Demonstrators honk horns, chant outside Gore residence in US capital

WASHINGTON, Nov 26 (AFP) -

A noisy demonstration was underway late Sunday outside of the vice president's mansion here, with Republicans chanting "Get out of Cheney's house!" and Democrats shouting, "Joe's moving in!"

They were referring to Republican vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney, a former defense secretary and his Democratic rival, Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman.

Demonstrators gathered as the deadline for Florida counties to submit amended presidential vote results came and Secretary of State Katherine Harris was expected to certify a final tally.

The vice president's residence is set far back from a wooded avenue in a quiet section of Washington, but late Sunday drivers honked horns and many of the 200 demonstrators used megaphones.

Like the US election in miniature, Republicans and Democrats stood on opposite sides of the street and shouted at one another.

Kira Schulz, a marketing consultant from Maryland, crossed over to the Republican side, insisting that Gore should have conceded defeat after a single recount of ballots in Florida.

"I'm a registered Democrat but I'm embarrassed to be a Democrat. Sure you need a recount, but there has to be a standard to follow," she told AFP.

According to Margaret Moodie, a self-employed Bush supporter from Maryland: "We have won four times - as of this evening."

Bob Bradley, a real estate investor from Annapolis, Maryland brought his 12 year old twins to the demonstration.

"This is working out the right way. The truth is coming out. I think when you vote, if you foul up it's your problem. If you can't vote you shouldn't be voting."

Across the street, Democrats were a bit less noisy.

"I believe Gore won the election by between 20,000 and 40,000 votes in Florida. If anyone is trying to steal this election, it's the Bush campaign," said Stanley Weiss, a professor of experimental psychology at American University here.

"Count every vote," read signs held by the Gore supporters.

Stanley Mayes said he had come out to balance the Republican turnout and was not impressed by the noisy show across the street.

"They are not going to do in Washington DC what they did in Florida. They can roll out the thugs all they want," he said, referring to charges that Republican protesters pressured election officials in one Florida county to halt their recount.

Members of the secret service, the security detail assigned to top government officials, were discretely standing by. Gore, who lives in the vice presidential mansion, was not in sight.

Many people brought their pets to the protest and one Dalmatian sported a sign marked, "IAFF Firefighters for Gore."

"Get out of Cheney's house!"

-- Ain't Gonna Happen (Not Here Not@ever.com), November 26, 2000

Answers

Get out of Cheney's house? Where were they demonstrating? At Walter Reed Medical Center?

-- (@ .), November 27, 2000.

^^hee hee ya'll are on a roll today...thanks for the laughs.

-- (shh@aol.com), November 27, 2000.