Yesterday I attended a "house party" at Mimi Kennedy's in the San Fernando Valley in Greater Los Angeles not to far from where I live. I've been to her house before, she is a progressive activist and she organizes get togethers for activists on many issues.
I got an invitation for the house party 11 days ago. Minimum suggested donation $250, coffee and bagels (starting at 9AM). Address provided with RSVP. So I RSVPd and told them I would only donate $100 (all I could afford and not my only recent donation to Bernie) so they sent me an email confirmation with the address (which I knew). I also got a confirmation by mail and by phone from someone officially on Bernie's budding organization and also a call from another friend who was also going. I sent the invitation to other Kossacks who requested it. We do what we can.
I honestly expected 30-50 people. I had met Bernie again the night before when he paid a surprise visit to Canter's after the Bill Maher show and I was pumped.
When I got there it became clear that the attendance was way over anyone's expectations. According to the registration table people it was well over 300 which matched my own count. Instead of an indoor house party in a hot day (over 90) it became a front yard party (forget the bagels and coffee).
While we waited for Bernie, Mimi and Tom Hayden spoke. Good to see this old time activist supporting Bernie. I had dinner with him once after an event where Obama and Hillary Clinton spoke in 2008 during the California primary buildup. He supported Obama.
I recognized and said hi to about 10 other fellow Los Angeles progressive activists and friends involved in causes ranging from overturning Citizen's United, stopping global warming, single payer, etc.
Then Bernie showed up. The place went wild.