On an evening of breathtaking irony when the Culver City Democratic Club rejected 30-year Democrat Scott Wyant so members could embrace 30-day Democrat Daniel Lee, the club almost rewrote numerical history.
A tidal wave of political love and marriage roared through rain-starved Culver City in mid-evening.
Rejecting serenity for fire as emotions raged with positivity, excited Democrats nearly committed a statistical impossibility.
On an undeterrable endorsement mission for the April 12 City Council election, the venerable Democratic Club surely set a hometown record for heartfelt unity.
It felt as if someone – anyone – was going to propose before the night expired.
Not only did the Democrats endorse rookie candidates Thomas Small and Mr. Lee, along with incumbent Meghan Sahli Wells on the first and only ballot, they almost compiled more votes than there were member-Dems in the overflowing Rotunda Room at the Vets Auditorium.
There were more storylines than warm bods in the room.
After longtime club secretary Eric Fein and pals completed a remarkable count, the Democratic Club set a record that is a cinch to survive into the 24th century.
Diversity went out for coffee and last was seen speeding away on a skateboard.
With 60 Dems casting ballots, the score was:
Mr. Small, 56.
Ms. Sahli Wells, 55.
Mr. Lee, 53.
Mr. Wyant, 8.
Mr. Wyant’s monosyllabic response: “Eight?”
Many in the Rotunda Room remembered how the club staggered into an almost-planned public relations disaster last September. The club was embarrassed community-wide when it clumsily mangled the uncomplicated task of choosing two candidates to endorse fir the School Board out of a three-Democrat field.
It paralleled screwing up a one-car parade. Amidst accusations of rigging, the club stumbled into one endorsement.
At the beginning of last evening, constantly thinking corresponding secretary Stephen Murray suggested a bylaws change to allow for three ballots instead of the present two. The response of outraged club members threatened – rhetorically speaking – to burn down the building.
Needless to note, not only was Mr. Murray’s notion stillborn, it almost was attacked and dismembered before leaving the womb. Mr. Murray was not believed to have been injured in the verbal melee.
As one 50 percent-wit caustically observed after Mr. Fein announced the final scores, “We almost did not need one ballot, let alone an extra one. Daniel, Thomas and Meghan could have been chosen and crowned by acclamation.”
