Barack and Kumar

The scene at Obama's kick-off kegger.

by E. James Beale

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Published: Mar 5, 2008

Primary Camp ... PARTY!

"Enthusiastic predatory guys and sluttily dressed college girls for Barack?" A young man in a sport jacket, clutching a drink and leaning forward at a bar table, tries to name the organization he sees forming before him. This, the unofficial kick-off of Barack Obama's Philly campaign, is being held at XIX, a venue on the 19th floor of the Bellevue at Broad and Walnut. The featured speaker is not the candidate, but Penn Professor Kalpen Modi, better known as Kal Penn (yes, Kumar teaches at an Ivy), and though publicity materials called this gathering a "rally," the scene inside could take place at any of the swanky bars in the neighborhood. Held last Thursday night, the event was less of a destination and more of a stop on a night of partying: We'll get a few drinks here, stop by the Obama rally and then check out the bars along Chestnut if that's not any good.

It's not known yet that Pennsylvania will become a feature battleground of the Democratic primary, but it might not have changed anything — the twentysomethings and students here are just enjoying the DJs, who blast Kanye and Mos Def from behind a booth fronted by low-res black-and-white Obama posters. Were the senator not so recognizable, one could easily confuse the art with that of some hip new band.

 

What this evening is about, clearly, is creating a sense of momentum. Around the country, Obama events have attracted startling crowds, in terms of both numbers and excitement. The campaign doesn't want Pennsylvania to be any different. Tonight, the staff's official uniform is a red T-shirt, made to look like a retro Phillies jersey, with "Obama" printed where the team name should go.

Kal Penn takes the stage at about 10 p.m., looking how you think he should: the same way he does in House or The Namesake. He focuses on galvanizing the crowd, talking about what the attendees can do for Obama, rather than what Obama can do for them. He also explains that he got involved in the campaign because he liked Obama's message of unification. (To dampen his earnestness, he adds, "There was a writer's strike, so I didn't have a job.")

A few minutes before this, Penn had been asked whether he could take any credit for the turnout — whether his celebrity had helped pack the place. He said he'd been giving talks on Obama's behalf at colleges around the country, and that "every single question we've had at every single school has been policy-related" — that is, not about Penn's acting career.

"You may on occasion have the two-part question, like, 1.) When is House back on the air? and, 2.) How is the Senator going to implement his environmental plan when blah, blah, blah. ... Without a doubt, this is all about Barack."

Tonight, however, one also gets the sense that the campaign has become about itself. Obama isn't just someone to support, he's an event — a part of the night in the same way the girls and the booze are. As Penn leaves the stage, the enthusiastic guys and dressed-up girls laugh, cheer and promise to register their friends to vote. Then they quickly refocus on their beers, the relative merits of House vs. Harold and Kumar and, of course, each other.

(e.james.beale@citypaper.net)

 

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