TotT is a daily rundown of campaign events, compiled by Katie Rooney.
Even though Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican holiday, the presidential candidates seem to be in the mood to celebrate this weekend too. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has been partying since the beginning of this week and continues his expensive fundraisers throughout the weekend. Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is supposedly holding private fundraising parties in New York City through Friday night. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) is attending house party after house party in New Hampshire, while both Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) actually stop at their own Cinco de Mayo parties Saturday.
Here are the details of where the candidates will be throughout the weekend:
*Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney gives the commencement address at Regent University in Virginia Beach Saturday.
*Former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R) is campaigning in Iowa this weekend. Friday he’ll hold a public lunch in Cedar Rapids, have a town hall meeting in Grundy Center and then stop by the Butler-Bremer GOP fundraiser in Clarksville from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday he’ll hold a breakfast in Charles City, two lunches, one in Mason City and another in Forest City, and two town hall meetings, one in Cresco, the other in Waukon.
*Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) holds a “fundraiser on the border” in Hereford, Arizona at 5 p.m. Friday.
*Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) speaks at the National Council of Black Mayors convention in Baton Rouge, Louisiana Friday during the “Sustainable Communities Workshop” at 2:30 p.m.
*Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) gives the commencement address Saturday at The Citadel, a military college in Charleston, South Carolina.
*Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) campaigns in New Hampshire Friday and Saturday.
*Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) is the keynote speaker at Wilberforce University’s graduation in Fairborn, Ohio Saturday. Sunday she embarks on her third of four trips to Iowa as part of her “Four Corners Tour.” This time she’ll be in the southwest corner of the state, stopping in Red Oaks and Council Bluffs.
*Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) is also in Iowa. He’ll hold two “kitchen table” meetings in the morning – one in Ottumwa and another in Mt. Pleasant. At 2:30 p.m. he’s taking a tour of the Tri-City Energy Biodiesel Plant with the mayor in Keokuk followed by a town hall meeting on energy independence. Saturday he wraps up with another “kitchen table” meeting in Burlington, attends a Cinco de Mayo celebration downtown in West Library at noon, holds a town hall meeting on energy independence in West Branch and then a meet-and-greet at a bed & breakfast in Muscatine.
*Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is in New York City Friday with his private events while Saturday he’ll be in Baton Rouge for the National Council of Black Mayors 33rd annual convention.
*New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) speaks at New Hampshire’s AFL-CIO annual convention in the afternoon Saturday and then attends two house parties – one in Barrington with a state senator and the second in Rollinsford. Sunday he tours the New Hampshire Northern Wood Power Project then gives a keynote speech at the annual Rockingham County Democrats Clambake in Portsmouth. That evening he’ll attend two more house parties – first in Salem then in Hudson.
*Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) parties it up. Friday he’s in San Francisco at a $2,300 a person luncheon followed by a dinner fundraiser in San Jose at 6 p.m. (price unlisted). Saturday he holds a reception in Las Vegas, this time for only $1,000 a pop.
*Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is campaigning in California. Saturday he’s at a Cinco de Mayo breakfast sponsored by the Mexican-American University in West Los Angeles with entertainment including celebrity appearances from Shelley Morrison (also known as “Rosario” on Will & Grace) and Kamala Lopez from the small film Born in East L.A. Then he’ll attend a forum in Venice followed by a human civil rights event at Tinseltown Dance Club on Santa Monica Blvd. Sunday he and his wife host a three-course vegan brunch in Tarzana then hold a private fundraiser in Brentwood (unlike McCain’s high price tags, his at least offers a range – donations go from $150 to $2,300 a person)
-Katie Rooney