Gop Celebrates; Demos Spoof Foes Republicans Toast Recent Victories; Democrats Counter With Comic Relief

While the elephants trumpeted, the donkeys heehawed.

Republicans toasted recent political victories Wednesday night with several GOP luminaries at The Coeur d’Alene Resort.

A few blocks away, local Democrats countered with comic relief and commiseration. About 100 Democrats crowded into Realtors’ Hall for a potluck and spoof of their political foes.

The GOP’s “100 Day Celebration” was attended by about 300 people, including Gov. Phil Batt, U.S. Sen. Dirk Kempthorne and U.S. Rep. Helen Chenoweth. Also on hand were state schools Superintendent Anne Fox and most of the area’s state GOP legislators.

“You see the failed, tired policies of the Democrats’ vision for America,” Chenoweth told the crowd. “It’s OK to dream about having a new day in America.”

Republicans celebrated passage of most planks of their “Contract With America” since the GOP landslide in November.

“I think we, the average American, say (the contract) is right what we want,” said Randy Smith, chairman of the state GOP.

But he also warned the party faithful to prepare for more battles. “With all of the celebration, we need to think of that which we will attack in the future,” he said.

Kempthorne touted the victory of his legislation on unfunded mandates, which will save state and local governments from having to pick up the tab for some federal edicts. He pledged to push for stronger states’ rights and to resume the battle for a balanced budget amendment, which failed in the Senate by one vote.”We are going to reclaim this government of ours,” he said.

While the Republicans were auctioning off a flag, an autographed photo of Batt and a silver punch bowl, the Democrats were selling donated flowers. While the Grand Old Party listened to speeches and watched videos, the Democrats sang and lampooned Republicans.

A Chenoweth look-alike, for example, asked laughing Democrats, “Have you ever seen anything as beautiful as a clearcut on a bright sunny morning?” In a nod to the debate over funding for public television, an actor portraying House Speaker Newt Gingrich pretended to shoot Big Bird of “Sesame Street.”

The sharpest barbs at Realtors’ Hall, however, were reserved for local GOP legislators. An actor portraying Rep. Jeff Alltus, R-Coeur d’Alene, said he wants to “start bringing Idaho back to basic values: fearing God and hating the government.” Alltus has spoken out repeatedly in favor of shrinking the size of government.

Rep. Hilde Kellogg, R-Post Falls, drew fire for her ties to North Idaho businesses. Her look-alike said, “I’m just here to represent my constituents: the little people - like Harpers, the dog track, Expo, Schneidmiller, Hagadone.”

Despite the laughter, the Democrats acknowledged they’ve suffered serious blows recently.

“We are facing probably the greatest crisis our party has ever faced,” said Bob Brown, central committee chairman for Kootenai County Democrats. “We have to get our people as emotionally involved as those people on the religious right are for the causes they believe in.”

The Democrats also sang songs, including “Happy Days Will Come Again.”

“We’re a little bit short of incumbents now,” they sang, “but we will get us some, and look out world, here we come.”