BRISTOL, Va. – One body shy of a dozen Democrats gathered in a tidy den at the end of a tidy cul-de-sac Wednesday, making friendly wagers on what Republicans would – or more often, would not – stand up and applaud during the president’s address.
“Oop... oop... oop... they got up!” Tere Land exclaimed, perplexed by what appeared to be the Republican half of Congress’s approval of a statement made by President Barack Obama in his first State of the Union.
“Well, I’m gonna fall over dead,” JoAnn Vicars chimed in.
Vicars and Land were among the more vocal of the 11 Democrats at the Bristol, Va., “Watch Party,” a national initiative promoted by Organizing for America, an off-shoot of the Democratic National Convention. Catherine Brillhart, chairwoman of the Bristol Virginia Democratic Committee, hosted Wednesday’s party.
They describe the committee as something of a support group for “lonely Democrats” in a largely conservative region. Some of the attendees have known each other for years, some met during the 2008 campaign and others met Wednesday. As one member put it, they’re a “motley, diverse crew,” feasting on cheese and crackers, Yellow Tail Chardonnay and apricots wrapped in bacon and doused with maple syrup.
“That’s one of the advantages of being a Democrat,” Vicars said with a cocked eyebrow. “We’re open minded, we try new things.”
And while the group is likely among the more devoted Democrats in the region – one even scolded this newspaper for its recent Republican leanings – they all came with a few bones to pick.
“What I have against this president – he walked plum away from what he said in this campaign,” Roger Rose said. “I’m not disillusioned, the whole country is feeling the way I am. We got out and we fought our hearts out, and he’s not doing what he said he would. He stood around too much and let Congress and the Senate tell him what’s gonna happen instead of telling them what’s gonna happen. He’s not trying to twist arms and make them get in line.”
The group met at 8 p.m. to join in a nationwide conference call with David Plouffe, Obama’s legendary campaign manager. He spoke for several minutes, thanking thousands at Watch Parties across the country for their continued support of Obama’s initiatives.
“I hope he’s going to say he’s lost a little touch with the average person,” said Sherri Hinkle, who came clad in a Obama-Biden T-shirt. “I think he’s done a wonderful job, considering the situation; we had quite a mess. But I think he’s trying to take on too much at one time.”
Land came burned up about the Supreme Court’s ruling to allow infinite corporate money to infiltrate political campaigns.
“Shame on you, shame on you, shame on you,” she shouted at the television, as the camera panned by the justices. “Now we’re all for sale.”
Despite their varying beefs with the political system, they smiled in unison, cheered at times and scoffed at the Republicans’ inability to get out of their chairs.
“Look at them,” Land said, lurching forward and shaking her hands at the television set. “They can’t applaud cutting taxes? Education? How can you not applaud for that?”
cgalofaro@bristolnews.com | (276) 645-2531
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement