August 5-11, 2004

political notebook

Recapping the Party's Parties

by Mary F. Patel

BOSTON — Just as the Democratic National Convention started wearing on last week, the party scene heated up. On Tuesday, actor Billy Baldwin stood in the foyer of the L.A. Sports Club, preoccupied with his long locks as reporters and guests filed in for The Creative Coalition's forum "The Dialogue: Art$, Education and the 21st Century Economy." Moderated by Andrew Cuomo, panelists included U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter (N.Y.), U.S. Rep. Harold Ford (Tenn.), Arianna Huffington, Alan Cumming, Bill O'Reilly, Dr. Gottfried Schlaug and Alfre Woodard.

The topic of discussion was how the federal No Child Left Behind Act is failing public-school children because the schools are not accountable if they don't provide the arts and music education they are supposed to. The panelists agreed that children who get arts and music education do better in all their subjects.

Then came the question of whether the federal government should pay for teaching those subjects. Because every debate needs someone guaranteed to disagree, O'Reilly faithfully fulfilled that role. He called on stars such as Tom Cruise to raise private money for arts and music education in public schools, a strategy that prompted actor Jason Bateman to shout "Why don't you do it?" from the back of the room.

"It's not my job," snapped O'Reilly.

After the discussion, Jerry Stiller and son Ben made themselves available, while others chatted up the overly blonde actress Ellen Burstyn, and Bianca Jagger roamed the room.

Later that afternoon, state delegates stopped by the Union Club for a reception hosted by Comcast. Mayor John Street made a brief appearance but didn't stay long. Neither did many of the delegates. You would think that with all the money Comcast stands to make from government largesse, it could spring for a little more than dried-out crudites and picked-over cheese.

At the Omni Parker, base of the Pennsylvania delegation, Johnson & Johnson hosted a post-convention reception for state delegates that was not as lavish as Barbara Hafer's the night before.

Planned Parenthood hosted a late-night party/mosh pit at Via Matta Restaurant. The VIP section was more fun because slasher-movie director Wes Craven was chatting with Peggy Kerry, sister of John, and actress Wendie Malick.

Three parties that no one could get into unless they were very rich or very important were the GQ Magazine party at the Federalist Restaurant featuring Al Gore's daughters and blast-from-the-past Gloria Steinem; the Black Eyed Peas concert at Avalon; and the Caribbean bash held by Louisiana's U.S. Sen. John Breaux at the New England Aquarium, with a performance by Ziggy Marley.

By Wednesday, many delegates were burning out, but those who didn't go shopping soldiered on. Gov. Ed Rendell and Pennsylvania State Committee Chair T.J. Rooney hosted a lunch at the bar Cheers. At the Boston Sheraton, Ben Affleck visited the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender caucus, where he joked about how he gets teased about Matt Damon being his boyfriend.

John Edwards made his adorable little speech that night by promising everyone that "hope is on the way," but Democratic strategists suspect that Edwards, a trial lawyer, will soon go on the attack against the Bush administration. Edwards didn't make millions of dollars because he looks good.

The late-night party at Louis Boston featuring The Red Hot Chili Peppers, also sponsored by the Creative Coalition, was sold out months ago, but they apparently forgot to tell everyone.

When Thursday rolled around, there was renewed energy among delegates, as it was the last day of the convention. At the Boston Marriott, Janet Reno held court in the hallway while Jesse Jackson addressed the Rainbow Coalition. Meanwhile, Robert Kennedy Jr. spoke about the environment in the next room.

Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll hosted a high tea at the Ritz-Carlton for select women and a few men, including Rendell and her son Albert Knoll, whose employer, Sunoco, paid for the whole shebang. The Veuve-Clicquot was flowing, along with tea, of course, with entertainment by the Whiffenpoofs, Yale's oldest a cappella ensemble.

Most headed out to the Fleet Center early since rumor was that the doors to the hall would close early. After Vanessa and Alexandra Kerry, the candidate's daughters from his first marriage, reminisced about their childhood with their daddy, a video produced by Steven Spielberg and narrated by Morgan Freeman was shown about Kerry's life, with major emphasis on his war days. After John Kerry's speech, this time with a "help is on the way" theme, Democrats brought the convention to a rousing close.

After the 30-minute balloon drop, Kerry and Edwards headed off to the University of Massachusetts for a James Taylor/Boston Pops concert, while a select group got invitations to Avalon for Patrick Kennedy's party featuring a performance by comedian/author/radio host Al Franken and music by Cracker.