Early voting for president started yesterday in Connecticut. I spent the previous evening a few feet from the man who may be the next Vice President of the United States.
The reception — at Governor Lamont’s (very large) home — was the 4th time this year I’ve been to a political event.
Their vibes mirror the ups and downs of this very tight — and critically important — election season.
The first was the “3 Presidents” at Radio City Music Hall, in March.
I’d seen Bill Clinton and Barack Obama before. I’d never seen President Biden.
Stephen Colbert (left) interviews Presidents Biden, Obama and Clinton.
I had great seats — about 18 rows from the stage, dead center. Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer warmed up the crowd. Then came the first lady, and the entire Biden clan (including Hunter).
Talent included Queen Latifah, Lizzo, Ben Platt, Cynthia Erivo and Lea Michele.
MC Mindy Kaling joked about why people would pay up to $500,000 a ticket (that was not my seat) to support someone who wants to raise their taxes.
As expected, Obama was the rock star. Clinton was raspy. Biden mumbled a bit but made no gaffes, and was fully engaged.
It was remarkable to see them together, but at the same time seemed very natural and oddly reassuring. Their affection for each other – fighting similar ideological battles, but also occupying a unique position in the world – came through strongly.
Barack Obama, with Joe Biden.
I expected only rah-rah stuff. But Stephen Colbert asked interesting, even provocative questions. There were a couple of softballs, but he did not shy away from Israel/Gaza, and Biden’s age.
It was a very different scene 3 months later, at an LGBTQ event at the Manhattan Club.
It had been scheduled a while earlier, for the night after the presidential debate. No one could have known beforehand what a disaster for Biden that turned out to be.
His fumblingly geriatric performance was, well, the elephant in the room.
The president’s voice was more robust than the night before. He read well from a teleprompter. He had a bit more energy.
President Biden, at the Manhattan Club.
But the podium was placed close to the wing, so he did not have far to shuffle out on stage. The energy in the room was low.
The highlight of the night was Biden’s introduction, by Sir Elton John. Much to everyone’s disappointment, he did not sing.
Sir Elton John, behind the presidential seal.
A Sunday afternoon last month could not have been more different.
The crowd was more diverse in age and race than the previous 2 events. Once again, I had great seats — just behind the $1,000,000 contributors, dead center.
The energy was sky-high, even before Whoopi Goldberg and Billy Porter came on stage.
The vice president gave her basic stump speech. But she delivered it with poise and passion, and the reaction was electric — a far cry from Biden’s talks.
In just 3 months, the race had turned on its head. The first crowd was excited, primarily by a former president. The second was dutiful. This was pulsating.
Vice President Kamala Harris, at Cipriani Wall Street.
The venue for vice presidential candidate Tim Walz 2 days ago was much more intimate: about 200 people, on Lamont’s back country Greenwich patio.
Governor Walz was much more relaxed than in his debate with JD Vance earlier this month. He spoke easily about topics ranging from gun violence and reproductive rights to the economy, and repeated his now-famous line about the importance of getting along with one another: “Mind your own damn business.”
He also described his genuine friendship with the Connecticut politicians gathered there: Governor Lamont, Senators Murphy and Blumenthal, Representatives Hayes and Courtney.
(Noting that Hayes — who is in a tough re-election race in the 5th District — has been National Teacher of the Year, while he was “only” a finalist for State Teacher of the Year, Walz said, “It’s easier to become Governor of Minnesota than Teacher of the Year.)
Governor Tim Walz, on Sunday. (All photos/Dan Woog)
The Westporters and others gathered there listened raptly to Walz’s remarks. He gave the crowd “the assignment”: Don’t let up over the next 2 weeks, in the run-up to yet another razor-thin election.
The crowd laughed appreciatively when he said, “If the universe has any type of justice as that moral curve bends, we’ll win Georgia by 1 vote. And it will be Jimmy Carter’s.”
The political landscape is very different from the first event I went to, just 7 months ago.
But the mood is still the same, on both sides of the aisle: anxious, uncertain, fearful of what will happen if the other candidate wins.
It’s been intriguing to have seen those 4 events this year.
Two weeks from today — or, perhaps, days or weeks later — I’ll find out whether I was with the next president and vice president.
Or just 2 footnotes to history.
