CONVENTION BUZZ

Getting Friendly, Bronzing Peanuts, Ditching Grammy

by Randy Barrett

Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008


The GOP preaches wholesome family values, but at least one delegate is apparently looking for some unsanctioned diversion. This from the Minneapolis Craigslist: "Texas delegate seeking other guys for fun during the convention. 38, 6'2, built, blond hair, and blue eyes. Smooth. The younger the better. If you shave to look younger, that earns you extra points. I'll be top, bottom, or in the middle for multiples. Respond by Saturday night please. I'm going back to Texas Sunday. NO LIBERALS!"

And who said that Midwesterners don't have fun? An apparently apolitical local is looking for someone to accompany him on strolls in the buff: "Lately I've been taking fairly brief nude walks around the neighborhood late at night or in the wee hours of the morning. I'd like a woman (I'm a man) to accompany me on these nude walks or, if you're not brave enough to bare it all and walk with me, perhaps you could be my lookout."

Living Color

"You have plenty of images of committed white people for McCain; you need pictures of committed black people," Krim Ballentine said as he surveyed the Xcel Energy Center. As one of just 36 black delegates, Ballentine stands out. The retired chief deputy U.S. marshal printed up business cards for the occasion calling himself a "Constitution Philosopher" and "The Last Negro." The latter title, the back of his card explains, is in honor of the "First Negro," Othello. "Disrespect is the main ingredient in every act of violence, with racism being the most discernable negative attribute of disrespect," the card reads. Ballentine is a committed McCain supporter, but he won't be voting for him in November. "I'm from the Virgin Islands," he explains; he can't vote in presidential elections. The black man standing nearby won't be voting for McCain, either. "That's my son," Ballentine said. "He's with Republicans for Obama."

Agri-Gripes

More than 5,000 people attended the Minnesota Agri-Growth Council's $1 million AgNite party at the Theater de la Jeune Lune in Minneapolis on Tuesday night. It was likely the biggest and most expensive party of the convention and a proper tribute to the Midwest's huge agriculture industry. No tiny hors d'oeuvres for the aggies. Instead, they proffered pork chops on a stick (served with a single Michael-Jackson-like glove to keep your fingers clean), cream pies, and vodka made from Minnesota corn. But the celebratory atmosphere was marred by the news that John McCain, a longtime opponent of ethanol subsidies, had persuaded the delegates to adopt a platform provision ending a mandate on the use of the corn-based fuel in the U.S. gasoline supply. The Minnesota Corn Growers were one of the "platinum" sponsors of the event (a contribution of at least $75,000, we hear) but its members were shaking their heads and considering breaking with their usual Republican voting pattern. Matt Hartwig of the Renewable Fuels Association said that it was "inconceivable that the Republican Party would adopt a platform limiting the energy options available to the American people.

Grammy Bust

Where have all the people gone? The Grammy Foundation threw a lavish fundraiser on Tuesday night at the McNamara Alumni Center at the University of Minnesota, to little avail. Of the 500 attendees expected, only about 100 showed for a night that featured a forgettable young pop act, The Abdomen, the passionate singer Greg Laswell, and a foursome of country songwriters. Yawn. Organizers promised reporters that 30 or so powerful members of Congress and governors -- and even McCain's daughter Meghan McCain -- would attend. None of them made it. Promoters couldn't explain the poor attendance. (Well, a real headliner would have been nice.) Anyway, the foundation expected to raise $50,000 at the show. President Neil Portnow said that the money would support the Grammy Camp -- a haven for promising musicians to develop their craft -- and the Grammys' lobbying efforts in Washington.

Just Peanuts

Who doesn't love the little "round-headed kid," Charlie Brown? Certainly St. Paul does. Peanuts creator Charles Schultz was a native of the Twin Cities. In homage to their native son, the city debuted Peanuts on Parade in 2000, featuring more than 100 5-foot statues throughout the city. Afterwards, the statues were auctioned to benefit the Charles M. Schultz Foundation. Nine bronze statues then went on permanent display in and around downtown, depicting characters from the popular comic strip that debuted in the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 1947. The gang's all there, including Peppermint Patty, Linus, Lucy, Woodstock, Schroeder, and, of course, Snoopy.

Groovy Granny

McCain might want to sign the convention's Arrangements Committee chairman, Jo Ann Davidson, to his personal staff of technology advisers. At 80, Davidson reads blogs, writes blogs, does e-mail most of the day, works her BlackBerry, e-mails talking points after meetings, uploads links of conference calls to the Republican National Committee women's page, text messages, and contributes to a Facebook page of the RNC's women's group. Some of her favorite blogs include Politicker Ohio and McCain Blogette, run by Meghan McCain. Davidson, a former state representative and speaker of the Ohio House, says she developed her technology skills after she was "forced into it" when she left the General Assembly to start her own company.

Party Paperwork

Lots of i's to dot. Republican Party officials will get plenty of penmanship practice this week. That's because the nation's secretaries of state, the guys and gals who run elections, gave them a deadline of September 5 -- yikes, tomorrow! -- to get the paperwork in to state capitals to make sure that McCain and Sarah Palin are on the November ballot. It's especially important because the election chiefs have to start mailing absentee ballots to members of the military abroad -- as well as civilians who are overseas -- no later than September 19 -- just two short weeks away. "This year, the timing of the parties' national conventions is later than usual, which creates a compressed timeline for printing and mailing absentee ballots," Pennsylvania Secretary of the Commonwealth Pedro Cortes wrote to RNC Chairman Mike Duncan last month. There's no party favoritism here. Cortes sent the same message to DNC chief Howard Dean.

Seen and Heard

Spotted: Oklahoma Rep. Tom Cole leaving the scene of the GQ/Makers Mark party on Tuesday night with a bottle of whiskey in hand. And the diminutive Florida Rep. Adam Putnam actually got a seat at the event's crowded bar (and didn't get carded!) ... We hear that Tennessee delegates are very pleased with their seats, because they have easy egress to the bathroom ... Six Republican delegates beat out a group of 6th graders from Oakwood Grove Middle School in Bloomington to win the Stump the Delegates contest at the Mall of America on Wednesday, but it was no rout -- the final score was 250-220 ... House Republican Leader John Boehner was on hand to oversee Tuesday night's Warehouse Productions party where hundreds of lobbyists, Capitol Hill lawmakers, staffers, and delegates convened to drink late into the night. Seventy-five corporations and associations paid up to $30,000 apiece to put on the bash, which goes on every night of the convention from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. ... Everything about Palin is getting scrutinized, including her footwear. She wore a bold pair of high-heeled Double Dare Naughty Monkey shoes at her unveiling last week, purchased at Shoefly+Hudsons in Juneau, Alaska. She likes "fun, hip, and kicky" shoes, said owner Sydney Mitchell ...

Winter Casey, Brian Friel, Jerry Hagstrom, Corine Hegland, Julie Kosterlitz, Rudy Maxa, Erin McPike, Eugene Mulero, Jessica Taylor, and Bara Vaida contributed to this column.

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