Not that long ago, the symbol for the Lake County, Illinois Democrats was the man with the bag over his head. Really. It was even on the buttons. Although just north of Chicago, there were few Democrats in Lake County, and those who were Democrats rarely told their neighbors, and when they did, they whispered it across the fence. Five years later, Barack Obama and congressional candidate, Dan Seals, signs are numerous and the various Lake County Township Democratic organizations are thriving and working together under the umbrella of the Lake County Democratic Organization and the Illinois Tenth Congressional District Democrats, known as the Tenth Dems.
Last night, I attended the Obama/McCain presidential debate watching party co-sponsored by the Vernon Township Democrats and the Tenth Dems. Vernon Township located in central Lake County, had been one of the smaller Democratic organizations in the county with only five elected precinct committeemen and no office. Occasionally, they'd get together in front of a local Jewel Food Store and collect petition signatures or pass out literature. Sometimes they'd have a pizza party and sometimes the chair, Steve Rosenzweig, and his wife would end up eating it alone. On this night, however, they ordered several pizzas, salads and desserts and there were plenty of people to share the food; 37 people attended the event.
Steve says he's not surprised he got such a crowd despite that only 10 people had signed up. Interest in the organization has been growing since he started, and he now has a co-chariman, Mike Lofstrom. One of their state senators is Democrat Terry Link and one of their State Representatives is Democrat Kathy Ryg. In addition to these state officials, Barack Obama and Dan Seals, the organization supports the Democratic County Recorder, Mary Ellen Vanderventer and candidates Peter Gutzmer, running for State Senate in the 27th District, Amanda Howland, running for State Representative in the 51st District, Carol Javens, running for State Representative in the 53rd District, Cynthia Pruim Haran, running for Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court and Michael Jacobs running for Lake County State's Attorney.
Steve got the event started with introductions and the usual plea for money and introductions of two Seals campaign volunteers Steve Walanka and Illinois Victory's Brendan O'Sullivan. The two reported on the recent DCCC poll showing Seals within striking distance of long time incumbent Mark Kirk, welcome news to the crowd after Kirk's office released a poll purporting to show that there was a vast desert between the two.
I guess, I'll have to qualify that last statement as the poll was probably not welcome news to one attendee of the event, a young college student who described himself as dragged there by his mother and a "conservative". I asked his mother what brought her out to the debate watching party and she described a previous sense of isolation and wish to meet people.
The room went quiet as the debate started. We watched on MSNBC. The first question, on the $700 billion economic bailout, was met with laughter from the group. Debate moderator, Jim Lehrer valiantly attempted to get the two candidates to describe what program cuts they would have to make because of the bailout and neither candidate would give a straight answer. The two women sitting next to me giggled and it spread around the room as each candidate changed the subject, answered around the question and Lehrer tried to bring them back.
As the debate went on, heads were shaking and irritated reactions to perceived McCain falsehoods were met with "shhhh, be quiet." This was a serious debate-watching group. Only a couple of people stirred from their seats. The silence was occasionally replaced with more laughter and I later asked the viewers why they were laughing. One young man answered that he found McCain's facial expressions funny. "He keeps contorting his face." Some of the laughter was simply explained as nervous laughter. One couple was genuinely nervous for the Illinois favorite son, not questioning his ability to answer the questions or engage in debate, but for the lies they expected McCain to tell and the reaction that would be had by viewers who do not know Barack like we do in Illinois.
Steve led a discussion after the debate. The reaction was mixed. One man stood up and said he felt McCain won because he was able to repeat his line that Obama just doesn't get it. Another young man felt that Obama won because, like John F. Kennedy in his first televised debate against Richard Nixon, Obama spoke directly to the American people while McCain spoke to the moderator Mr. Lehrer. Many were frustrated that Obama did not answer many of the falsehoods and credited McCain for being against prisoner of war torture when his voting record against the waterboarding ban did not live up to the claim. Most believed that it was a tie, with Obama taking the first portion more geared to the economy and McCain won the latter portion strictly on foreign policy.
As people broke up to leave, a volunteer took the microphone. It was our local Democracy for America leader, Matt Lowry. Matt was struck that people seemed to be losing their enthusiasm because of the perceived debate loss, or at best, tie, and wanted to make the point that we cannot leave this debate feeling bad or questioning our candidate's strength. We have a lot more doors on which to knock and phones to ring and we have to understand that Obama is not behind. He's actually ahead in the latest polls. Lowry also pointed out that several powerful conservatives are asking Sarah Palin to drop out of the race. This is not the time to let each little McCain comment or lie affect our enthusiasm or confidence in our ticket, Lowry reminded the crowd.
Later, I heard on television, from my mom, and even from the customers of the neighborhood hair salon as I sat waiting for my haircut, that contrary to the general feeling at the event I attended the night before, most people thought Obama had won the debate. The group at the debate watching party had heavily concentrated on every McCain snipe against Obama and every McCain lie that went unchallenged. However, most people noticed something that the party group had not, that McCain never once looked Obama in the eye. Most felt it made him look petty and small and neutralized his attacks against Obama. I think the contrast between the Obama enthusiastic country and the general lack of enthusiasm at the end of the party last night can be explained by one thing: Democrats in Lake County, Illinois only recently got the bags off their heads.