The Independent Neighborhood Democrats meeting is still going on with both CD-11 and CD-10 endorsements going to second ballots. Joy and I had to leave because our baby's bedtime had passed 90 minutes ago. We just put him in bed. I am waiting for him to settle down before I go to bed tonight. So I write this while listening to my distant cousin, Henry Rollins, talk about Impeaching Bush on the International Film Channel.

(ADDED IN THE LIGHT OF MORNING: As I wrote this last night the calls and emails came in to me reporting the results...hence the disjointed post.)

This IND meeting was less contentious than the last one by far. A few references went around to the clubs problems and blog attacks and the like. Buddy Scotto actually said a warm hello to my wife and I. Not an apology but better than I expected.

The only CD-10 candidate to show was Charles Barron. I know...I know. People hate him. But shit, man, he can give a great speech! He rocked as far as I am concerned, nailing the Republicans precisely. I mean he was great. I was fantasizing him in Congress yelling down Joe Barton or Mike Oxley or Roy Blunt. Towns didn't show, either thinking having his staff member as president of the club would carry him or knowing that the club wouldn't endorse him. Karen Johnson was perfectly honorable on this, stepping aside completely and treating Towns like any other no show. Roger Green was a no show as well.

The CD-10 race went into a second ballot...and even a THIRD ballot. The splits were very interesting each time, but in the end, the club voted for no endorsement in the CD-10 race.

UPDATE: I can now say (since several people are now talking about it anyway) that the near upset at IND last night was that Charles Barron came close to getting the endorsement. In the end, on a third ballot, it went no endorsement. But for just one moment IND almost endorsed Barron. Yeah...his speech was THAT good.

Nydia Velasquez, running unopposed, was solidly endorsed. I think it was about 80+ votes for endorsing her and 3 for no endorsement. Everyone likes Nydia.

Ah...yes. The CD-11.

But first the high points of the evening: Charles Barron describing what went on off camera in his Hannity interview. Sean Patrick Maloney's excellent speech and discussion with the club. I really liked him and he really sounds like a good viable candidate. An underdog of course, and I am not positive who I am supporting, but he was excellent tonight. Alan Fleishman, our district leader, holding the broken door of the bathroom closed for a former City Councilman. Several of the disenfranchised members of IND placing tape over their mouths during the voting procedures as a protest. All basically made for an exciting evening.

CD-11...

went to a second ballot with Yassky leading but not guaranteed. In the second ballot Yassky picked up the clubs endorsement just like most people expected. I think he had a slighly harder time than anyone expected, but in the end he got it. It was a hard fought battle. Anywhere else in the nation I would be pleased to have Yassky, Owens or Clarke as my Congressional Rep. I just wish no endorsement had come through (it was a possibility!) because that would have helped healed the deep split in the club. But in the end the club did exactly what I would have predicted: endorsement of Velasquez, endorsement of Yassky and no endorsement for CD-10. An exciting night with completely unexciting results.

And now, my baby is still and it is time for bed.

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