# Viewing Parties: anyone attending or hosting?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-parties-anyone-attending-or-hosting/465019
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [September 24, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-parties-anyone-attending-or-hosting/465019 "2008-09-24T17:18:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2008, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-parties-anyone-attending-or-hosting/465019/1 "2008-09-24T17:18:21Z")
I’ve received a few emails from Obama’s camp asking me to host or attend a debate viewing party in my area. In addition to the fact that my zip code is pretty much invisible, I really don’t feel like I’d want to sit in another person’s house and watch the debates.
However, I find it to be an interesting way to get dialogs going. Also, I think some neighborhoods are featured on the big news channels, which might be a plus for the cause.
Have any of you done this? What’s it like? Are campaign people there as well?
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### Author:  [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2008, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-parties-anyone-attending-or-hosting/465019/2 "2008-09-24T17:21:29Z")
There is one in Chicago at [Crew](http://www.worldsgreatestbar.com/crew%20home.htm). It is a gay bar but nice and very tame so no problem for hetero people to go.
I watched Obama’s acceptance speech at Sidetrack in Chicago and it was lots of fun.
I likewise am not encouraged to go to some stranger’s house to watch but public viewings can be fun.
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### Author:  [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2008, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-parties-anyone-attending-or-hosting/465019/3 "2008-09-24T17:28:22Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#):
>
> There is one in Chicago at [Crew](http://www.worldsgreatestbar.com/crew%20home.htm). It is a gay bar but nice and very tame so no problem for hetero people to go.
>
> I watched Obama’s acceptance speech at Sidetrack in Chicago and it was lots of fun.
>
> I likewise am not encouraged to go to some stranger’s house to watch but public viewings can be fun.
Off the topic, Crew bar has the best hamburgers in Chicago. And they \*are \*cool to heteros hanging out there.
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### Author:  [@Phlosphr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phlosphr)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2008, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-parties-anyone-attending-or-hosting/465019/4 "2008-09-24T17:34:51Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#):
>
> I’ve received a few emails from Obama’s camp asking me to host or attend a debate viewing party in my area. In addition to the fact that my zip code is pretty much invisible, I really don’t feel like I’d want to sit in another person’s house and watch the debates.
>
> However, I find it to be an interesting way to get dialogs going. Also, I think some neighborhoods are featured on the big news channels, which might be a plus for the cause.
>
> Have any of you done this? What’s it like? Are campaign people there as well?
Sure, my wife and I hosted one during the primaries, and we have become quite good friends with several of the people who attended. Since hosting, we have been popping to different peoples houses for different events. The last being the dem convention. It gives you a good taste for other like minded, non-rabid people out there who share your views. We had no problems, but a lot of good discussion. The best time for someone to go to one of these is if you are undecided. We had one man who was an older chap late 60’s-ish and he was undecided. He became involved after the first night and is now working as an organizer. Yes, sometimes campaign staff will come to your house. We had a very nice young woman [Obama campaign office of CT organizer] and she was awesome! She brought lot’s of props, up to the minute news, and of course, tons of yard signs, stickers etc.etc.
PS Food, beer and wine help these get-togethers a lot. 😃
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### Author:  [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-parties-anyone-attending-or-hosting/465019/5 "2008-09-24T23:25:06Z")
**Moderator’s Note:** Although the parties in question might be politically themed, this isn’t really a debate about politics; it seems like more of a poll about what people will be doing on a particular night–so, Great Debates --\> IMHO.
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### Author:  [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2008, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-parties-anyone-attending-or-hosting/465019/6 "2008-09-24T23:31:42Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#):
>
> Off the topic, Crew bar has the best hamburgers in Chicago. And they \*are \*cool to heteros hanging out there.
How’s your debate watch party going?
_ahem_
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### Author:  [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/viewing-parties-anyone-attending-or-hosting/465019/7 "2008-09-24T23:33:20Z")
By the way, you are encouraged to go outside your cone of comfort and go out there and get these kinds of things going. It’s how we run the campaign, after all.