September 2- 8, 2004

political notebook

SIGN OF THE TIMES (Square): A political message greets people in a busy New York City. Photo By: Michael Mergen

by Mary F. Patel

High End Brownnosing

NEW YORK — The Republican National Convention may be nearing its end, but there's been some noteworthy action going down in Manhattan during the past five days.

Who says people hate the press? On Saturday night, more than 15,000 media types from all over the world arrived at the Time Warner Center in Columbus Circle for a taxpayer-sponsored welcoming party.

Because they were gallivanting about the Fashion Capital, journalists — normally a casual bunch — took extra efforts to doll themselves up for the festivities. Good thing too, since the Manhattan Mall event was a lavish one. Dozens of food stations from upscale New York restaurants were strategically placed throughout the giant three-tiered shopping center and the booze was flowing. Attendees grabbed such catchy cocktails as Makers Mark Manhattans, the Blue Elephant, the Hennessey White House Russian, the Stoli Grand Ole Party and of course, New York's signature drink, the cosmopolitan.

Photo By: Mike Mergen

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New York Gov. George Pataki made brief welcoming remarks.

"I am so glad that no one here is naked," said Bloomberg, alluding to last week's nude protest where activists blocked traffic in Manhattan to show the naked truth about President George Bush's AIDS policies. Bloomberg then proceeded into the high-end cookery shop, Williams-Sonoma, to show off his potato-latke-making abilities. Up on the mall's third floor, performance models stood around wearing nothing but newsprint.

The lone nonmedia celebrity was the boxing promoter Don King. Sporting a recently mowed 'do, King pontificated on-camera with American flags sticking out of his shirt pockets. Alas, the dense crowd made it difficult for many to hear the colorful personality who's been enlisted by the Bush re-election camp.

Ain't That Rich

As if journalists gulping down high-end refreshments wasn't enough, Sunday brought an even higher-end affair. Members of the tongue-in-cheek 527 organization Billionaires for Bush (B4B) enjoyed a rousing game of croquet on the Central Park lawn where anti-Bush protesters had been corralled. The game was held to promote their "Keep Off the Grass" campaign in which they're angling to privatize Central Park. B4B wants to see Bush re-elected so the very wealthy can continue to prosper from their man in the White House whom they call "the best president that money can buy."

Later that afternoon, B4B members congregated in front of the Plaza Hotel for a confab before taking a stroll down Fifth Avenue.

Stretch limos arrived at the Plaza transporting the super elite, all dressed in appropriate attire. Ladies wore gowns, jewels, cocktail dresses, satin pumps and diamond tiaras. Many toted parasols to block the noonday sun. The gentleman donned tuxedos with top hats or bowler hats, tennis garb or yachting attire.

"What a fine afternoon," observed Winston Salem sipping his lunch from a martini glass. "I am very excited about the war, it is so good for business."

Esy Lay, sister-in-law of Kenneth Lay, arrived in a chic lace tea-length party dress with a strand of subtle pearls. "I plan to pop into Saks on the way," she said.

Once assembled, the B4B's perambulated across the street to hobnob in Grand Army Plaza for a photo op before some keynote speakers addressed the billionaire bevy.

"There is the elite and then there is the super elite!" pronounced Phil T. Rich.

As they began their promenade down the avenue, organizers offered instruction on avoiding interaction with pesky commoners: "Please make sure you stay on the sidewalk to the RIGHT. We don't own the sidewalks yet."

Signs were a large part of the demonstration fun.

"Clean Air: Can't Sell It. Who Needs It?," "No Justice? No Problem!," "Four More Wars!," "One Dollar, One Vote!," "We Paid for Eight Years!"

And the popular favorite, "Support the Dick Cheney Defense Fund!"

They're Here

Meanwhile the Bryant Park Grill was hosting another upscale event, albeit one where members were less certain about whether they'd be supporting the party's nominee.

The National Log Cabin, a gay political organization, held an afternoon party to honor prominent Republicans while demonstrating that everybody in the GOP doesn't agree with the president's position on amending the Constitution to define marriage as only being between a man and a woman. Log Cabin members and moderate Republicans who support their agenda from across the country converged over mimosas and Bloody Marys.

So, why remain Republican if the party's leader is against you?

"We have been around a long time," explained John Partain, president of Philadelphia's Log Cabin chapter. "We are about the politics of inclusion and not division."

Michael Stara, Pennsylvania Log Cabin president, said the organization had not decided whether or not to support Bush.

"A decision will come after the convention," he said. "If we decide not to support the president, the option is to just do nothing since we can only support Republicans. But we as individuals can vote however we chose."

This could mean a lot of gay votes for Democratic opponent John Kerry who, at the Democratic National Convention in July, said same-sex marriage should be left up to the individual states.

Historically, Republican presidential candidates have pandered to the conservative right and not been very supportive of gay issues. During the 1996 Republican National Convention in San Diego, GOP presidential candidate Bob Dole returned a substantial contribution to Log Cabin causing massive agitation among the membership.

Taking a stand this go-around, however, was Jesse Walters, a Republican from Philadelphia who was the lone openly gay delegate from the state. He chose to give up his credentials last week rather than cheer for a candidate he couldn't support.

"We will not be hijacked by the radical right!" exclaimed Patrick Guerriero, Log Cabin's national executive director.

Bloomberg, a gay-rights supporter, stopped by to express opposition to a Constitutional amendment. Also on hand were former Massachusetts Gov. Bill Weld and U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter.

Specter, who calls himself a moderate when he deems it appropriate, said it was a good time to get with some Republicans who disagreed with the party stance.

"I voted to amend hate-crimes legislation in the Senate to include sexual orientation," said Specter who failed to mention that he also voted to move the Constitutional amendment for a vote, a move which cost him the endorsement of the Human Rights Campaign. The procedural vote to end debate on the amendment failed anyway, but Bush could resurrect it if he were to win a second term.

Weld, however, drew cheers when he announced that "You cannot repeal biology in the House and Senate."

After the dignitaries left, guests wandered out to the restaurant's garden for desserts but it wouldn't be entirely peaceful. On the other side of the garden's wall, members of Queer Fist — a new radical queer and transgendered group formed to oppose the RNC and heteronormative culture — gave Log Cabin members the business. Dressed as brides, Queer Fist members voiced opposition to what they called "the gay mainstream agenda of assimilations."

Queer Fist hecklers also labeled Log Cabin "a group of privileged individuals who marginalize people while claiming to defend them." One Log Cabin member from Maryland leaned over the wall and responded, "Honey, after seeing what you look like, it's no wonder you're against marriage."

The Others

On Monday night, while Republicans were busy doing their thing at Madison Square Garden, a musical protest was taking place across town.

Hundreds gathered for a benefit performance for Planned Parenthood at the Beacon Theatre on the Upper West Side featuring entertainment and commentary from the likes of actress Kathleen Turner; Sex and the City co-star Cynthia Nixon; Michael McKean and his wife, Annette O'Toole; songstresses Nellie McKay and Joan Osborne; comedian Lewis Black; and Moby and Lou Reed.

Though the Republican platform is decidedly pro-life, many members of Republicans for Choice were there.

"Roe v. Wade is in trouble," Nixon told a packed house, "and there are three Supreme Court justices who have already said they would overturn Wade. If George Bush gets re-elected he might be able to appoint as many as three more conservative justices and then we're all in trouble."

Gloria Feldt, president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, stressed the importance of choice.

"There is a war going on, and it's not the war you think, it's a war on choice," she said.

She urged everyone to get out and vote but did not make any reference to voting for Kerry. Free copies of Feldt's book The War on Choice (Bantam) were distributed in the lobby after the concert.

While the concert attempted to be nonpartisan, Reed made the defining statement of the evening by sporting a T-shirt that read "Buck Fush."