(Concord, CA)
It's gray and chilly outside, dark and gloomy! No its not the weather forecast, its the Presidential campaign!
There's nothing better for dull politics, than political comedy. Nowhere was that more true than today at the Hilton Hotel in Concord, CA. Its the annual Contra Costa USA event, sponsored by the Contra Costa Council, the county's leading civic and business association.
Contra Costa County is a community of one-million people on the east side of San Francisco Bay, and is just north of Alameda County, the home of Oakland.
Opening today's festivities was well known political comedian Will Durst, who I have known casually for 30 years. Will and I both grew up in Milwaukee, and once even performed "stand-up comedy" together at the infamous but now closed "Jacks or Better" nightclub in the western suburb of Wauwatosa, back in 1978. Will moved to San Francisco and a very successful comedy career. I wound up here, as a successful TV reporter and anchorman at KTVU. Small world!
Will is the nation's best political comedian, and today he skewered everyone:
Bill Clinton: "When he said: 'I never had sexual relations with that woman. He was actually pointing at Helen Thomas.' (The famed UPI reporter who covered that last 10 presidents). The crowd roared with laughter!
Durst cited some hilarious (and real) quotes from current President George W. Bush: "Border relations between Mexico and Canada have never been better!" Bush once said.
In a speech on the economy Bush once said: "The French don't have a word for entrepreneur." As Will Durst noted, "You can't make this stuff up!"
He also poked fun at Bush's immigration policy: "How are you going to build a 750 mile fence along the Mexican border, without Mexican labor? What are you gonna use, housewives from La Jolla?" (the wealthy San Diego suburb)
He gave equal time to beating up Democrats, noting that Hillary Clinton once said of President Bush after they met: "I find it inconceivable that a sitting president of the United States would lie to me." The irony, given the impeachment, was hilarious! The crowd loved it.
And he found it silly we've picked succeeding Presidents with the nicknames "W and Bubba." Durst pondered, "Why do we keep picking the Dukes of Hazard to run the country? Who's next? Cooter?" Or is that Hillary Clinton's nickname, he wondered.
Tonight Tony Snow, the former White House Press Secretary, will be the keynote speaker at Contra Costa USA. I will be here to introduce him and to cover the event!
On Sunday I begin my reports from Florida on the GOP Primary there, which is Tuesday. Please stop by to visit and tell your friends about www.markcurtismedia.blogspot.com.
To Durst, the biggest punch line to Campaign 2008, is this: "The scary part is one of these guys is gonna win!"
1 comment:
Jacks or Better was an incubator for such great talent! I remember you both well. AND the peanuts on the floor.
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