Party's Over

Where'd everybody go?

by Brian Howard

As with any big bash, we were initially a little apprehensive about the combination shit-show/clusterfuck that turned out to be the last six weeks of ClintObama insanity.

We knew there'd be tangled-up traffic and blocked-off streets. There'd be pushy volunteers harassing us to vote one way or another (though, to be honest, we got harassed more by one side). There'd be voter registration deadlines and cars with loudspeakers.

It was gonna be a hassle.

Then Obama made The Speech.

And the party was on.

The flash stump-mobs congealing around our very-well-guarded historical artifacts followed. As did the robot phone calls from Hillary and Bill, from Barack and Michelle (they sounded so real!). And the media full-court press — Chris Matthews and Rick "Taser Man" Sanchez and Anderson Cooper and Charlie Gibson and li'l Georgie Stephanopoulos. They were even sending in Colbert! And he was bringing beer.

It was going to be great!

And Philadelphia, like some teetotaller on its first binge, leapt into the beer line with both feet. Bob Casey and Patrick Murphy double-fisted. Ed Rendell and Michael Nutter did keg stands. This was no election. It was a full-on rager.

We were all kind of shameless. Even we here at City Paper who like to think ourselves above such things danced on the bar. Sure, we were able to curb our enthusiasm and endorse Obama only once, but we had our moments. In a ploy to get on television, we renamed a section of our paper for Stephen Colbert and not-so-subtly encouraged readers to stalk him. When we realized last week's cover story had some national interest, we milked that teat dry. (Thanks for the teat, Huffington Post!)

Then Tuesday came and went. And, pollsters, so maligned this election season, nailed it. Hillary by 10. Pennsylvania has voted and, to paraphrase our endorsement last week, it's voted for more of this goddamned primary. And where has our state's apparent fixation on an alleged misspeak by Obama — I'm talking about the guns/god comment which, taken (gasp!) in context, rings more true than not — gotten us?

Right here. Back at square one. Sort of.

It's maybe a little too obvious to equate this confetti-strewn aftermath to a hangover. But the keg's kicked and there are half-cups of stale beer everywhere. Those promises made as the hour got late may or may not withstand the light of morning.

But just because we suddenly don't mean as much as we did a few short days ago, doesn't mean all was for naught. Pennsylvania, it should be noted, was ready for its close-up. Nutter and Rendell had big cameos. And while all eyes were on us, hizzonor staged a massive clean-up and tweaked the pro-casino and Second Amendment crowds. We did things that felt big and important.

Now we get to watch enviously as other states get to play hot girl at their own parties. But we should remember the party we all put on over the last six weeks. And we shouldn't pretend like we need some big national audience to do more big, important things.

Substance

So we're guessing the Huffington Post won't re-print this week's cover story, but that's their loss. For this year's Style Issue, "Close Ups," our resident fashionista Monica Weymouth zoomed in on nine local trendsetters and then sicced photographer Michael T. Regan on them with a gadget they tell me is called a ring light. The profiles whet the appetite. And the photos (check citypaper.net/styleissue for color versions and outtakes) give you plenty to sink your culture-vulture talons into.

Goodbye

We were sad to learn that a member of the City Paper family passed away last weekend. Michele Greenberg, for years this paper's marketing and events manager, will be missed. Our condolences to her family and friends.

(bhoward@citypaper.net)