Bloomberg to have 1,000 house parties

NEW YORK, Aug. 21 (UPI) -- In a campaign strategy reminiscent of the "coffee klatches" of John F. Kennedy in 1960, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is having 1,000 house parties.

Bloomberg's re-election campaign is inviting supporters such as HBP star Lorraine Bracco of "The Sopranos," fashion maven Anna Wintour and sex therapist Ruth Westheimer to host some of the 1,000 parties Sept. 20, the New York Daily News reported Sunday.

"We have 25,000 volunteers and we're trying to use people to enlist their friends to mobilize people (to vote) for the mayor," said Stu Loeser, Bloomberg campaign spokesman. "It's a tried and true grass-roots strategy that we're applying to New York City."

However, since the billionaire mayor pays for his own campaign, the house parties won't be used to raise money.

Instead Bloomberg is offering free "party kits" to his supporters at no charge.