destinconcierge
Beach Lover
Bill Clinton coming Monday to Destin
July 30, 2007
By Florida Freedom Newspapers
For most of Monday, Harbor Docks restaurant owner Charles Morgan was giving odds of 70-30 that former President Bill Clinton would visit his establishment.
By that evening, the odds had gotten much better, as Clinton's advance team nailed down plans for an exclusive fund-raising event on heavily Republican turf in Northwest Florida.
"Somebody asked 'How did he know how to find y'all?' " Morgan said. "I said, 'Hey, if you're looking to find Democrats in this area, it's not too hard.' "
Only those who produce a check of $2,300 or more will be allowed inside Harbor Docks for the Hillary Clinton fund-raiser, said Toni Craig, who chairs Okaloosa County's Democratic Party. It is scheduled for 8 p.m. Monday.
"I asked, 'Well, what about us poor Democrats?' " Craig said. "At the very least, I'll have my Clinton supporters out at the street."
Clinton's wife, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., leads among Democratic presidential hopefuls in Florida, according to poll results released Friday by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research.
She won't be at Monday's event.
She had support from 31 percent of the state's Democrats, compared to 17 percent for her closest rival, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.
Florida's presidential primary is Jan. 29.
The former president last visited the area in the late 1990s for an Eglin Air Force Base memorial service honoring victims of the Khobar Towers terrorist bombing.
Morgan said Clinton's plan to visit has generated a lot of excitement in the area.
"The response has been very impressive," he said.
Secret Service agents were scheduled to arrive Thursday to begin preparations, Morgan said.
The restaurant owner did not know exactly what the protocol for such events was, and it was unclear whether media would be allowed to attend the event.
"I asked them how long he planned to speak, and they told me, 'He'll go as long as you've got a microphone in front of him,' " Morgan said. "I'm gonna trick him into playing the saxophone."
Morgan has traditionally been successful at luring big-name Democrats to Harbor Docks.
Bill McBride came to the restaurant in 2002, shortly before emerging victorious in a hard-fought Democratic primary and eventually losing to Jeb Bush in the governor's race.
Presidential hopeful and later vice presidential candidate John Edwards packed the restaurant during a 2003 campaign visit.
July 30, 2007
By Florida Freedom Newspapers
For most of Monday, Harbor Docks restaurant owner Charles Morgan was giving odds of 70-30 that former President Bill Clinton would visit his establishment.
By that evening, the odds had gotten much better, as Clinton's advance team nailed down plans for an exclusive fund-raising event on heavily Republican turf in Northwest Florida.
"Somebody asked 'How did he know how to find y'all?' " Morgan said. "I said, 'Hey, if you're looking to find Democrats in this area, it's not too hard.' "
Only those who produce a check of $2,300 or more will be allowed inside Harbor Docks for the Hillary Clinton fund-raiser, said Toni Craig, who chairs Okaloosa County's Democratic Party. It is scheduled for 8 p.m. Monday.
"I asked, 'Well, what about us poor Democrats?' " Craig said. "At the very least, I'll have my Clinton supporters out at the street."
Clinton's wife, U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., leads among Democratic presidential hopefuls in Florida, according to poll results released Friday by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research.
She won't be at Monday's event.
She had support from 31 percent of the state's Democrats, compared to 17 percent for her closest rival, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.
Florida's presidential primary is Jan. 29.
The former president last visited the area in the late 1990s for an Eglin Air Force Base memorial service honoring victims of the Khobar Towers terrorist bombing.
Morgan said Clinton's plan to visit has generated a lot of excitement in the area.
"The response has been very impressive," he said.
Secret Service agents were scheduled to arrive Thursday to begin preparations, Morgan said.
The restaurant owner did not know exactly what the protocol for such events was, and it was unclear whether media would be allowed to attend the event.
"I asked them how long he planned to speak, and they told me, 'He'll go as long as you've got a microphone in front of him,' " Morgan said. "I'm gonna trick him into playing the saxophone."
Morgan has traditionally been successful at luring big-name Democrats to Harbor Docks.
Bill McBride came to the restaurant in 2002, shortly before emerging victorious in a hard-fought Democratic primary and eventually losing to Jeb Bush in the governor's race.
Presidential hopeful and later vice presidential candidate John Edwards packed the restaurant during a 2003 campaign visit.
