Dem Convention: Party Pics

I drove up to Lowell this evening and attended three of the four convention welcome parties in town. I was going to write up my impressions of the parties, but I'm beat and I have to get up in six hours to head back up to Lowell again tomorrow. So here are some pictures instead.

I ran into Senator Kerry as he was walking into the Doubletree hotel, where many of the delegates were staying and where his opponent, Ed O'Reilly, was holding his welcome event. The senator has a reputation for being a bit aloof, but he was very cordial to me.

Ed O'Reilly was also cordial, but he seems to be flighty. He came up to shake my hand, was interrupted, and didn't get back to me for about 15 minutes. Other candidates I met seem to have developed the knack of blocking out the people around and giving their attention to the speaker. O'Reilly asked if I was supporting him tomorrow and I was frank: I was giving him my vote to try to get him on the ballot, but that I was most likely supporting Kerry in the primary. O'Reilly seemed fine with that. I think he just wants people to give him a shot.

To give you an idea how disorganized the O'Reilly event was, these banners for event co-sponsor "Progressive Democrats of America" were being set up a full hour after the event began.

Apparently, if I want a chance to be elected to higher office, I need to move to Barnstable County. I'd be a shoo-in.

Lt. Governor Tim Murray conducting a radio interview with a reporter from WCAP in Lowell. I was fascinated that they were using an earplug attached to an iPod to listen to the audio while using a cell phone as the microphone.

Once I corralled Mr. Murray, I tried to pitch my commuter rail shuttle proposal and asked him to encourage Governor Patrick not to veto the Wekepeke Dam money if it makes it into the final bill. I was slightly taken aback that Murray didn't know where the Wekepeke was, but I tend to assume that our officials know more about the issues which are important to me than I should.

I closed the night at the host party, where I met Congresswoman Niki Tsongas.

Tags: Massachusetts Election 2008 Democratic Convention