Posted on 01/05/2005 12:17:47 AM PST by BillF
Recently elected Senators Thune (R-SD) and Martinez (R-FL) were guests of honor at separate receptions on January 4 to celebrate each being sworn-in as a Senator earlier in the day.
I was privileged to attend two receptions for Senator Thune and one reception for Senator Martinez. Fellow DC Chapter members Staytrue and Kristinn, who had separately arranged to go to the evening reception for Senator Thune, went with me to that reception.
The noon reception for Senator Thune was held on the top floor of the Hart Senate Office Building. One side of the room was basically glass, providing a beautiful view of the Capitol Dome a few blocks away. As people gathered and waited for the Senator to arrive, many sampled the great food and drank sodas.
Recently retired Senator Don Nickles (R-OK) was in attendance, but I didn't get a chance to talk with him.
A large screen was showing the Senate in session, Senator Reid (D-NV) (aka Dusty Reid) speaking most of the time as we waited for Sen. Thune's arrival.
At first, I was thinking how annoying it was to have Reid on. Then, I thought that this was a festive occasion and that Reid's presence was actually appropriate. That is, if John Thune had not ousted Senate Minority Leader Daschle, Reid would not be giving the statement as the Democrat/Minority Leader. Therefore, Reid on TV emphasized that Senator Thune had ousted a Senate Leader, an accomplishment so rare that had not been done for over 50 years. (I think the last Senate Leader to lose a reelection bid was actually in the 1930's or 1920's.)
Senator Thune's older brother, Bob, told some brief personal stories about the Senator and his childhood, then introduced him. Senator Thune gave a gracious 5 minute speech, thanking all of us for supporting him. Apart from mentions of his wife, daughters, etc., the single biggest applause line was when the Senator said "and we're going to make sure that President Bush's judicial nominees get a vote on the Senate floor"(paraphrase). Of course, that brings to mind an obstacle to confirmation of judicial nominees who was removed: a person not mentioned at the event, a person sometimes nicknamed "the obstructer-in-chief," a person who no longer would be Senator No from South Dakota, let alone the Senate Minority Leader.
Having a few hours to hang out in DC after the Thune midday reception and before the evening receptions, I went to the Air and Space Museum. Watching the IMAX movie Helicopters In Action: Straight Up, I realized that the narrator was probably the most powerful Democrat in the country today. It was Martin Sheen, President Bartlett of the West Wing TV show. Accordingly to reliable sources, President Bartlett had a show a few months back in which he arranged a Middle East summit meeting. This was just after Senator Kerry's flailing and failing Presidential campaign suggested such a summit. Now that he has more free time, maybe Senator Kerry can reward the favorable product placement of Kerry's summit idea by teaching President Bartlett wind-surfing or snow-boarding.
After the museum, I met with Kristinn and Staytrue to attend the evening reception for Senator Thune. When waiting outside the building as Staytrue returned to his car to get his camera, I noticed a limo pulling up to the building with a "police" style revolving red-blue light at its back. It was the previously mentioned Senator Reid and others (family members?) exiting the vehicle and going into the same building as the Thune reception.
As Reid walked about 20 feet from us, I joked, out of Reid's hearing, that I wanted to shout "Dusty Reid, is it true you are also called 'Pinky' because you're a Commie." Kristinn suggested that I should not say anything like that to the Senator on this festive occasion and that Reid might be attending the Thune reception. (I would never say something like that to the Senator, anyway.)
Kristinn, Staytrue, and I took the elevator up to the 6th or 7th floor of the building. The food and drink at the reception were fabulous. Especially notable was a chocolate fountain with heated liquid chocolate flowing down the outside 360 degrees like water sheets off a water fountain. Sticks, like extra-long toothpicks, could be used to stick marshmallows, strawberries, little-pieces of pound cake, and other health food, prior to dipping the food into the edge of the fountain and getting a warm coat of chocolate on the treats.
(Kristinn rejected my suggestion that DC Chapter obtain such a chocolate fountain for our next meeting, whereas Staytrue suggested that the next meeting be held at a health club to work off the massive calories that we were consuming. Staytrue further denied my contention that it was unfair to count calories consumed for such a good cause as Senator Thune replacing Senator Daschle.)
This evening Thune event was a few blocks from the Capitol and a huge outside balcony provided a great view of the Capitol Dome at night. Thanks to global warming from my SUV, it was unseasonably warm, over 60 degrees, allowing bartenders to dispense drinks from a table outside on the balcony in January in Washington.
Senator Reid, to the best of my knowledge, was not at the Senator Thune reception. I was unable to confirm my speculation that he was gathered with other Dems at the basement loading dock, where they cried in their beers and looked at the dumpster that symbolized the current fortunes of their party.
Steven Moore of the Club for Growth (CFG) chatted with Staytrue and me. I praised CFG's great commercials. Moore said that Free Republic had gotten some good publicity from our news conference about inaugural protests of a couple weeks ago (click here), a news conference that he had seen on C-Span.
Paul Weyrich of the Free Congress Foundation was in attendance as was Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN).
Kristinn had another meeting to go to, whereas I had to leave after an hour to get to the reception for Senator Martinez. Therefore, we both left before Senator Thune arrived. Staytrue remained behind at the Thune reception and should be able to report later.
Senator Coleman left at the same time as Kristinn and I. We had a nice chat with Sen. Coleman in front of the building. Kristinn had previously dropped off invitations for the Senator and his wife to attend the Free Republic Inaugural Ball (click here for the thread and sign up now). Kristinn discussed the ball and the invitations. The Senator thanked him for the invitations.
Kristinn went to his other meeting, whereas I took a cab to the Organization of American States (OAS) Building at the other end of the mall. Arriving late to the Martinez reception, which had started at the same time as the Thune reception, I briefly enjoyed some fine food, including some great spicy Cuban chicken finger food.
About 5 minutes after my arrival, Senator Martinez gave a less-then ten minute speech. The largest response came when he said that "we all look forward to the day when Cuba will be free, a day that may come sooner than we expect" (paraphrasing, but it was something along those lines). The applause line had been presaged when I ordered a Rum and Coke, also called "Cuba Libre," a few minutes earlier.
After his warm speech to 500 people in this huge hall, many crowded in to shake hands with Senator Martinez. I did likewise, but only because I had to brave the crush of the crowd. Kristinn had given me an envelope with invitations for the Senator and his wife to attend the the Free Republic Inaugural Ball (click here for the thread and sign up now). I was surprised that I was able to get up close to the Senator, shake his hand, congratulate him, and hand him the envelope of invitations to as I said "the Free Republic Inaugural Ball with many good conservatives, good Republicans." He thanked me and said "I need to give this to my aide," which he then did.
Not wanting to be mistaken for Michael Moore at the FR Inaugural Ball, I quickly left the scene before I consumed more of the wonderful food and drink.
Awaiting your comments and pictures, if any, from Staytrue.
Thought that you might be interested in the interactions with Steven Moore of the Club for Growth (we handed him an info card about the FR ball and he had seen our press conference) and Senators Coleman and Martinez, both of whom were personally told about the FR ball and their invites to it.
PS. Happy New Year!
Prayer Bump!
Please order your Free Republic Inaugural Ball tickets by clicking here. See details about the ball by clicking here for the most recent thread .
Not surprising considering how shy and quiet Kristinn can be. You'd never hear him shouting to a certain ex-president that he's a "rapist" or "traitor" or anything.
Please order your Free Republic Inaugural Ball tickets by clicking here. See details about the ball by clicking here for the most recent thread .
LOL. Clinton was exactly what Kristinn appropriately called him.
I think that you understand: I wasn't being critical of Kristinn. As indicated, I agreed with Kristinn that it wasn't the appropriate occasion to blast Reid to his face. I did enjoy joking about blasting Reid in-person.
Cool report, sounds like it was a fun day!
LOL...Limbaugh ROCKS!! Great report...it's good to know folks who know folks...MUD
Thanks for the ping, Bill. Great report. Sounds like you had some wonderful food....especially the chocolate stuff!
You guys have all the fun! I'm soooooooo jealous--until I remember that in order to have that much fun, I'd have to live up there--LOL!
That was his evil twin, Tristan.
Pinging FL Freepers to read your excellent report; especially the part about our great new Senator Martinez.....!
Other then the Bush team, Thune and Martinez are easily the two biggest heros of 2004 in my book.
Thune, because he's a great guy and toppled Obstructionist in Chief Tom Dashle.
Martinez, because he's a good guy and because he stopped that terrorist appeaser Castor. Honestly, in some ways, I wanted this one more then Dashle's seat. Castor was just that bad IMHO.
Senator Thune gave a gracious 5 minute speech, thanking all of us for supporting him. Apart from mentions of his wife, daughters, etc., the single biggest applause line was when the Senator said "and we're going to make sure that President Bush's judicial nominees get a vote on the Senate floor"(paraphrase). Of course, that brings to mind an obstacle to confirmation of judicial nominees who was removed: a person not mentioned at the event, a person sometimes nicknamed "the obstructer-in-chief," a person who no longer would be Senator No from South Dakota, let alone the Senate Minority Leader.
Whenever W finally gets around to nominating you and Krinstinn for some federal positions, I want a ticket to yourconfirmation hearings...(g)
You think that the Dems would treat Kristinn or me harshly in a confirmation hearing?
I doubt it. After all, neither of us is African-American or Hispanic. :)
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