Bronx County Democratic Barbecue

   There was heavy rains in the AM and when the Bronx County Democratic Barbecue started at 12 PM yesterday storm clouds were still above. This kept many people away as the crowd was much smaller than usual, but the comradely of those who attended was still the same. As the barbecue continued there was no rain, and the photo ops and speeches were abundant. As the weather got better Bronx Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Carl Heastie seemed to be getting worse (as you will see in the last photo), saying that he caught something in Charlotte during the Democratic Convention recently. Second in command at county Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz then became the master of ceremonies as he took over for the ailing Heastie. 

   Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and Public Advocate Bill deBlasio were the only two mayoral candidates in 2013 to show, and Manhattan Democratic County Leader Assemblyman Keith Wright was the only other non Bronx elected official to also attend. The barbecue really seemed to come out of its coma when Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. showed up as the BP was the life of this party. When he took the microphone his now famous words "Is The Bronx in The House" came out first. 

    Now for some Barbecue talk. I asked mayoral candidate Scott Stringer if those rumors I heard about him running for Public Advocate instead of mayor were true. Stringer replied that rumor is "Definitely False", and that his campaign for mayor has only begun. He added that everyone will soon see that. To Manhattan Democratic County Leader Keith Wright I asked if he was going to run for the 13th Congressional District next year when Charlie Rangel retires, and his answer was "Who Knows". Deputy City Clerk Shirley Saunders told me that since the Marriage Equality law was passed over 10% of marriages in the Bronx are of same sex. 

    The only insurgent candidate to show up was 80th A.D. candidate Adam Bernudez at the end of the barbecue, as I was leaving. Adam sent an e-mail to me saying that he shook BP Diaz's hand, and the BP said "Good luck Adam'. He added the only person nasty to him, was a certain Executive Director (he did not name) who hates him and said "You can't give out your fliers here". He was just talking to his friend, Yves Filius, who lives in the 80th A.D. he wrote.

Left - Manning the grill as usual Election Law King Stanley Schlein is flanked by recent law graduate Rosanna Vargas and Darrell Walston. Right - Bronx Young Dems Daniel Johnson (in green), Michelle Avila, and President John Zacarro help out on the grill.

Left - Assemblyman Jeff Dinowitz 81st A.D.  Manhattan Borough President (mayoral candidate in 2013) Scott Stringer, 81st A.D. District Leader Bruce Feld, and County Leader Carl Heastie,

Right - Senator Ruth Hassel-Thompson, Civil Court Juge candidate Eddie McShan, BP Diaz, Deputy City Clerk Shirley Saunders holding granddaughter Madison, Assemblymen Dinowitz and Crespo, State Senator Serrano with son, and Councilman Fernando Cabrera (far right).

Left - Just about every Bx. County endorsed candidate or incumbent along with Public Advocate Bill deBlasio.

Right - State Senator Gustavo Rivera at the microphone. Assemblywoman Vanessa Gibson with cast on leg after falling at the Democratic convention in Charlotte, and Bx. County Democratic County Leader Carl Heastie sitting in chair. No Heastie is not suffering through another long speech, but is really sick as he also has a remembrance of the convention in Charlotte.