Last Saturday night we went to a beef and beer fund raiser at Cannstatters German Club to help raise money to start a school in the NE dedicated to teaching kids with autism.

As I sat there I looked over the crowd to just get a feel for the room .
It is a kind of carry over from a job I had . I look for anything odd or anyone that looks like they may be a problem.

It looked like everyone was there fro the same reason and that was to have a good time , have a few beers and some good food , dance and bond with thier friends and most of all help out a noble cause.

Then I saw him , the snake . There was one guy there that did not fit in . He was dressed like a used car salesmen , he was short , fat with white hair. He sort of looke like a small Ted Kennedy struting around.

I watched him as he milled around the room walking back and forth looking over the room like a shark moving through a school of fish.
He did not seem to be with anyone .
As I watched him I noticed he did have a partner . There was a younger fellow with a gray windbraker that just stood by the door or bar and from time to time the " car salesmen would come up to him and they spoke a bit then the fat guy would start milling again.

Later in the night the fat guy got up on the stage and made a pitch about the school , and himself.
It turns out he is a politician . I asked around if anyone knew him and no one did .
I thought here we are about 600 people all out to help others and out of the 600 there is only one person here trying to help himself....

After his pitch he went and sat uninvited at a table of 5 women that seemed like they did not want to talk to him then he left.
I found out that his name is ....Reynolds Baldwin...the only person there to help himself......

Apparently you were sitting next to the Democrat Committee Person who rudely and without any class was heckling Reynolds Baldwin why he was talking. Perhaps if you listened to what he said - you would know he was there for the children.

And about being fat - he can always lose weight - that is a curable condition.

Actualy I did not hear any one heckling him , in fact not many were paying much attention at all to him.
As far as the FAT thing goes , he should work on it.
Funny that you did not defend or try to dispell the fact that he was milling about like a shark . He tried to get in conversations with a few people but it did not seem to work.
One of the woman at the table he parked at said he tried to get chummy with them telling them that he was a minister or a decon or something like that . She said he made a few rude remarks and she got up and walked away , then he left the building.
I am not with any political group and I had no idea who he was .
I spotted him because I used to be a weasel hunter.

In what capacity was he there for the children? If he was there in his capacity as a citizen/ticket-buyer and minister, then why did he get up and speak? Did he offer the blessing? Sounds like you went for the children. Did you get the microphone?

If he was there as a candidate, or introduced himself as a candidate, this was really not the proper forum. Walking around and saying "hi" to folks -- fine I suppose. Maybe even productive, allowing them a better chance to know him if they want. (Though someone should have mentioned that when they were selling tickets.) I don't think working a crowd is his forte.

Getting the mic? Tacky. D or R. Heckling is tacky, too -- but nobody likes being blindsided by politics when they are attending a non-partisan event. This was not labeled as a Republican Rally. It was a beef and beer for another cause entirely. People paid money to be there and were thus a captive audience. I would be of the EXACT same opinion if a democrat dared to get up and campaign at such an event. Bad form.

I wouldn't necessarily use the "snake in the grass" analogy, but I'm inclined to say this was just not a great judgment call on the part of the event organizers or Baldwin.

That said, what did Reynolds have to say?

This is most interesting! For I too attended an event for autistic kids at Cannstatters this past week but the one I attended was on FRIDAY. I'm sorry to have missed the SATURDAY event. The one on FRIDAY was a lovely gathering marred only by a couple of drunken, loud mouthed troglodytes who were clearly unaccustomed to being in polite society. It was when the host introduced Baldwin, who was to invited to speak, the boorish beer soaked slugs could no longer contain themselves and began shouting and heckling. A gentleman at my table commented: They're McGeehan people, it's to be expected." From my seat, those in attendance received Baldwin with enthusiastic applause and actual cheering.
One thing I did note was that here was another community event from which McGeehan was absent. Maybe he was at the gym working out with the guys or maybe Mike only attends events where he gets to wear a sash.
It could be that Mike was at the SATURDAY event the poster attended or, perhaps the poster had a bit more than a "few" beers and was unable to recall when the event actually occurred.

So, you knew in advance Baldwin would be there and be a speaker? It said so on your tickets? The OP gave the impression he was surprised. I'll assume he misspoke about Friday/Saturday.

What is "The OP"?

Original Poster.

So then, am I'm to assume that in as the "OP" appears to chronologically challenged, troyev has been retained by said challenged "OP" to cross examine me?

Huh???

Relax. I don't know the original poster. I don't especially like the term "snake in the grass." I asked (PMB1188-- who was also there) before you ever posted on this thread whether or not Baldwin was expected to speak -- like did people know in advance to expect campaigning at this event? Just curious.

Even if the incumbent was there and said a few words, I would expect him to leave the election out of his comments because people paid their money to support a cause -- not a candidate for office. But his capacity at said event would be understood, as he (perhaps badly) represents the 173rd.

It was my understanding this event was not billed as a political event. I would think if McGeehan was there and used his office to promote his candidacy for reelection, you would have taken issue with that, no? I'm kinda surprised he wasn't there to try to take credit for it...

I think it is bad form for any politician running for office to take over a nonpartisan event -- even for a few minutes. Since you were there and I wasn't, I was just asking if you knew in advance that Baldwin was to speak, because if the tickets said so, then the original poster -- dogghost -- is being disingenuous, or doesn't read.

A friend was involved with a similar event in Aston. A beef and beer billed as a community fundraiser to pay for community events. It was specifically sold as being nonpartisan, or at least bipartisan. Yet, Curt Weldon (I guess his people, actually) turned it into a campaign opportunity complete with buttons, shirts, hats and a speech. The dems -- who helped organize the event -- were duped. That's wrong, and it's wrong no matter who is being deceptive. It did nothing to build bridges in the community, but it sure tore some down.

I'm just participating in the conversation, I am not cross-examining. As to dogghost being chronologically challenged, I was merely offering up the benefit of a doubt, because I type mistakes sometimes, too.