John Edwards in The OC Saturday (gag me)

I was reading the register this morning and look who's coming to Newport Beach this Saturday. None other than VP contender/pretender John Edwards. Here is the story from the OC Register(posted here because registration required):

Edwards has O.C. lunch date

Orange County's been on a roll when it comes to visits from the highest-profile Democrats – and the trend will continue, with John Kerry's chosen running mate John Edwards stopping in for lunch at the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach on Saturday.

Frank Barbaro, chairman of the county Democratic Party and head of the county Kerry- Edwards campaign, said this will be the last California stop by a member of the presidential ticket before the Democratic National Convention in Boston, which begins July 26.

The campaign "thinks it's appropriate to have the California sendoff in the Republicans' back yard, here in Orange County," Barbaro said.

The event is expected to sell all 450 available seats, with a minimum $1,000 per-plate donation. Barbaro said he expects to raise at least $500,000, and several commitments have been made for the maximum donation of $27,000 – including himself, county Democratic Foundation founder Wylie Aitken, former Irvine Co. board member Joan Irvine Smith, and county Democrat icon Dick O'Neill.