It’s been a politics packed week with the first ever City Council district primary and the first presidential debates of the 2016 election. The fun continues Saturday with the first presidential candidate appearance on Capitol Hill.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders will hold a fundraiser meet-and-greet Saturday inside the Comet Tavern before a rally at the UW’s Hec Edmundson Pavilion. He’s also attending a rally at Westlake Park. You’ll have to pony up at least $200 for the Comet event — a steep cover for the revamped Pike/Pine dive bar, but a steal for a small presidential fundraiser.
Comet owner Dave Meinert recently took to Facebook to plug the event: “This event will be one of the few times in our lives we get to be up close and present with a presidential candidate. It’s a great time to give money, and to listen to and meet U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders.”
The longtime independent senator with socialist leanings should find a warm reception in District 3, where socialist City Council member Kshama Sawant emerged as the clear frontrunner in Tuesday’s primary. Sawant, who will be attending the Sanders rallies, urged her supporters to back Sanders during her victory speech.
Meinert told CHS the arrangements for the Sanders fundraiser were hatched through intermediaries when Sanders’ campaign staff went looking for an event space. The Comet has become something of a political hangout recently, as City Council candidates, consultants, and even Mayor Ed Murray gathered for post-election drinks on primary night.
But it’s not totally without precedent. The Stranger dug up this news item about a mock debate that President Jimmy Carter’s son participated in during his father’s presidential campaign in 1976.
The Seattle stop for Sanders is part of a West Coast tour that also includes rallies in Portland and Los Angeles. The minimum contribution for the Comet event is $200. Here are the event details:
Saturday, August 8 at 5 p.m. (doors at 4pm)
Seattle Meet and Greet Fundraising Reception
The Comet Tavern
922 E. Pike Street
Seattle, WA
Host: $1000
Sponsor: $500
Supporter: $200
It’s the first presidential campaign trial stop on Capitol Hill in 2015, and it may be the last. So if you go, take plenty of pictures (and share them with us!).
Has this,been sold out yet?
The sign on the Comet is extra ironic considering that Dave Meinert is one of the biggest bigots in town.
What do you base that on?
His constant bullying and belittling behavior aimed at those with who he disagree,s along with his letter to the mayor and city council complaining of the “Safety issue” caused by African Americans in Capitol Hill.
Expressing a strong opinion on certain issues is not necessarily bigotry. And as I remember Mr. Meinert’s letter had to do with the street assaults committed by East African youth, and that in fact was a legitimate safety issue at the time.
The Somali reference may have been politically incorrect, but as I recall, it was echoed by many merchants on the hill, as well as by people commenting here.
John Francis – you need to get your facts straight. Meinert wasn’t the person who wrote that letter asking for help from the SPD to deal with increasing assaults by an East African gang in the neighborhood. He did organize neighbors to ask for more police presence in the neighborhood.
Here’s CHS writing about the letter Meinert sent:
http://www.capitolhillseattle.com/2015/03/pikepine-businesses-call-for-more-officers-on-foot-and-bikes-now-to-head-off-summer-crime-woes/
But, violent assaults by East African gang members on Capitol Hill has been a well documented problem. Are you disagreeing?
Did this event even go on? He might not have the stomach for more harassment today.