Snow And Politics On St. Pat's Day
By David Paul Kuhn,
CBSNews.com Chief Political Writer
Republican Party Chairman Ed Gillespie was cold. New Yorkers were blowing on their hands. Temperatures were below freezing. Snowflakes were drifting downward. And the only things green were the stickers, the face paint and the kilts of random parade goers.
Marching up Fifth Avenue, for his first New York St. Patrick's Day Parade, the chairman was on message.
"President Bush has made clear that we are in a war," Gillespie said. "It's a war directed at us. If we don't fight the war on terror in places like Baghdad and Kabul, it's more likely to be waged in places like Boston and Kansas."
Putting war and politics aside, if only for a moment, the very Irish Republican said, "It's fantastic to be in New York."
Even though there are five Democrats for every Republican here?
Tipping his head back in laughter, Gillespie said, "But we have a Republican mayor, a Republican governor and I think we can carry this state in November for President Bush."
Republicans carrying New York? Call it blinding optimism, but that's what a political party chairman is paid to do.
Come Aug. 30 to Sept. 2, New York City will be covered with Republicans as they hold their national convention. President Bush will go through the ceremonial motions and accept the nomination. He will rally his party. He will visit Ground Zero.
The Democrats have cried foul, saying the place and timing of the convention are a purposeful exploitation of the Sept. 11 attacks. Gillespie argues otherwise, marching past Sach's Fifth Avenue, past covered spectators lined six deep on the curb.
"The timing of it was tied, obviously the Democrats go first and their convention ends right around the time that the summer Olympics begin," Gillespie said, ignoring the two- week early August gap between the Democratic convention and the Olympics.
So there is no intentional symbolism by holding it in New York City?
"I think New York City is important to us, obviously," the chairman replied, wearing an overcoat, his two staff members in toe. "I think that the president's response after Sept. 11, is obviously an important part of his presidency and I think New Yorkers appreciate that. The significance of us having it in New York is that the president is competitive in parts of the country that we have not been competitive as Republicans nationally in some time, and the Northeast is one of those places."
Joining about 150,000 marchers in the 243rd annual parade of Irish pride, Gillespie spoke of his father from Donegal, Ireland, who came to the United States at age nine.
"My grandfather was a silver miner in Idaho and then a janitor in Philadelphia. And my father worked as a janitor and actually saved enough money to buy a grocery store along with my mother," Gillespie said, stopping in front of St. Patrick's Cathedral to greet Cardinal Edward Egan, who stood in formal garb, on a shamrock-decorated carpet, before the towering entrance.
"The Irish Diaspora and the Irish in America have had a pretty big impact on our culture and today is a celebration of all things Irish," Gillespie continued, after speaking to the cardinal. "Everyone gets to be Irish on March 17."
Toeing the party line as the parade continued, a dozen NYPD cops ahead, Rockefeller Plaza behind, Gillespie marched beside Steven McDonald, a New York City police detective who became a quadriplegic in 1984 when he was shot while on patrol.
The chairman had decided not to march with his favorite New York GOP officeholders, Gov. George Pataki and New York City Michael Bloomberg, to be with McDonald, who spoke at the 1996 Republican convention.
Soon though, Gillespie turned back and said that he was hoping this election would stay issue driven. "It is a long general election but I hope it's not bitter," he added.
It's a little late for that. With the general election campaign fully underway, Gillespie will for go head to head Thursday night with Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe at Catholic University in Washington, the alma mater of both party leaders.
But Wednesday, Gillespie was all smiles, celebrating, and at one point running to keep up with the parade, as this reporter held him back in discussion.
Asked if he would have a beer or two today, Gillespie shook his head no.
"Probably not," he replied, laughing to himself, after speaking of the small Irish pub in his basement. "I have a debate with Terry McAuliffe tomorrow and I want to have my game face on."
By David Paul Kuhn