Rain doesn't dampen turnout for Bill Clinton
Former President Bill Clinton appears at a Sunday rally for U.S. Congressman Mike Thompson at the Uptown Theater in Napa.
Beth Schlanker / The Press DemocratPublished: Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 2:22 p.m.
Last Modified: Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 2:22 p.m.
With midterm elections only weeks away and Democrats concerned that they could lose control over Congress, former President Bill Clinton visited Napa on Sunday and urged Democratic supporters to rally their friends to vote.
Hundreds of hopeful fans waited for hours in the rain for the chance to hear Clinton speak at the historic Uptown Theater. Just minutes after its doors opened, the venue was packed with 850 people.
“It may be raining outside, but the sun's shining in here,” Clinton said as the
Clinton's campaign stop in Napa was his 83rd this season, he said, in an election where anger against incumbents is motivating Republicans and tea party supporters.
Like a pastor before a devoted congregation, Clinton captivated the crowd inside the theater for nearly an hour, and challenged the idea that there was an “enthusiasm gap” between energized Republicans and apathetic Democrats.
He urged the listeners to look beyond politics and poll numbers and to think about the actual policies that could change if Democrats lose control of the House and Senate, citing health care reform and student loans as examples.
“You have two weeks and a couple of days,” Clinton said. “You should promise yourself when you walk out of here today that you will not let another day go by between now and Election Day without at least talking to a few people, as many as you can, about what the real choice is here.”
Democratic Congressman Mike Thompson, who hosted the event and is running for re-election against Republican Loren Hanks, Libertarian Mike Rodrigues and Green Party cdidate Carol Wolman, also addressed the crowd.
“This is the most critical election, I think, of my life,” Thompson said. “We've got to get out and vote to keep our country moving ahead.”
Thompson, who is confident that he will retain his seat in the heavily Democratic 1st Congressional District, told the crowd he would be campaigning in the 11th Congressional District to help Rep. Jerry McNerny, who is running in a tight race against Republican challenger David Harmer. Thompson invited members of the crowd to join him.
Just before the public rally, Thompson and Clinton held a small fundraiser, posing for photos with donors. Asked how much money was raised, Thompson said he did not know, but he said the proceeds would help defray the costs of the event.
Thompson also said he was donating money to candidates in more competitive districts.
“The fear is that the Democrats will not show up on election day, and this pretty much shows otherwise,” said Keary Sorenson, 55, of Sebastopol. “We stood here in the rain the whole time and it was worth it. The issues that face us at this time are so important that we can't just sit idly by.”
Clinton is making several stops throughout California, and was scheduled to speak in San Jose later on Sunday.
“It's just amazing to see a former president so close to home,” said Susie Dranit, 51, a teacher at Santa Rosa High School who left her Petaluma home at 6 a.m. Sunday morning, and was the third in line to get into the venue. “I wish I had brought my daughter as well, that's my only regret.”
Joanne Gifford, president of the Democrats of Napa Valley, said at least 200 people were waiting outside the venue by 9 a.m. Sunday morning, despite the damp weather. She said the rain may have kept some people home, and she said it may have deterred tea partiers from coming.
“I am hoping we have a little less angry, hostile people,” Gifford said, wiping her rain-soaked glasses as she stopped by the Democratic headquarters to coordinate volunteers. “I think the rain may have dampened their enthusiasm.”
But on the slick streets outside the theater, a small but vocal crowd cheered as a bus emblazoned with “Tea Party Express” drove past the venue, its driver honking at a devoted cluster of tea party supporters. Many waved signs for Republican Loren Hanks, who is running against Thompson for his seat in Congress.
“We're here because of the general feeling that government's gotten too big, and is not responsive, specifically Mike Thompson,” said Malcolm Powell, 79, a retired physician who lives in Calistoga. “He will not interact with the tea party group.”
Powell said there are hundreds of people affiliated with the tea party in Napa County. He wore a T-shirt that read “Join the Tea Party” under his rain-soaked khaki windbreaker.
Despite the political differences on display in the heavily Democratic district, parties from both sides remained civil.
“They're just not that practical,” said Joanie Seidel, 58, a psychotherapist from Napa who waited in line to see Clinton and Thompson. “If you accept unemployment, social security, or Medicare, you are part of government.”
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