Convention day two: Putting together a fundraiser on short notice

Christian Schneider
Commentary

The Wisconsin delegates to the GOP national convention are in for a big morning today, as Karl Rove has been scheduled to address the group during breakfast at 8 a.m. The state Republican Party initially had booked Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour, but Barbour had to back out to attend to Hurricane Gustav-related affairs in his home state. As late as 3 p.m. Monday afternoon, Wisconsin state GOP leaders were still scrambling to find a speaker, and getting Rove at such a late hour appears to be somewhat of a coup.

Many of the Wisconsin delegates spent Monday night at a fundraiser for Hurricane Gustav victims held at The Shout House, a bar right around the corner from the hotel that features dueling pianos. Initially, no event had been planned for Monday night, but on Sunday national leaders allowed state delegations to put together small gatherings if they raised money for the hurricane victims. Wisconsin GOP Chairman Reince Priebus had been to the bar that night and decided on the spot to have the fundraiser there. At about 11 p.m. Sunday, he began making calls to get the event set up and within hours the whole shindig had been planned.

To get a taste of The Shout House, check out this YouTube video.

Attendees included Wisconsin Attorney General J.B, Van Hollen, Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, and state Reps. Kitty Rhoades, Don Pridemore, Scott Newcomer and Robin Vos. Also in attendance was former Wisconsin Treasurer Jack Voight, who some delegates told me is floating his name as a possible lieutenant governor candidate in 2010.

While no final fundraising total is available, GOP staff had told me about an hour into the event that they had raised over $2,000 for the hurricane victims.

-- Christian Schneider is a senior fellow at the Wisconsin Policy Research Institute. He can be reached at: christian@wpri.org