Hundreds of house parties are planned

DALLAS – A host of hosts across the country will be throwing inauguration house parties for George W. Bush.

The president won’t be attending, of course, but the Republican National Committee is mobilizing supporters to organize house parties and keep Republican ranks rolling on Thursday.

A mass e-mail message from the committee to supporters said 1,500 house parties are expected nationwide. Committee spokesman Danny Diaz said hundreds are planned in Texas.

The concept is modeled after Howard Dean’s Internet-arranged meet-ups during the Democratic primaries. Both President Bush’s and Sen. John Kerry’s campaigns encouraged supporters to hold house parties throughout election season.

This is phase two, Diaz said.

The parties, he said, “serve as an opportunity for those who supported the president’s re-election to get together and talk about how they can support his agenda.”

Hosts can purchase yard signs from the committee’s Web site that say, “W, Still the President.” And the site, www.gop.com, also lets would-be hosts register and send electronic invitations. It also gives house partyers tools to coordinate maps and directions, along with contacts for special events.