Parma AFL-CIO Parade

Yesterday I marched in the AFL-CIO Parade in Parma for secretary of State Candidate Jennifer Brunner (D-Columbus), and also (as it turned out) for 8th District Court of Appeals candidate Melody J. Stewart (D-Euclid). I took only a few pictures and wasn't sure I was even going to post anything about it, but for what it's worth here's what I have.

While waiting for the other Brunner people I met Meredith and Nate, in a black pickup decorated for Rep. Stephanie Tubbs Jones (D-Cleveland), and Bob, in a silver and scarlet "Go, Buckeyes!" van done up for Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Cleveland). I also saw 18th Ohio House District candidate John M. Celebrezze (D-North Royalton), who introduced me to his wife. Congresswoman Tubbs Jones arrived in a very cool silver convertible; I said hello and shook her hand but I'm never sure if she remembers me from one such occasion to the next. When I finally connected to the Brunner contingent I met Richard Brunner, who would march in place of his wife. Brunner campaign coordinators Elaine Fortney and Ed Monroe were there, and I also saw some other acquaintances who work on campaigns, Ted Strickland regional campaign director Anne Hill and Sherrod Brown volunteer coordinator Laura Engelhart.

While we waited to march it looked like the weather would clear up, but at starting time it rained and never stopped the whole parade. We passed out Brunner literature, but it was all pretty damp. There were far fewer people along the street than you'd expect, although still enough to keep us busy waving, greeting, and handing out the flyers.


Here is the Brunner banner. The yellow VW Beetle was loaned to us by Celebrezze, who had two cars, so his sign is on top and the Brunner signs are around the sides. I stayed with the Brunner contingent until we approached what I thought was the end (although in fact it was just a turn in the parade route - oops), then dropped back to take some pictures and go back to my car to head off to the Blackwell rally.


Right behind us was the (other) Celebrezze car. The candidate is on the far side of the car in the hat, handing out balloons. (His campaign uses a blue and yellow color scheme in honor of his uncle, long-time Cleveland Mayor Tony Celebrezze, so the two cars, the candidate's shirt and hat, and the balloons and signs all fit into the scheme.) Notice the cute little dog in the car, distracting the Brunner marcher. That's Richard Brunner in the distance, working the crowd on the far sidewalk.


Parma is in the 18th Ohio House District, so State Rep. Tim DeGeeter (D-Parma) had a very big contingent, which included the Jeep and marchers who are having a hard time keeping up with the banner. It was wet, wet, wet out there, let me tell ya.


Here is the enormous banner for gubernatorial candidate Rep. Ted Strickland (D-Lisbon), who had at least 20 drenched marchers. There was an enormous gap between the Strickland group and whoever was ahead of them, because Ted was there working the crowd along the sidewalk, and he wasn't skipping anyone. I shook his hand, therefore missing the chance to take a picture.


The Strickland group also included this character playing a banjo, which was an excellent touch.

At this point it started raining much harder, so I didn't take any more pictures as I hustled back to the car. I noticed that Rep. Tubbs Jones was inside the convertible with the roof up, but most of the other candidates were out there getting wet. I greeted attorney general candidate State Sen. Marc Dann (D-Liberty Township), who had a big smile despite the rain, and 14th District State Rep. Mike Foley (D-Cleveland), a very nice guy. 16th Ohio House District candidate Jennifer Brady (D-Westlake) marched with at least ten supporters and was greeting parade watchers very enthusiastically despite the rain. (I tried to catch her eye but she was too intent on her greetings to see me as I passed.) Common Pleas judicial candidate Joan Synenberg (R-Cleveland) was accompanied by about a half dozen marchers and a car decked out in yellow, but her opponent Christine Russo (D) had at least two cars and a veritable army of marchers in red.

Before I got back to my car I encountered my friend Melody Stewart, handing out candy with one helper while her brother drove a silver SUV. She asked me to help out, so I donned "sandwich board" type signs over my Brunner tee shirt and passed out candy for a while with them. I have to say that her candy was popular -- it was those sugarmint things that melt in your mouth. A big hit with adults as well as kids. Somebody had pasted a little "Melody Stewart for Judge" label to the wrapper of every single piece; I'll bet that involved staying up all night. At a few minutes to 11:00 I made my excuses and rushed off to the Blackwell rally in Independence.