Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Live Blogging From Debate Night With We Want Bernie Worcester

I'm live blogging the Democratic debate from the Sahara Restaurant on Highland St in Worcester.  I arrived early and snagged a table with an electric outlet.  As of 6:30 (Db - 2) there are about eight people at the bar.  I ordered the Port Said chicken dish which is pretty tasty.  The waiter told me that this is the first time in twenty years that he has felt real enthusiasm for a client.  I told him the last time I was this excited it was when McGovern was running.  I'm not sure he knew who I was talking about.

7:16 and nothing happening yet.  I politely explained to the pair at the table next to me that Sanders had been Mayor of Burlington , Congressman and then Senator.  O'Malley and Chafee had been governors.

I had been thinking of this as a Hillary/Bernie smackdown, but there are three other players.  I kind of like Lincoln Chafee in spite of, or maybe because of his partrician air. He also projects this things are not so bad let's not rock the boat so much attitude. In some ways he is actually a classic conservative.

7:31

Chris Horton We Want Bernie - Worcester.  Problems coordinating seat of the pants.  Progressive Democrats of America is what allowed Bernie to hit the ground running. Have since severed ties as they cannot coordinate with the campaign. Chris thinks that "they" will try to do something.  If they can't find something, they will just start lying.  I asked Chis who "they" are. - Billionaires, owners of media.  He is a little fuzzy on exactly who "they" are but sure that there is a "they"

7:55 Chris put the material - flyers and bumper stickers next to me.  Bumper stickers are only if you are going to use them - not souveneirs.

Room is starting to fill.  Good age mix.  Pretty white.  Chris expects them to run out of stickers so I just took a Bernie2016 and left the FeelTheBern for the insiders.

8:05

Confusion about start time.  I'm afraid I will have to give up my plug to get a better seat.  We'll see.

8:22

Starting to fill up.  Chatting with a student from Mass College of Pharmacy.  Looks to be about 40.  According to website RSVP was 108

8:28

Chris announces a meeting at Jillians Friday at 6:00.  People going to NH on Sunday

11:00

Guess I'm just not much of a live blogger.  The crowd was not that pumped up, but it was pretty enthusiastic,  One assessment I heard was that the debate was worthwhile because it was grownups, while the Republicans are the kids table.