Iowa Republican mistakenly gives speech at Democratic convention

[WI_DEM]

By all accounts it was an honest mistake, political party convention attendees said.

Republican congressional candidate Dan Dolan of Muscatine arrived early at the Monroe County Courthouse for the Republican convention being held Saturday in Albia, Iowa.

Unfortunately, the county Democrats were holding their convention in the same building, and Dolan spoke to the wrong group of people.

“Nobody asked enough questions before he started speaking,” Monroe County Supervisor Denny Ryan said. “It finally got to the point in the speech where one of the people said, ‘Are you sure you’re at the right convention?’”

Dolan laughed Monday when he described the encounter.

“It was a crazy day,” Dolan said. “We had scheduled 10 speaking engagements through the district.”



Read more: http://www.qctimes.com/news/local/gop-candidate-gives-pitch-at-wrong-convention/article_17276782-6c97-11e1-8e2b-001871e3ce6c.html#ixzz1pC6yrZXO

[all american girl]

1. Hey, I'm from Muscatine

Some of us are a bit smarter than that

[zbdent]

2. sounds like he got a tepid response ... meaning ...

he wasn't run from the podium and tarred and feathered ... didn't say he got a loud chorus of boos, either ...

I wonder how the reaction would have been had the situations been reversed ... a Dem accidentally gives a speech at the Republican convention ...

[denverbill]

3. I really don't understand how this could happen. Who introduced him?

Do people just stand up and start giving speeches?

[WI_DEM]

4. Good question!

[Jim Lane]

7. I can see it happening.

Candidate arrives and says to someone, "Hi, I'm Dan Dolan, I'm one of the candidates for Congress, I was told that all the candidates are allowed to address the convention." "Oh, hi, glad to meet you. [Just because I'm some sort of party functionary doesn't mean I remember the names of all the Democratic candidates for all the different offices, so when you walk into the Democratic convention and say you're a Congressional candidate, I figure you're a Democratic Congressional candidate.] We're planning the Independence Day barbecue now, but if you'll just wait a couple minutes, we can put you on when this item is finished." A few minutes later: "Ladies and gentlemen, before we get to the financial report, we're going to hear from one of the candidates for our nomination for Congress, Don Dolan." "Uh, that's Dan Dolan." "Oh, sorry, Dan. Here's Dan Dolan."

The guy who introduced him was maybe some McDonald's manager who does volunteer work for the party. Totally realistic that this could happen.

[zbdent]

8. I can see it too ...

1. "Hi, I'm candidate X. I was told I could speak."

2. Had the candidate been recognized as an R, they could still think he might have something intelligent to say.

2a. Obviously, he didn't. Hence the "Are you sure you're at the right convention?"

[liberal N proud]

5. If the delegates don't know the candidate, how will the voters know?