reminds me a lot of Paul Wellstone-- same conviction, same honesty, same compassion, same bravery. Too many folks are quick to discount Kucinich-- but then again, they were quick to discount Paul, too. Even the party leadership poo-poo'ed Paul at first, until he showed he had the grassroots behind him, and could win elections.

I've also met Sen. Mark Dayton of MN a number of times, too. The first time was in 1988, when he was helping fundraise for the DFL ticket. He's a great man, and an excellent Senator.

My first ever volunteer effort for the party was at the 1987 DFL Humphrey Dinner, which is a big-name fundraiser the DFL holds every year. On my first "mission" I had to bring bottled water to the 'green room' for former VP Walter Mondale. That was pretty cool, especially for an 18-year-old college freshman. :)

Otherwise, I'm friendly with a number of my local representatives. I even went to college with my state legislator, and did her website for her first two campaigns. That's one good thing about Minnesota-- even a neophyte can get involved in the party and make a big difference!

[Technowitch]

64. Senator John Heinz of Pennsylvania, 1981

Shook his hand, when he gave me the National Merit Scholarship award.

He was a pretty decent guy, for a Republican. I considered him a moderate for the most part. Today's Rethugs would call him a screaming liberal.

[BurgherHoldtheLies]

81. Wow, that's great. He was such a good Senator...I miss him. nt

[heidiho]

65. Rode a train from Rome Italy to Florence with the Dukakis'

Michael and Kitty were waiting at the station. My sisters and I were also waiting to board. My sister, jokingly, said "That looks like Michael Dukakis."

Worried that we were on the wrong platform, my sister walked over and said to him "Do you speak English?" He laughed and said "I used to be the Governor of Massachusetts!"

He was very gracious and we talked to him and took our pictures with him and all got on the train for the ride to Florence.

Shook hands with Kerry and Edwards, Tipper and Al Gore, saw John F. Kennedy and (sad to say) saw George H.W. Bush twice, one at the airport accidentally and once in Australia.

[mwb970]

66. Hubert Humphrey, 1968.

I had a summer job with the Post Office and was delivering in downtown Cleveland. There was a big line of people outside the WKYC-TV studios, obviously waiting for someone. So I waited also, for long enough that it would have been stupid to then ask someone who we were waiting for. I hoped it would be someone good. It turned out to be Hubert Humphrey! He went along the line and shook everyone's hand, including mine. He had major charisma. He said something to me, something standard, but it was electrifying and made me feel important.

[Larry in KC]

67. I'm almost embarrassed to tell this...

...because I've told it so many times.

I met Wes Clark a couple of other times while he was an active candidate, but at the Ad Astra dem dinner last summer in Topeka, Kansas, he was the keynote speaker, speaking for Democrats and in support of Kerry.

Through luck, I just kept being in the right place at the right time. He told me on the elevator that he admired my four-star lapel pin, I told him I admired his four stars more. I was the one in the right place to tell him that yes, his hair was in place to meet the press. We exchanged a few private (and touching) words because my father's death just a few months before fell on General Clark's birthday. Even better than that, though, was when, just after he'd finished his speech, a small group of us surprised him with the singing of "We'll Follow the Old Man," and the whole sell-out banquet hall clapped along. He loved it; his face lit up and he gave us hearty handshakes and bear hugs.

Incidentally, I will follow that Old Man, and I intend for that to be all the way through his presidency.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

68. G.H.W. Bush, Ted Kennedy, Jesse Jackson, Dennis Kucinich, Rosa Parks

I do live audio, usually concerts.

I met Ted Kennedy at Boston Symphony Hall when he mistook me for an usher. I was leaning over a small mixing board near an entry door when there was a voice in my ear asking "can you show me to my seat?" I looked up and Ted Kennedy's face was 8 inches from mine. I directed him to the old lady volunteer who would show him.

One prominent African American singing group I worked with performed at Jesse Jackson's Rainbow/PUSH Coalition conference in Chicago last year. I talked to Dennis Kucinich for five minutes in the hotel lobby before going over to set up the band. It was inspiring to meet someone with integrity who spoke out against the Iraq invasion.

But then Jesse Jackson brought a bunch of African American generals up on stage and coaxed them to talk about their careers to hesitant applause. I scolded Jackson afterwards when I saw in his literature he gets lots of money from defense contractors. So he treads lightly on the Pentagon because it is a HUGE African American jobs program. The singing group also performed at an NAACP event in DC which pulls the same soft shoe routine with an annual tribute dinner sponsored by Lockheed Martin. Ech. I gave my notice to the group over that and when I spoke to Jesse Jackson, their retired military road manager told me not to come to the last show I was going to do with them. So I got fired for quitting and speaking truth to power, what a way to go!

One show was on Rosa Parks' birthday and she was backstage although not well in her wheelchair and mostly used as a photo op prop, sad...

In 1988 I landed a gig as stage manager for the music stage with a rock band twenty feet away from the armored podium of Poppy Bush's campaign rally in West Hartford, Connecticut.

I was a new free-lancer in a new career and starving. But I had followed the IranContra hearings and new what a bastard he was. I asked my progressive mother if I should do the gig and, like a mother, she told me to take the rent money and fight another day.

They were already purging the area of protesters back then. Nothing but happy Repubs and me, the only liberal, seething in the middle of it all. I had fantasies of disrupting his speech because TV was reporting heckling at campaign stops as a news event back then.

But the firepower of Secret Service snipers on the roof and all around me chilled me into silence. I experienced some violent abuse in my life and was not up to taking on the Secret Service and the mob around me with nobody to back me up to yell at that asshole and soil his photo-op.

I wanted to yell "Have you financed a secret war lately, IranContra-breath!?"

I regret having come so close and choking to this day. Probably one reason why I am so prolific with my opinions here at DU. Now I can't shut up...

[JohnOneillsMemory]

72. oops. Forgot Barbara Lee, Al Gore, almost the Ayatolloh of Iran.

Met Barbara Lee this past MLK day.

Met Al Gore when he gave a speech about Global Warming recently.

I used to do sound for Paul Winter who played in NYC at a conference of world spiritual leaders at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel. I got in the sound booth just before Paul Winter went on and did sound for the speech just before him. It turned out to be the Ayatollah of Iran back around 1998.
I wondered why so many UN security guys crowded the stage when he got up there.

[JohnOneillsMemory]

74. At airports, James Carville and Helen Thomas.

I met Helen Thomas at the gate for a 6am flight. I let her eat her muffin and then sat down and chatted with her.

When I was flying to work, I carried a pocket version of the US Constitution to ward off the PATRIOT ACT. Helen and I talked about the First Amendment and I had her sign my copy.

She beamed like a proud grandmother with a favorite grandchild over the fact that I revered the First Amendment.

[Pacifist Patriot]

69. Jesse Jackson, President Clinton and Senator Ted Kennedy

1. Had the pleasure of having breakfast with him and a handful of other poli sci majors when he visited my college. I was a freshman.

2. I trod on Gov. Clinton's foot with a stiletto heel. He was kind enough to stop me from falling at the same time he let out an ear piercing squeal of pain. I was a sophomore in college.

3. Ran into Senator Kennedy in a restaurant on Cape Cod, not literally this time. Very pleasant gentleman.

Those are my three "biggies" I guess.

[ynksnewyork2]

75. I got to have lunch with

Bill Clinton and his entourage when he came to Daytona Beach, Fl. You know what my brush with political ineptitude was?? One of the times that George Bush came to Florida, he spent a couple nights here and stayed at an oceanfront hotel next to my grandma's beach house. Some of the Secret Service guys decided to take a swim in the ocean. They to off their watches and put them with their wallets under their towels. they went in for about 20 minutes, body surfing and screwing around. When they got out, everything was gone!! Yes, our local boys absconded with the Secret Service agent's wallets, ID's and everything in them. My son was the local beach cop who they reported it to. He said he could hardly keep from laughing. A local reporter put a blurb in our paper but was "quickly silenced by her superiors", at least that's what she said. It wasn't a good omen for the Bush administration!

[Zensea]

76. David Dellinger

several times.
Robert Docking, when I was a boy scout running a coffee stop at a rest stop on the turnpike for a merit badge.

Martha Keys when I was a volunteer for the McGovern campaign in Kansas.

[Dinger]

77. Wesley Clark-Twice

I got his autograph twice too, one in each of his books. I got to ask a question at a town hall meeting. I was nervous as hell, and said so, and the General told me to relax and "don't be nervous." Very kind, and anyone who speaks with him has his full and undivided attention. The second time I met him (& Gert) he remembered me from the first time (He was probably just being nice, but he probably has an excellent memory.

[baldingrockwarlord]

80. Mayor Daley

The first Mayor Daley. It was a few months before he died, and I was in junior high on a field trip to Navy Pier for some sort of a cultural fest. Me and some friends were running around and as I turned a corner from outside to in, I ran into and bumped into 'da Mayor. I had just managed to slip through his people. I was totally tongue tied when I saw who it was. He shook my hand and said "How are you doing young fellow?". The whole incident happened so quickly that I wasn't even able to get a word out when he shook my hand before I was separated from him by his people, but he handled the situation so smooth, and I was awestruck by the whole thing. "Hey, that was......uh, uh, did you see who THAT WAS?

[katamaran]

83. I literally ran into Mark Warner...

...when he was a Virginia Senate candidate in 96. He had given a speech at Virginia Tech in the big lecture hall that I had my chemistry class in. I was in a rush to get to class and came barreling through the door without looking. Warner was leaving at the same time and I almost knocked him over. We asked if the other was alright and went our separate ways. It wasn't until I sat down and looked back toward the door that I realized who he was.

[Cocoa]

84. Cesar Chavez

my student organization brought him to speak, we took him out to eat at the only Mexican restaurant in Beloit, WI. It was shortly before he died, and he was pretty sick, he ended up not speaking, his young assistant did the speech and he was excellent.

[HeeBGBz]

86. Pat Paulsen

I met him one night in Branson not long before he died. He gave me some campaign buttons. (His last campaign) I told him he was my hero. He seemed pleased. He was a sweet man.

[KBlagburn]

87. Al Gore

1988 democratic primary season. worked on his campaign. shook hands after speech at calhoun community college, decatur alabama.

3 Alabama govenors.

[Quixote1818]

88. Got to visit with Wes Clark in Las Cruces NM for several minutes

He was campaigning for Kerry just before the elections. I told him I was the second person to sign up with the Draft Clark movement in New Mexico and told him that I admired his integrity. He was very approachable and EXTREMELY NICE and sincere! He signed a sign I had with a logo of the New Mexico Flag.

[ISUGRADIA]

89. Tons since I recently live in Iowa

I started getting active in 1983 so I had the chance to meet most all Dem candidates and a lot of Repubs too. I collect autographs so I'd try to see candidates whenever they were in town.

Some of my autographs:

Senators: Paul Simon, Joe Biden, Bill Bradley, Elizabeth Dole, Gary Hart, George McGovern, John Kerry, John Edwards, Bob Dole, Tom Harkin, Carol Mosley Braun, Arlen Specter (a rude, brusk man), Paul Wellstone, John McCain, Joe Lieberman, Ted Kennedy, Bob Graham.

US House: Pat Schroeder, Shirley Chisholm, Dick Gephardt

Others: Michael Moore, Al Gore, Lech Walesa, Molly Ivins, Seymour Hersh, Al Franken, Dick Gregory, Al Haig, Angela Davis, Ralph Nader, Howard Dean, John Waters, and Salman Rushdie (which I thought I'd never get a chance to meet).

[MrSlayer]

90. Ted Kennedy and Bill Clinton

Met them both at functions for my union. Basically just a handshake and a few words. I've also met Ed Rendell on a number of occassions, usually at Eagles football games.

[xkenx]

92. Wes Clark

Only a few weeks after he announced in '03 at a small town hall event in Los Angeles. I was amazed at his knowledge and command of the issues. He signed my copy of "Waging Modern War," and I asked him if he would be able to handle the Rethug's smear machine. He looked me in the eye and said I didn't have to worry about that, he would handle them. His strength and conviction came on like a beacon.
Too bad the media gave him virtually zero coverage so that many democratic voters didn't know enough to vote for him in the primaries. I hope that changes in '08.
CLARK '08

[Acryliccalico]

93. In 1961

John F. Kennedy came to Rockford to campaign. Our school let us out for the day so we could go see him at the airport. He gave a speech and was there for about a half hour. I saw Nixon and Goldwater in 1960. They came here to campaign and my aunt, who was a repub., took me.(I was 11 years old) Last month I saw Obama and shook his hand when he came here. I have met our Gov.and Mayor, both Dems. :kick:

[ernstbass]

94. John Edwards and Wes Clark

Week before J. E. was asked to be Kerry's running mate, he was doing his annual July 4th beach walk in NC and he shook my hand and put his other hand on my back - it was a magical moment (He's sooo hot).
Also shook Wes Clark's hand one year ago as he was campaigning.