The Akron Beacon Journal from Akron, Ohio • Page 4

A 1 0 The Beacon Journal Wednesday, July 20, 1 988 vja WiSB IB BFW WW Mi MMf BS l- I. ltr: DEMOCRATS IN ATLANTA CONVENTIONS I ft mim mm'" loans give Basement far from a bargain for sellers real oost to OlltlCS Los Angeles Times By William Hershey Beacon Journal staff writer r- f' 'tat' imi "0 fir 1 ici it? I i ft Atlanta You want a good fight in Atlanta? You want screaming, and carrying on, and people walking out angry? Go to the floor. Not the convention floor. The ground floor of the World Congress Center, the vendors' basement if you can find it. "It is Siberia down here," wails a lonely cookie-seller.

More than 200 vendors with a whole bazaar's worth of souvenirs paid $1,500 each for booths that they learned too late are situated far into the bowels of a building that's not even the convention hall so far, you almost have to get lost to find them. Tuesday, concessionaires met with party officials, freedom-rode the escalators chanting "Exhibit Hall Exhibit Hall and handed out their open letter (copy to Ronald Reagan). With 15,000 news media people here, they figured somebody had to be listening. Says the cookie vendor, Bosto-nian Jack Crittenden, presiding dolorously over 30,000 unsold "Ducookies for Dukakis" (they have canceled the other order): "I finally understand what George Bush means by deep doo-doo. This is deep doo-doo." A day into the convention, some vendors had already packed up and gone home.

Better to lose a little money, they reasoned, than a lot. They came from Hawaii, from Africa, from down the street "to be included," and to make a few bucks, says Nashville T-shirt vendor Eric Steinberg, who says he's achieved neither. It's like the advice about buying a house: location, location, location. "We were told we'd be right next to the convention," said Nashville's Sharon Fitzgerald. "Ho, ho, ho." Crittenden pointed to a wall of off-limits doors.

"We were misled into thinking those doors were the doors through which 35,000 people would pass daily." Instead, delegates seeking souvenirs must thread their way out of the Omni convention hall, across the street, up a ramp, and down several escalators to the practically unmarked sales hall. So business may not be hot, but concessionaires are. On Tuesday, Democratic National Convention Committee official Arleigh Greenblat offered vendors two options: a 100 percent rent refund, on condition vendors release the organizers from any obligation; or a 50 percent refund and use of another, higher-visibility area "closer to traffic patterns," extended hours, better advertising and directions also with a release from further liability. on vocals, had the Ohio Democrats dancing Sunday to the Motown sound. Reach Out and The Same Old Song, hits made famous by the Four Tops and the Temptations, respectively, were especially well received.

Brown and his brother Charlie, the West Virginia attorney general, paid about $10,000 for Ohioans and West Virginians to whoop it up. "I'm interested in the governor's race," the Ohio Brown conceded before the party started. Riffe, who's also interested, said he didn't know how much his two parties would cost. "It's just part of being speaker of the House and taking a look at 1990," he said. Attorney General Celebrezze provided a country-style breakfast for the delegates Tuesday and plenty of opportunities for the party faithful to have their picture taken with him.

Two-thirds of the Apple-gate-for-president delegation (delegate June Eberts and alternate Penny Federspill) posed with the attorney general for one shot. Rep. Douglas Applegate, the favorite-son candidate from Steubenville, wasn't in the picture. Celebrezze, who also hosted a party for Ohioans at the 1984 convention in San Francisco, said this year's spread didn't signal his intention to run for governor. "Speculation is the sport of politics," he said.

"This is an opportunity for me to thank a lot of people." He said he won't make plans for 1990 until the 1988 elections, are over. O.F. Knippenburg, administrative assistant to Auditor Ferguson, wasn't as bashful about his boss's plans. Ferguson's barbecued chicken lunch is scheduled for today. "His inclination is to go," said Knippenburg.

"The primary is not until May 1990. He's looking at a lot of factors. One of them is money." A contested primary would re- -quire a war chest of $3 million, with the general election costing $8 million more, Knippenburg said. The lunch was expected to cost about $10,000, he said. Two other potential gubernatorial candidates are also in Atlanta Lt.

Gov. Paul Leonard and Rep. Edward Feighan, D-Lake-wood. Both are keeping their pre-campaigns low-key. "I'm really doing nothing here at the Democratic National Convention to promote myself in any way, shape or form," said Leonard.

Feighan didn't even show up until Tuesday, but Dan Clark, his district administrator in Cleveland, said he would be touching some gubernatorial bases. Atlanta It's Sherrod Brown and Motown music against Vern Riffe and the big band sound. It's Tony Celebrezze's scrambled eggs, sausage and grits versus Tom Ferguson's barbecued chicken. Welcome to Atlanta, unofficial pre-primary site for the 1990 Ohio governor's race. The self-styled capital of the New South may be 535 miles from Ohio's real capital in Columbus.

But this week, it is THE place for possible Democratic candidates for governor in Ohio to impress party activists, big spenders and organizers, whose help they'll need if they run in 1990. That's when incumbent Richard F. Celeste is prevented by the Ohio Constitution from seeking a third consecutive term. Tonight, House Speaker Riffe, of New Boston, is expected to take a 2-1 lead in the party index with a midnight buffet at the upscale Ritz Carlton Hotel. Elected and party officials from Ohio, only, please.

Tuesday night, Riffe geared up a party for the more than 500 Ohio delegates, alternates and hangers-on, complete with music from the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and the Four Freshmen. The party was scheduled for 4 p.m., but even Riffe, who brooks little dissent in legislative scheduling, had to defer to the convention when the starting time was moved up to 3 p.m. Secretary of State Brown beat Riffe to the punch, musically at least. The Hometown Heroes, featuring twins Ann (white dress, no gloves) and Linda (gloves, black dress, rhinestone bracelet) Colby Sawyer finds himself on outside looking in U.S. Rep.

Tom Sawyer of Akron was among hundreds of people turned away from Tuesday's Democratic convention in Atlanta after a fire marshal ordered entrances to the Omni Coliseum barricaded shortly after 10 p.m. because of overcrowding. Sawyer's status as a super delegate and congressman meant nothing to security personnel at the hall, who ordered the crowds away from the waist-high steel barriers and said the fire marshal's word was final. Dozens of other delegates were seen in the crowd trying to get back inside, as were dozens of members of the news media. Those not admitted were told to go to the nearby World Congress Center, headquarters for the 13,000 members of the media covering the convention.

Associated Press Delegate on wheels Ohio delegate Molly Blehl, who was struck by a said she had waited (or years to attend a con-car Sunday only hours after her arrival in Atlan- vention and wasn't going to let the accident spoil ta, uses a wheelchair to join Democratic conven- her week. Her dream came true this year when Hon proceedings. Mrs. Blehl, of Cuyahoga Fails, she became a Michael Dukakis delegate. Hough ward club finds itself in midst of convention activity Continued from page Al educational meeting.

The club, which serves as Mrs. Lewis' power base, meets several times a month for a dose of what uim ymtw.m, I the red lettering, "Hang tough in Hough," the club occupied two Instantly, they attracted reporters. And the politicians. Celebrezze, U.S. Sen.

William Bradley, D-New Jersey, and one of Cleveland's most powerful and aloof politicians City Council President George Forbes stopped by. Forbes sat down and ate, at least as long as the tape was rolling. "It looks like it took us to come out of town to get George Forbes to sit down with us," said club member Kathalene Gates. "In Cleveland I could not get near him with a 10-foot pole," she said. "I want them to learn politics at the highest level," said Mrs.

Lewis. "I want them to have a better understanding of politics on the national level and how it ties into the precinct level," she said. "It's a sacrifice, but we feel it will pay more dividends," said Rosemary Davis, a 13-year resident of Hough. And they got their first lesson Tuesday morning. Mrs.

Lewis took them to breakfast in the Pierremont ballroom, where Ohio Attorney General Anthony Celebrezze was serving up sausage, eggs and grits. Wearing baseball caps inscribed with "A new day in Hough" and white T-shirts with she calls "Politics 101." After she was elected a Jackson delegate, club members decided the convention would be the ideal learning laboratory. Mrs. Lewis Mrs. Lewis contributed her city office fund of $1,200 to the kitty, and members and their friends slowly accumulated the rest with contributions.

AT THE PARTY CONVENTION '88 Keeping tabs on Ohio ft It seems to me like This Media 40 58 Vnot decided voters have decided which At------ candidate they XSiijZr will vote for. Oakar in the spotlight It's not a prime-time role, but U.S. Rep. Mary Rose Oakar of Cleveland has a spot on the platform tonight. She will address the convention the official schedule says at 8:01 p.m.

and network television coverage doesn't start till 9 to pay tribute to Rep. Morris "Mo" Udall of Arizona. Ms. Oakar, who has amassed considerable muscle in the House Democratic Caucus, is contending for the caucus chairmanship, and her speech before the convention will give her needed exposure. Remember the 1972 convention, when Ohio did not compute? "Ohio passes" became something of a punch line uttered again and again by the state delegation chairman, the late Frank King, during the presidential roll the Democrats are concentrating on winning the election rather than defining where they stand on issues.

Cj Robert A. Taft II co-chairman of the Bush campaign in Ohio Mary Rose Oakar call as Ohio delegates were hopelessly split among four candidates. Red faces are unlikely this year. The Integrated Voting and Information System is tabulating ballots electronically, saving 35 to Bucks are tight 40 minutes per vote. But tonight, especially for the roll call, old-fashioned voice voting will interface with an otherwise computerized convention.

That's called nostalgia. Except, maybe, in Ohio. I I No answer, don't know on full stomach After a big night out on the town, Dukakis delegate Peter Rizopulos of Akron arose late Tuesday. But he had time for lunch. Rizopulos went to the Pleasant Pheasant restaurant in downtown Atlanta with other Akron delegates.

The Informal gathering included Akron Councilman Jeff Fusco, among others. Rizopulos went to a dinner on the 41st floor of the First Atlanta Tower Building. That event, for Greek-American delegates, was hosted by San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos. After dinner, Rizopulos headed for the convention. Folding Jesse's tent all that's left Will the convention mean big bucks for Atlanta? Mayor Andrew Young doubts it.

The Democrats, he says, are a little like the people who troop Into town for religious conventions: "They come here with $20 In one hand and the Bible In the ether, and they don't crack either one." Pierremont, where the Buckeye delegation Is staying. "I'm very optimistic," he said of the relations between the Jackson and Dukakis camps. Austin said he was not Involved with the negotiations. "I'm not Inside the convention staff. My job was to get him here," he said.

"I'm Just one Jewish kid trying to make a living In a tough world." Gerald Austin, the Columbus-bssed political consultant named as Jesse Jackson's campaign manager, says his only Job these days Is winding things down. "I'm spending most of my time closing down the campaign. I'm on the payroll until July 31. On Aug. 1, I'll be back In Columbus," he said.

Austin Is staying at the Rltz In Atlanta, but has on occasion strayed over to the The party line To slake the delegates' thirst for knowledge, the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library set up an information center at the convention. The most frequently asked question? "How do I get to my party?" Young By the Beacon Journal slaH, Knlghl-Ridder and the Associated Press.