More moments from the inaugural ball

ryanteaguebeckwith — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 20:38:55 -0500

Despite his years of activism, Jerry Meek has only been to one other inaugural ball.

The outgoing head of the N.C. Democratic Party said he got tickets to a breakfast at former Gov. Jim Hunt's 1997 inauguration.

Then a law student, Meek said he got a late-night phone call from Sen. Tony Rand, who offered to pay the $1,000-ticket price if Meek could find a date by the next morning.

Meek said he was enjoying meeting up with all the other activists at the inaugural ball.

"It's kind of like a family reunion," he said.

For now, Meek's been staying on the sidelines of another bit of political fun going on right now: The fight for his successor. But he said that will change.

"I think you'll find another candidate will announce tomorrow who will have widespread state support, including my own," he said.

Fashion Note: Meek's wife, Tricia Cotham, was wearing a black Jessica McClintock ballroom gown her aunt had (prematurely, as it turned out) tailored for her to wear to the Kerry-Edwards inauguration.

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More moments from the inaugural ball