(no subject)
We needed someone to speak for Chuck Pennacchio at our local Democratic Party dinner, since the candidate for U.S. Senate (PA) couldn't be there in person. Who would speak for Chuck? Malachi immediately said, "I'll do it." "Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm sure."
We came up with a brief speech, about a minute or so long. Malachi studied the speech for a couple of days, not memorizing it exactly, but gettig the feel of it. Malachi took a shower, shaved, picked his suit up off the floor, brushed off the dust and cat hair, found a belt somewhere in the basement, and crammed his feet into his dress shoes, which are too small for him. He was ready to go.
Malachi, the confident, well-spoken, philosophical 15-year-old, was the youngest person at the dinner. Most of the people there, in fact, were well older even than I, the old Shubab. The people who attend these functions, the old guard, are typically OLD, the men with their expansive paunches and suit jackets, the women in neon-colored suits with enormous gold jewelry, some of them well into their cups. And I, in jeans and a sweater. That's as dressed up as I get these days. There were the candidates circulating around, leaving layers and layers of campaign stuff at all the tables. We had Jon Eich, Scott Corman, John Sayers, Ruth Luce, Alan Sandals, Don Hilliard, and Valerie MacDonald Roberts (running for Lt. Governor).
Malachi sat at the table, uncharacteristically nervous. He was greeted by various people, especially the candidates and members of our crowd, the Pennacchio crowd. Things eventually got underway. First they fed us a very good dinner, courtesy of Hoags Catering. Then the speeches started. The candidates were alotted five minutes apiece, although they gave the Pennacchio surrogates (there were three) only three minutes. You see, the Old Guard supports the Dem Party anointed one, Bob Casey, Jr.
Malachi got up and delivered his speech with gusto, expression and enthusiasm. When he spoke disparagingly of the fact that our primary is not an open primary (by definition, because the state party has endorsed Casey and other candidates), he was surrounded by a lot of harrumphing hacks. Then, when he was about halfway through his short speech, the local head honcho stood up and loomed over him, making him nervous. He faltered to a halt, shot the guy an unhappy look, and then finished off his speech. Afterwards he said that he wished he had told the guy to sit down.
Later on, the guest speaker, Mr. Michael Hanna, the State Representative from the Lock Haven area, insisted that it is an open primary we'll be having, which he apparantly defines as a primary in which his candidate is endorsed.
Valerie MacDonald Roberts turned out to be a real dynamo who worked the room with skill and won everyone over, even though she is not the candidate endorsed by the party hacks. (That would be Katherine Baker Knoll.) Chuck Pennacchio describes Valerie as a "soul-mate," and she is truly a wonderful person and a kick-ass candidate.
We came up with a brief speech, about a minute or so long. Malachi studied the speech for a couple of days, not memorizing it exactly, but gettig the feel of it. Malachi took a shower, shaved, picked his suit up off the floor, brushed off the dust and cat hair, found a belt somewhere in the basement, and crammed his feet into his dress shoes, which are too small for him. He was ready to go.
Malachi, the confident, well-spoken, philosophical 15-year-old, was the youngest person at the dinner. Most of the people there, in fact, were well older even than I, the old Shubab. The people who attend these functions, the old guard, are typically OLD, the men with their expansive paunches and suit jackets, the women in neon-colored suits with enormous gold jewelry, some of them well into their cups. And I, in jeans and a sweater. That's as dressed up as I get these days. There were the candidates circulating around, leaving layers and layers of campaign stuff at all the tables. We had Jon Eich, Scott Corman, John Sayers, Ruth Luce, Alan Sandals, Don Hilliard, and Valerie MacDonald Roberts (running for Lt. Governor).
Malachi sat at the table, uncharacteristically nervous. He was greeted by various people, especially the candidates and members of our crowd, the Pennacchio crowd. Things eventually got underway. First they fed us a very good dinner, courtesy of Hoags Catering. Then the speeches started. The candidates were alotted five minutes apiece, although they gave the Pennacchio surrogates (there were three) only three minutes. You see, the Old Guard supports the Dem Party anointed one, Bob Casey, Jr.
Malachi got up and delivered his speech with gusto, expression and enthusiasm. When he spoke disparagingly of the fact that our primary is not an open primary (by definition, because the state party has endorsed Casey and other candidates), he was surrounded by a lot of harrumphing hacks. Then, when he was about halfway through his short speech, the local head honcho stood up and loomed over him, making him nervous. He faltered to a halt, shot the guy an unhappy look, and then finished off his speech. Afterwards he said that he wished he had told the guy to sit down.
Later on, the guest speaker, Mr. Michael Hanna, the State Representative from the Lock Haven area, insisted that it is an open primary we'll be having, which he apparantly defines as a primary in which his candidate is endorsed.
Valerie MacDonald Roberts turned out to be a real dynamo who worked the room with skill and won everyone over, even though she is not the candidate endorsed by the party hacks. (That would be Katherine Baker Knoll.) Chuck Pennacchio describes Valerie as a "soul-mate," and she is truly a wonderful person and a kick-ass candidate.