“It’s good to stand with them because they stood with me”
The Orange County Employees Association was honored to host an inauguration party for the People’s Governor Jerry Brown in Sacramento.
OCEA brought our legendary hot dog wagon to the State Capitol grounds and cooked up more than 4,000 hot dogs for the public at the event, held Jan. 3, 2011.
The inauguration party, hosted by OCEA and Sen. Lou Correa, was a testament to Brown’s lifelong commitment to representing the interests of working people in California. And it showed the Governor that as he tackles the state’s financial challenges, working men and women will remain behind him.
Said Brown, while eating a hotdog at the event: “When your supporters get together and make you a few hot dogs, I think it’s good to stand with them because they stood with me.”
Jerry Brown didn’t win Orange County in November’s gubernatorial election, but that didn’t stop OC officials from joining in his inaugural festivities today.
In keeping with his message of austerity and painful choices, the veteran Democrat, who was the state's governor for two terms from 1975 to 1983, served hot dogs at his inaugural lunch after taking over from Republican Arnold Schwarzenegger.
After the hour-long swearing-in ceremony, Brown returned to his downtown Sacramento loft before heading to his Capitol office, where he attended a private reception with family and invited guests. He emerged about 1 p.m., making his way through the Capitol halls en route to an inauguration party on the Capitol lawn, hosted by the Orange County Employees Assn. and state Sen. Lou Correa (D- Santa Ana).
The 18,000-member Orange County Employees Association, the county's largest union, threw a free hot-dog party on the Capitol grounds after Brown's swearing-in.
An hour later, he and Anne appeared at a free hot dog grill on the Capitol lawn, quickly eating a hot dog each before rejoining friends at the governor's office.
Despite the carefully crafted messages of Jerry Brown inaugural speech Monday, it was the refreshment served outside afterward that best summed up the state of the state he inherited - hot dogs.
Brown later hosted guests at his Capitol office, briefly stepping outside to grab a hot dog and pose for photographs during a union-sponsored event on the lawn.
"It wasn't my idea," said Brown while eating his hot dog, one of 4,000 served at the event. "But if your supporters want to get together and cook some hot dogs, that's great."
Ironically, the dogs are from Orange County, long known as one of America's most Republican counties. The irony gets even richer because of the host: The meal is being served by the largest public sector union in the OC, the Orange County Employees Association.
Now that California has replaced its glitzy, Hollywood governor with one who prefers children’s choirs and hot dogs, you’d think the State Capitol might become a little duller. Several events surrounding Jerry Brown‘s inauguration today, however, suggest that this administration will be just as, uhm, quirky as the last.
The Peoples Inaugural celebration hosted by Orange County Employees Association and State Senator Lou Correa was a huge success yesterday. Hundresds of people stopped by the tent on the Capitol lawn for free dogs, chips, and water. Our new Governor Jerry Brown and First Lady Anne Gust-Brown stopped by for a quick bite between scheduled events.
Online
Bloggers across the country also linked to stories about the event, including New York Magazine’s Grub Street Blog about the hot dogs, and many even posted videos Youtube, including this one in which the governor talks about standing behind us.
Brown attended a labor union's inaugural reception, one of many around the Capitol. And in keeping with his frugal nature, only hot dogs, chips and water were served.
Brown’s pared-down inauguration, complete with hot dogs and chips, is said to have cost less than $100,000, and is a reflection of the bare-bones style he plans to bring to California’s budget problems.
Hundreds of people gathered on the north steps for a luncheon billed as the “The People’s Inaugural Party for Jerry Brown.” Participants waited in line for up to an hour to get hot dogs and chips provided by Orange County union workers and State Senator Lou Correa.
The man who once was California’s most famous bachelor took the oath of office after being introduced by his wife of five years, former Gap Inc. executive Anne Gust Brown, inside Sacramento Memorial Auditorium.
Various television stations also covered the event live throughout the morning, including KRON 4, Fox 40 and Univision Noticias. Additionally, KCRA 3, an NBC affiliate, aired previews of the “People’s Inauguration with Jerry Brown.”
Radio coverage included a preview of the event on Mix 96 (96.1 FM) radio and a photo of Gov. Jerry Brown eating his hot dog on KNCI (105.1 FM).
The party, hosted by the Orange County Employees Association and Sen. Lou Correa, D-Santa Ana, is being billed by the union as an "inauguration party celebrating the election of the People's Governor, Jerry Brown."
Indeed, the Orange County Employees Association is co-hosting a “People’s Inauguration Party” on the state Capitol grounds from noon to 2 p.m. on Jan. 3 to celebrate Brown.
For his third inaugural, Brown is attending a public party on the Capitol lawn, sponsored by his labor friends from Orange County and state Sen. Lou Correa. The Orange County Employees Association hot dog wagon will be set up on the North Capitol Lawn, near L Street, from noon to 2 p.m.
Jerry Brown disappoints with flash hot dog event visit
