According to Bob Brigham over at MyDD, 15 national and regional organizations are hosting an LGBT community election night party in Hollywood. Sounds like fun, right?
There's just one problem: Doors open TWO FULL HOURS before polls close.
The excerpted press release:
[SUBJECT LINE] National, Local Organizations Host Huge LGBT Election Night Party
Hundreds of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community members and their friends will gather in Hollywood on election night to watch election results and celebrate the historic campaign to defeat Proposition 8. The event, which will take place at the Music Box @ Fonda Theater, is sponsored by more than 15 national and regional organizations and figures to be the largest LGBT election night party in L.A. history.
Guests will enjoy a hosted bar and food, while watching the election results on a huge on-stage projection or on any of 8 giant, flat screen monitors throughout the theater and lounge.[...]
WHAT: LGBT Election Night Party with hosted bar and appetizers, 8 giant flat screen monitors to watch election returns, live updates from community and political leaders, live DJ.
WHEN: Tuesday, November 4
6 p.m. - Midnight
WHERE: The Music Box @ Fonda
6126 Hollywood Blvd.
While countless LGBT folks and allies pound the pavement to preserve their civil rights, fifteen--FIFTEEN!--organizations will be boozing it up.
Under any circumstances this would be, as Bob calls it, "GOTV malpractice." But--as Bob also points out--this is particularly dangerous this year, when we may well be headed toward a presidential landslide before polls even close on the West Coast.
Those last two hours will be critical, not just for Prop 8 but for a host of down-ticket races. These fifteen organizations should be ashamed of themselves, and will have no one but themselves to blame if we're all crying into our cosmos a few hours later.
But maybe they can salvage this colossal error in electoral judgment. Here's my modest proposal:
Recruit a gaggle of the most intimidating drag queens you can find. Put them at the door to the party with a stack of turf assignments. Anyone who dares to show up before 8 p.m. gets a clipboard and an earful of marching orders. Turn those girls on their heels and send them right back out into the streets to pull in every last fair-minded vote in the L.A. area. If they meet their quota, the first drink is on the bar.
Failing that, push back the curtain time. Otherwise, we should hold every one of these organizations responsible if Prop 8 passes.