McFarland's Night

by Azi Paybarah
Fri, 14 Jul 2006 at 11:32 AM
updated Sun, 14 Jan 2007 at 1:47 PM

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KT McFarland (left) and Bud McFarlane (right) before he attacked Rupert Murdoch.

After Reagan's National Security Advisor, Bud McFarlane, stood at the podium during KT McFarland's fundraiser at Cipriani, and attacked Rupert Murdoch of the New York Post, I (and every other reporter there) wondered what KT would say about it. We're still wondering. After the event, McFarland ignored reporters who chased after her from the podium to the exit, where she left with her husband and a campaign aide.

McFarland aide (left) escorts Mr. & Mrs. McFarlnd up the street after the Murdoch remark, where the candidate hopped into a cab.

Other highlights: A handshake between KT - who wrote in a letter here that she was molested - and former City Councilman Allan Jennings - who was censured by the Council for sexual harassment. It's the night's most valuable missed picture. [My not so great photo of Jennings at the event is after the jump.] Also spotted, but unphotographed, was John Avlon, former Sun columnist now working on Rudy Giuliani's PAC. General P.X. Kelly, defended McFarland's adviser, who said the military medals won by McFarland's opponent in Vietnam were easy to get. As colleague Jacob Gershman reports:

"Mr. Kelley said being promoted to first lieutenant from second lieutenant is 'usually automatic' and...He also said Bronze Stars are given to soldiers in combat, but it's not necessarily conferred for battlefield heroism."

Allan Jennings at KT McFarland's $1,000-per-person fundraiser at Cirpriani.