Favorite moment: Watching Ben Affleck harangue a McCain senior staffer about the press’ overly favorable treatment of McCain, then slip seamlessly into an equally passionate rant about the press’ overly favorably treatment of Obama. “Sure, I’m gonna vote for the guy,” he said, “But they’re being way too easy on him.” Asked if he was “anti-McCain,” he said, “really, I’m more anti-media.” Affleck declined a ride on the Straight Talk Express to the Bloomberg party.
Least favorite moment: However many weeks the Bloomberg party lasted.
Most surreal moment: Stuck in line for pre-dinner party behind Henry Kissinger, the editor of a major national publication leaned over to me and whispered: “Look at the bright side, maybe we’ll be here when the warrant from the Hague is served.”
Second most surreal moment: Talking with Ralph Reed about his new novel, Dark Horse (out June 4!), which is apparently about a presidential election year in which the Dem nomination race that goes all the way to convention, the Rs nominate a moderate, and an evangelical starts an unlikely third-party campaign. It has sex in it, he said, “but not explicit… it’s like the literary equivalent of both of them having one foot on the floor.”
Most sweetly normal moment: Affleck, mid-rant, taking Jennifer Garner’s proffered evening bag while she succumbed to the humid night and put her hair in a ponytail. No tough-guy awkwardness about the sequins or anything, in fact he used it to emphasize his (already emphatic) gestures.
Most sweaty normal moment: Being on my hands and knees at three ayem, helping Sonja Sohn find the high heels she had (wisely) taken off at some point. She also harangued the McCain staffers. “I’ve had a glass of wine or two,” she joked.
Moment most difficult to explain to most other journalists: “THERE’S HEIDI AND SPENCER!!!!”
