Democrats throw bloc party

Alicia Robinson

In two very different neighborhoods Thursday night, far from the

Democratic National Convention in Boston, groups of local voters

gathered to support Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry.

Local Democrats believe unity within America and among its allies

were dominant themes of this year’s convention and Kerry’s acceptance

speech.

“My hope is that he’ll win, take office and work to reestablish

the relations around the world that we’ve allowed to erode for the

last four years,” Morgan Evans said.

Evans and his wife Pam, of Laguna Beach, were among about 20

guests munching hors d’oeuvres and sipping drinks at Michelle

Assayag’s home in an exclusive gated community in Newport Beach.

Assayag hosted a nomination party that was one of several in

Newport-Mesa and thousands across the country thrown in support of

Kerry.

“I’m just so thrilled to have this kind of response,” Assayag

said. She joked that her mostly Republican neighbors haven’t spoken

to her since she put a Kerry sign on her door.

Guests said the Kerry camp has been stressing strength and unity,

messages that will be important to win votes in November.

“Democrats are certainly conveying an image of strength,

particularly on domestic security, which I think they need to do,”

Morgan Evans said.

But throughout the convention this week, those watching the

festivities noticed Democrats have been pointing out how they’re

unlike the GOP.

“I think in this case, a couple of the speakers in particular have

tried to make the distinctions between the two parties,” Irvine

resident Judy Rymer said.

Meanwhile, in a Costa Mesa neighborhood, barefoot children played

in a yard decorated with Kerry signs, while their parents watched the

convention inside the house.

At Anthony and Julianne Betts’ home, about 30 people were glued to

the television even before Kerry started speaking.

Because the Democratic nominee has been known for some time, this

year’s convention aimed to change swing voters’ minds, said Yvonne

Nicks of Costa Mesa.

Kerry wasn’t her first choice, she said, but she’s satisfied with

him now.

“Early on, I had other people I really preferred, [but] I think

he’s a good man,” she said. “I think he’ll do a good job.”

Guests at the Betts’ party erupted into applause and laughter

during key points in Kerry’s speech.

The convention has served to let people know who Kerry is and what

he will do as president, Costa Mesa resident Eleanor Klein said.

As a political activist, Klein said she has seen many people

change their registration from Republican to Democrat. But a more

important indicator to her is her husband, an independent thinker who

usually votes Republican.

“He’s sort of the barometer for me as to where other people’s

attitudes are,” she said. “He says he will vote for Kerry.”

As he accepted his party’s nomination, Kerry seemed to convince

local party faithful that he has the ability to lead the nation.

“I think that what he projected here tonight was a persona in whom

people can have confidence, that he has the leadership experience and

ability to lead domestically and internationally,” Assayag said.

But those celebrating with their political kin Thursday were

unsure if the confidence Kerry conveyed will be enough to turn the

tide in Orange County, where out of 1.4 million voters, 425,222

registered Democrats are outnumbered by 672,220 registered

Republicans.

“I don’t know if there are a lot of people out there on the fence

who would be swayed,” Pam Evans said.