I had the opportunity to go to a luncheon today where Senator Barbara Boxer (D - California) was speaking. The luncheon was held at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles and hosted by a great organization called Town Hall Los Angeles (if you are in Los Angeles, you should join! It's one of the original, and last, speakers organizations left. This year is it's 70 year anniversary!!!).

Regarding the event and Senator Boxer speaking, well.... I have seen a lot of political speeches in my life. Hell, I've seen a lot of speeches in my life :-), and this wasn't a great one. I went to this event because I thought it might be interesting. Senator Boxer wouldn't give a speaking topic prior to, so my thinking was that it was just going to be "yet another" speech, or since she wouldn't "telegraph her punches" by saying what the topic was, it could have been something really interesting. Maybe a new initiative, a new bill; something exciting.

Well, I'm sorry to say that it wasn't anything interesting. Senator Boxer talked for about a half an hour and then took questions. Her speech was canned and said nothing even remotely interesting. While she is a good speaker, it wasn't anything special. Even in the Q&A portion of the event (one of the things that Town Hall Los Angeles is somewhat famous for is an open mic after for a quick Q&A... and any question goes and nothing is scripted and there are no "plants" in the audience (I remember a Saudi official (foreign minister if i remember correctly) being grilled about Wahhabi Islamic teachings and terrorism, and no one from Town Hall Los Angeles reacted or asked him to leave etc. (which happens in Congress (e.g. Cindy Sheehan))), she said nothing interesting and danced/spun the answers. You know how professional speakers do it, they answer the question without answering the question. Well, that's what we got!

Oh, but don't fret... We also got a lunch for our money :-)! Your standard cold chicken salad plate (a chilled, sliced chicken breast on a plate with a kind of caesar salad). the best part of the luncheon was that when I pulled up the valet asked me (in my new car of course) if I wanted him to leave it up front so it would be easy to leave (I wouldn't have to wait for my car to be gotten from the garage, etc. and avoid the rush). So of course I said yes, tipped the guy extra and when it came time to leave, it was right there. I got out of the lot before most had even dealt with the parking cashier. First time my car has been the one left in front, and I liked it! The best part of the event for me....