Resort town ambivalent about Kerry’s electoral prospects

KETCHUM, Idaho – There was election night ambivalence throughout the central Idaho resort town where John Kerry and Teresa Heinz Kerry have a multimillion-dollar vacation home.

A bastion of Democrats in the heart of heavily Republican Idaho, some Ketchum residents were on the edge of their seats, hoping the Massachusetts senator could eke out an Electoral College victory over President Bush.

“We’re all for Kerry and we’re all for Democrats here,” Blaine County Democratic Chairwoman Betty Murphy said as she watched returns with two dozen fellow partisans. Five bottles of champagne were ready for a celebration at the local Democratic headquarters.

“We all want so bad for Kerry to win,” she said.

“But the rest of the world doesn’t think like we do, so when we see other parts of the nation going for Bush, it comes as a bit of a shock.”

Shock was on the mind of Carl McManus, a 73-year-old retiree and avid snowboarder who more than disliking Kerry’s politics fears what would become of his city if the president of United States began coming to Ketchum for vacations.

“I don’t like anything he says,” McManus said as the votes in key states still were being counted.

“And if he gets elected, this area is really in trouble. Just imagine the president of the U.S. coming to this valley. He lives between me and the city. Heck, he lives between me and the ski lifts. I don’t even want to think about him winning. It just gives me a headache.”

Ski instructor Rod Tatsuno, an Army veteran, supported Kerry’s politics and doesn’t share McManus’ concerns, looking back at how easily the city handled celebrity in the past, especially the annual gathering of computer and media tycoons hosted by media mogul Herbert Allen.

“We’re isolated,” he said.

“We have pretty good law enforcement. We’ve had no problems with the annual Allen and Company event, which brings the major CEOs and leaders of various nations here each summer. And I can’t see them shutting down Baldy just because he’s snowboarding on it.”

Mark Stewart, a Vietnam veteran and Kerry supporter, acknowledged his own mixed feelings.

“I cannot contemplate another four years of Bush,” Stewart said. “I think this country will not survive that.

“I do believe, however, if Kerry wins and we have Kerry and Arnold Schwarzenegger in town at the same time, that the rest of us will have to leave,” he said.

“I know when (Vice President Richard) Cheney comes to Jackson Hole, they shut the entire town down.”