Politics Dominates St. Patrick’s Day

NEW YORK —  Irish cheer mixed with political jeers at New York’s St. Patrick’s Day parade on Friday as U.S. Senate rivals Rudolph W. Giuliani and Hillary Rodham Clinton made the traditional march up Fifth Avenue before a rowdy crowd.

Thousands of onlookers lined the famous parade route to look at-- and shout at--the New York City mayor and the first lady as they made separate appearances, like countless New York politicians before them, in the event.

The 239th annual march was a key event for the likely opponents. Rudy posters and Hillary shamrock stickers were as common as green hair and “Kiss me, I’m Irish” pins along the route.

City police did not release an official crowd estimate but noted attendance may have been off due to snow and chilly temperatures. In years past, as many as 2 million people have attended the parade, one of the city’s largest and best known.

Giuliani, wearing a green tie, marched first, taking a poke at Mrs. Clinton for not being a native of the state they each are hoping to represent in the U.S. Senate next year.

“I hope she knows the way,” the Republican mayor joked, noting it was his 20th parade appearance. “I hope she doesn’t get lost on one of the side streets.”

For the first lady, the parade walk proved to be somewhat of a political gantlet, as shouts from detractors often drowned out shouts of encouragement.

A group waiting on the steps of historic St. Patrick’s Cathedral let out a loud chorus of boos as she passed, and “Go back to Arkansas!” was a not uncommon cry.

Undaunted and smiling broadly, Mrs. Clinton said: “This is the first time I’ve been able to march in this parade as a New Yorker, and I’m excited and could not be happier to be here.

“I’m not worried about getting lost.”

The first lady and President Clinton bought a house in a New York City suburb late last year.

But the issue of Mrs. Clinton as an outsider seemed to reverberate in the crowd.

“We have lots of people here who could fill the job,” said Myrtle Whitmore, a retiree from Queens.

Outnumbered, perhaps, but seemingly undismayed, Clinton supporters shouted, “Hillary, Hillary, Hillary!” as she went by.

“I’m going to support her because she’s educated and articulate,” said Mary Ann Reynolds, a teacher from Goshen, N.Y.

“They don’t give her credit, and men are afraid of articulate women,” she commented on the crowd around her.

While polls show Clinton and Giuliani in a close race, he has fared better among suburban voters, and a significant number of those attending the St. Patrick’s Day parade typically hail from the New York City suburbs and residential outer boroughs.

Both candidates signed autographs, shook hands and hugged babies as they worked their way along the parade route, accompanied by myriad marchers, bagpipes and drum corps.

Not everyone liked the parade’s political bent.

“I don’t think it’s right,” said Jimmy Whelan, 67, of West Orange, N.J. “This is supposed to be a religious-based event more than anything else.”

Gay activists shouted “Shame, shame, shame!” to protest their exclusion from the parade, and 69 people were arrested on charges of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in a demonstration before the parade began.

The demonstration, and the arrests, have become an added annual tradition in New York as Irish Lesbian and Gay Organization members object to being banned as a group by parade organizers.

The holiday also was marked by festivities in other cities.

In Savannah, Ga., dark clouds gave way to sunshine in time for the 176th St. Patrick’s Day parade, where thousands lined the streets of the coastal city famous for serving up green grits, green eggs and--of course--green beer.

“It was just wall-to-wall people, I can tell you that,” police spokesman Bucky Burnsed said.

The parade, with 300 entries this year, is the nation’s second largest after New York.