The largest crab fest political gathering in Contra Costa in memory was held in support of Democrat California State Senator Mark DeSaulnier, Friday, January 29. The guest list grew so big got it required shifting the venue from the Concord Centre to the Hoffman Hanger at Buchanan Airport. The 650+ attendees got to hear the State Senator say, “what happened in Massachusetts will not happen here…” and then go on to declare to a standing ovation that “We will never, never, never quit or give up on America.”
The crowd included the political roster of the Democratic Party including both of Concord’s Congressmen George Miller and John Garamendi, State Assemblymen Tom Torlakson who just two days previous had a heart stint procedure; as well as district and regional Democratic State Party officials.
The County’s Board of Supervisors were attending in force: Glover, Gioia and Bonilla, while election Clerk Grand Guru Steve Weir, rounded out the Contra Costa County officials contingent. They were all joined by a collection of City Council folks from all over the county including four of the Concord City Council (one of which is a Republican) as well as Council folks from Antioch, Oakley, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and elsewhere. Jim Frazier of Oakley pulled double duty acting as chef to the masses.
The crowd was enthusiastic and reflected a wide range of political views within the Democratic Party as well as numerous major supporters. Having gone through a divisive congressional primary last year and then coming together to elect John Garamendi to Congress, the Democrats heard the echos of a common theme to protect the common man and pull through the tough times united for the benefit of the country. The gathering was just another sign that Democrats are willing and able to answer the call for support and to do so in large numbers.
Bill Gram-Reefer is Editor & Publisher of Halfway To Concord, founded in 2004. Halfway To Concord is the leading online source for community-driven political news, events, and opinion for Contra Costa County and the San Francisco East Bay.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
It will be a little different in California, because unlike Mass/Brown, by November California will be bankrupt with an even higher unemployment rate – ALL at the feet of the Democrats who have done this to us by over taxing, over-regulating, and over spending without cutting back earlier to avoid the Bankruptcy and necessary firing of government workers.
Interesting reference to the “Ides of Nov”. As I recall the original Ides of March did not work too well for anyone on any side: Ceasar/Brutus/the Roman Republic etc.
There are many things that went into making the Brown victory, which will not translate out here into the Republicans such as his pro-choice stance or his support of the Mass. Health Care system. Likewise and most importantly the poor campaign run by his opponent.
So Edi Birsan wrote this Democrat promo piece for “Halfway to Concord”. I would have thought that with so many of the culprits of the coming Bankruptcy of Contra Costa County, California, and the Spending Binge in Washington D.C., that instead of claiming “to protect the common man”, they would actually do so, by resigning.
Collectively the names in this article have done more to mismanage and scew up the County, State and Nation, than even the shysters and idiots that have ruined Berkeley, Detroit, Washington D.C., and virtually every other place they’ve had monopolistic control.
They act like 650 people is a lot to ward off the “ides of November 2, 2010”, and they talk like they think what happened in Massachusetts was a bad thing! I imagine collectively 650 people would just include their staffs & spouses, and that instead of talking big about helping the people, they should have committed to what cuts and deregulations they’d do in the next month to try and straighten out their mess.
All the more reason for the Voters to hold THEM PERSONALLY ACCOUNTABLE for California’s high and worsening unemployment rate, fleeing businesses & jobs, highest taxes in the nation in most catagories, and worse public benefits to show for it, than most other states as well.
While some of them are ‘nice people”, they deserve to be sent packing by the Voters. We shall see in exactly 9 months to the day, if the Public has awakened.
Last week my mother told me that she was going to this event, and I was like… “What?!?”
Imagine my concern!
She laughed and replied, “Don’t worry Walter, I like crab more than I like DeSaulnier.”