“In Terry’s book, he writes about hundreds upon hundreds of friends and associates, so we knew early on that this event would be huge,” said McAuliffe advisor Tracy Sefl, who worked with the book’s publisher, St. Martin’s Press, to plan the event. (The book’s subtitle is My Life Among Democrats, Presidents, Candidates, Donors, Activists, Alligators, and Other Wild Animals; many of those folks showed, but the alligators did not.)
Senate majority leader Harry Reid, CNN’s Wolf Blitzer, and several ambassadors were among the 1,000 guests who showed up to hear McAuliffe’s longtime friend Hillary Clinton speak. Decor was sparse throughout, as the planners chose to rely on the Park Hyatt’s modern aesthetic. (The hotel recently underwent a $24 million renovation.) “There was no elaborate decor, no large floral arrangements. The venue spoke for itself,” Sefl said. The event was originally planned to take place in the much-buzzed-about Blue Duck Tavern, but the growing guest list forced Sefl to expand into the hotel’s lobby, suites, and ballrooms.