Irate local Republicans protest Florida recounts

BANGOR – More than 75 people gave up holiday shopping and bargain hunting Friday afternoon to show their support for Texas Gov. George W. Bush’s presidential bid.

Standing in front of Burger King at the intersection of Hogan Road and Springer Drive, they waved leftover campaign signs and handmade signs. Drivers honked and waved as they turned onto the access road to Wal-Mart or Bangor Mall Boulevard. A few, including a municipal driver for The Bus, gave them a thumbs-down sign.

“We’re fed up,” said Mary Drew of Orono in explaining why she organized the event. “Bush won. They’ve already counted the votes a couple of times. What they’re doing now is bogus.”

An Orono resident, she is a member of the Penobscot County Republican Committee. Drew said she called about 20 other active Republicans, the local talk radio station and sent a press release to the Bangor Daily News to let people know about the rally.

Drew’s efforts brought out more Bush supporters than showed up for Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Lieberman’s first visit to Bangor. About 25 people protested the Connecticut senator’s campaign stop across the street from the Bangor Opera House on Oct. 31.

Lucas Rentschler, 21, and Derek Miliotto, 18, of Concord, N.H., were visiting their cousin Russell Smith, 22, in Hampden for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend when they read about the event Friday. Rentschler, who campaigned for the Texas governor in Concord, said he and his friends left a touch football game to show their support for Bush.

“Bush was robbed in Florida,” said Miliotto. “We can only recount the votes so many times. We lost a football game today and we didn’t ask for a recount. We accepted it and so should Gore.”

Martha Porter of Veazie said she copied her sign from one she’d seen on the television news. Made to look like the Gore-Lieberman campaign signs, it read instead “Sore Loserman.”

“Part of Gore’s strategy was to win at all costs,” said Porter, who added that if she weren’t at the rally, she’d be working at home or shopping.

Brian Duprey, the representative-elect from Hampden, came to the rally with his wife and three daughters. They took turns standing out in the cold waving Bush-Cheney signs and warming up in the family car. Duprey said he’d be home with his family instead of at the rally with his family if the presidential election had been decided Nov. 7.

“I believe the presidential election is being stolen and this is what I can do about it,” said Emery Zambo of Hampden. “If I weren’t here, I’d probably be working. I don’t have time to count chads.”