On Sunday, John McCain announced, regarding the schedule for the Republican National Convention taking place in Minneapolis this week, "We're going to suspend most of our activities tomorrow, except for those absolutely necessary." The idea was to avoid giving the impression, if Hurricane Gustav hit the Louisiana coast hard in the meantime, that Republicans don't really give a damn about the welfare of the citizens of this country--particularly its poorest citizens--as the George W. Bush administration did in spades during Hurricane Katrina.
How did Glen LeMunyon, a lobbyist who used to be a top aide to family values Republican Tom Delay, respond to this statement? By throwing a party, of course, paid for by his clients the National Rifle Association, Lockheed Martin Corp., and the American Trucking Association. How did many of the delegates to the Republican convention respond? By attending, of course, hoping to get in one last bacchanal before the party's formal charade began the next day.
LeMunyon's party on Sunday was not the first Republican revelry of the weekend. The night before, according to an ABC News report, there was a grand fest featuring pink-colored boas and drinks. When an ABA reporter tried to quiz attendees about how they felt partying like this on the verge of a possible regional catastrophe, some hid their faces behind their boas. A Republican National Committeeman fled the cameras. Another partygoer said by way of explanation, "Everyone goes through hard times."
Unlike some other parties thrown in Minneapolis over the weekend--with lower attendance--neither the Saturday night party of pink nor LeMunyon's somewhat more business-like get-together Sunday night (Republican politicos and lobbyists were observed conspiring at some of the tables) were charity events. Oh, and what was the name of the band LeMunyon hired to rock the vote for McCain?
The name of the band provided by the American Trucking Association, Lockheed Martin, and the National Rifle Association for these daytime family values Republicans to cut loose at night was "Hookers and Blow."