Terry McAuliffe has dedicated half his life to the Democratic Party. He just turned 50, yet he’s spent the past quarter-century organizing fund-raisers, offering tips to presidential hopefuls, and heading the Democratic National Committee. In What a Party! My Life Among Democrats: Presidents, Candidates, Donors, Activists, Alligators, and Other Wild Animals, McAuliffe relates stories starring politicos from Jimmy Carter to Dubya. “A lot of people come and go,” he says. “I’ve stayed consistent.”
McAuliffe says his biggest regret was the Democrats’ loss in the 2000 election. “I was very frustrated,” he says. “I didn’t want to go through this anymore without understanding the mistakes that were made.” If the Democrats are to win next year’s election, he says, they need to prepare for battle now. “You’ve got to punch back harder,” he says. McAuliffe admits that his lifelong love of politics hasn’t left much room for anything else — like brushing up on pop culture. What a Party! hilariously recounts the time he asked singer-songwriter Paul Simon how his “dad,” Senator Paul Simon, was doing. The Simons aren’t related. “The look on his face…” laughs McAuliffe.
Fri., March 2, 7 p.m.
This article appears in Feb 28 – Mar 6, 2007.