NPR: Wolfgang Puck: The Candidates' Common Denominator

Wolfgang Puck: The Candidates' Common Denominator

Chef Wolfgang Puck

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images

Normally, I don't understand the things politicians do.

The Democrats make a big to-do about holding an all-night session in the Senate about the Iraq war? Please. They never even used those cots that were so dramatically rolled into the room adjacent to the chamber.

Meanwhile, several prominent GOP senators have "expressed discomfort with the president's Iraq policy," but when they get a chance to cast a vote that shows how uncomfortable they are, they find a reason not to do it. It makes one's brain hurt.

But this political activity I understand. Scott Horsley did a nifty piece on Morning Edition today about how the presidential candidates are spending that record amount of money they've been raising. Big campaigns mean providing food and shelter for a lot of folks. And Scott noted that Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani have one thing in common: Celebrated Los Angeles chef Wolfgang Puck has catered some of their events (for a combined $50,000).

At last! I get it. I too have had my Puck moment. Several years ago, when I was the executive director of the Online News Association, we had a conference at an L.A. hotel where all the banquet catering was handled by Puck's outfit. Still, I expected regular old hotel food when it came down to it -- you know, the ever unpopular chicken a la king or salmon cooked in a fashion not readily familiar to people, served with a miserly helping of vegetables carefully prepared to remove all flavor.

But, holy cow, was I wrong. The food was great. It still ranks as the best hotel food I've ever had -- and I've spent a lot of time in hotels.

So the next time I get together with Hillary, Rudy and the gang, we'll finally have something in common to talk about: good eats.

11:42 AM ET | 07-19-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Maybe they like Wolfgang because he's non-controversial. A few months ago, he promised to stop serving veal, foie gras and meat from inhumanely-raised animals at all of his restaurants.

Sent by Mark | 12:24 PM ET | 07-19-2007

Is it me, or does Puck look like he's doing a Jack Nicholson impersonation in that picture?

Sent by andy carvin | 3:18 PM ET | 07-20-2007

Send a Comment

Comments are reviewed and edited by NPR prior to display. All comments will be read, but not all will be posted.

NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its Web site or in any medium now known or unknown the e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit them for clarity or brevity and identify authors by name and location. For additional information, please consult our Terms of Use.

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
May we contact you with information about NPR programming and services? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

Tom Regan

Blogger

About Us

This year's election cycle has been one of the most exciting in memory. At the NPR News Blog we'll do our best to bring you interesting, informative -- and controversial -- stories from our own reporters and bloggers, as well as the rest of the best of the Internet and blogosphere. And we hope you'll let us know what you think as well.

Want to learn more? Be sure to read our Frequently Asked Questions and our discussion guidelines.