On my second attempt to get on the list for the Republican Governors Association happy-hour bash at Bellanotte Monday, RGA spokesman Chris Schrimpf politely refused, explaining that people feel "uncomfortable if media is running all over the place" at their social events. Even a reporter whose assignment is to write about parties? "We've heard that before, and then the coverage turns out to be very different," he said, adding that the press is banned from all RGA events. That might be because, as one Washington lobbyist involved in throwing a party in St. Paul this week put it, "people don't want to look like pigs at the trough enjoying themselves during a recession and a natural disaster." Or maybe the governors are just shy. Hollywood weighs in The Creative Coalition's first convention event, a low-key luncheon with a housing theme at Palomino, looked like a typical business meeting. You had to look hard to notice that several actors were in the room -- Richard Schiff, best known as Toby from "The West Wing," Minneapolis native Rachael Leigh Cook and Robert Davi among them.
Schiff said his ex-wife Sheryl Noethe's parents, Tom and Barb Noethe of Minneapolis, bought their house near Lake Harriet 40 years ago, and "it's hard to think that one day you might not be able to afford the taxes on it. But a lot of Republicans have had personal experience with foreclosure and predatory lending. If you speak with the economic picture in mind, Republicans listen."
Cook, who calls herself "one of those bleeding-heart liberals," admitted part of her motivation for coming along was to "see old friends and go to the State Fair. I'm heading straight for the mini-donuts and the milk truck."
Davi, who has a role in the film "An American Carol" that was screened on Sunday, is one of the coalition's few "out" Republican members, and he said there are indeed, as rumored, repercussions for being one in Hollywood. "Yes, I'd say there can be a backlash. It's not just about not getting work. It might be as simple as not being invited to a card game or a barbecue." After mentioning that he went to college with Sen. Norm Coleman, he refused to say whether the senator was more of a bookworm or a party boy: "He was...well-rounded."
A senior moment St. Paul's Eagle Street Grill, known this week as CNN Grill, was hopping Monday evening with celebrity guests like gossip columnist Cindy Adams, CNN's Wolf Blitzer and political consultant Donna Brazile. But the biggest star might have been singer Pat Boone, who talked to us about his role as spokesman for 60 Plus Association, an AARP-like advocacy group.
"I'm out of the closet -- I'm a senior," said Boone, who's 74. He also talked about his long career, touching on his association with John McCain ("when I met him last week, he sang the opening lines of 'Love Letters in the Sand'"), his former neighbor Ozzy Osbourne ("he said we were the first neighbors that never called the cops on him") and his experiment with heavy metal ("I still have the tattoos in a drawer").
Where's the reciprocity? "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" prides itself on approaching anyone and everyone with bold questions, but the team is a little more timid when the tables are turned. For now, Comedy Central is offering no interviews with anyone involved in the show, and that includes its host. At the XCel center, we approached correspondent John Oliver who politely, but firmly said everything had to go through the publicity department. For the sake of comedy, let's hope that Oliver and company don't get the same response when they're asking the questions.
Raising the bar The special convention drink names on the Hilton's menu are blander than we'd advise: Golden Elephant, Yea's and Nay's and GOP Sidecar. Now we didn't expect to find a Cosmobamatin, but how about the McCainiac?
