Knight Ridder Election 2004: Daniel Rubin

Finally hit one of these famous parties. The club Felt was hosting the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and once past the giant ice sculptures dispensing vodka martinis, we worked our way downstairs to hear a fairly spicy bar band:

Los Lobos. Ten feet away. Close enough to pull sax player Steve Berlin's ZZ Top beard.

You had a United Farm Workers organizer line dancing with the New Mexico attorney general and a Congresswoman.

You had a sensual slow dance called "Sabor A Mi," which Soledad Roybal, 27, of New Mexico, translated for us as "My Taste."

"Can you understand any of the words?" she asked, and taking pity, she provided a sample lyric of the song that means "My Taste:"

"More than 1000 years will pass, and you'll still be able to taste me."

This would be why singer David Hildalgo announced afterward that this had been the time for action. "That was your chance, man, If you didn't make your move. C'mon politicians, that was your chance for love."

The band from East L.A. played more than an hour over two sets, from "I Got Loaded" to a jammy medley of "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" and "Oye Como Va."

In between the playing, there was some speechifying, U.S. Rep. Bob Menendez from New Jersey saying "Latinos know how to party. And we know how to win elections," claiming Latino voters will make the difference for Kerry in New Mexico, Colorado, Florida, Nevada and Arizona.

posted at # 12:50 AM

Shakin' It