Nelson Appearance in Jacksonville
We attended an appearance by Senator Bill Nelson and his wife at the downtown studio of Jacksonville artist Jim Draper on Friday afternoon. We had a hell of a time finding the place as the announcement in Folio Weekly listed the wrong address. This was rectified with a phone call to the venue, and we arrived to find a packed studio of over 150 attendees.
Folio Weekly pretty much botched the whole raison d'etre of the affair: rather than a discussion of arts funding and public broadcasting—as it was announced—it was actually a food drive, and had we known this we certainly wouldn't have come empty-handed.
As it turned out, Senator Nelson spoke for only ten minutes or so before the "after-party" was to convene at a nearby restaurant. He talked about the importance of the arts in every civilization and how, as an astronaut who flew on a Space Shuttle mission in 1986, he in a way shares artists' different and unique perspectives of the world.
One interesting thing he did announce at the end was the impending decision to move the strike air wing from Virginia Beach to a recommisioned Cecil Field here in Jacksonville. Senator Nelson made it sound like a done deal, which is not what I'm hearing in the media. But then again, he's a whole lot closer to the whole decision-making process in Washington than most.
I noted the considerable applause from the liberal, tree-hugging, "terrorist-loving" crowd when the Senator made this proclamation. Take that, Anne Coulter.
A good crowd at the venue
The din of the crowd was accompanied by Flamenco-style guitar
Mel should have worn her Navy uniform! ;)
Artist Jim Draper introduces Senator Nelson
Senator Nelson speaks
Senator Nelson, on topic
Folio Weekly pretty much botched the whole raison d'etre of the affair: rather than a discussion of arts funding and public broadcasting—as it was announced—it was actually a food drive, and had we known this we certainly wouldn't have come empty-handed.
As it turned out, Senator Nelson spoke for only ten minutes or so before the "after-party" was to convene at a nearby restaurant. He talked about the importance of the arts in every civilization and how, as an astronaut who flew on a Space Shuttle mission in 1986, he in a way shares artists' different and unique perspectives of the world.
One interesting thing he did announce at the end was the impending decision to move the strike air wing from Virginia Beach to a recommisioned Cecil Field here in Jacksonville. Senator Nelson made it sound like a done deal, which is not what I'm hearing in the media. But then again, he's a whole lot closer to the whole decision-making process in Washington than most.
I noted the considerable applause from the liberal, tree-hugging, "terrorist-loving" crowd when the Senator made this proclamation. Take that, Anne Coulter.
A good crowd at the venueThe din of the crowd was accompanied by Flamenco-style guitarMel should have worn her Navy uniform! ;)Artist Jim Draper introduces Senator NelsonSenator Nelson speaksSenator Nelson, on topic
posted by The Squeaky Pig at 9:28 AM
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