Signs waved, barbs traded

Passersby brandished thumbs up or down, as well as a few other fingers as Brea activist Robert Lauten stood on a street corner near the OC Fair & Event center, where President Barack Obama attended a town hall meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Waving a large, yellow sign promoting immigration reform, Lauten was one of hundreds who came out to cheer or jeer the president during his visit to Costa Mesa.

“I don’t think Obama is any better than George Bush. I haven’t seen any difference yet,” Lauten said, as cars whizzed by and spectators anxious to catch a glimpse of the president gathered across the street at the fairgrounds.

“Did you see the messiah, did the anointed one let you touch his robes,” other protesters asked sarcastically as Los Angeles immigration reform activist Chelene Nightingale from the group Save Our State returned to the small clutch of protesters gathered on the corner after venturing over to the fairgrounds parking lot where spectators had gathered to chant Obama’s name. Sporting a cowboy hat and an American flag T-shirt, Nightingale carried a sign that read “Freedom not Socialism.”

“I’m tired of my taxes going to support this socialist state,” she said.

Regaled to a quiet side street on one side of the fairgrounds, vendors sold everything from framed Obama posters to rhinestone-studded Obama T-shirts, as they grumbled over the lack of traffic through the area.

“You’d think I was selling drugs the way I’ve been treated,” said vendor Lottie Walker, who drove from Los Angeles to Costa Mesa to sell her wares. “I think people are excited about Obama and what he represents. They might want to buy a T-shirt to remember when he did this or appeared there.”

A Costa Mesa family who brought her two young daughters to protest Obama caused a fracas at the edge of the fairgrounds parking lot on Fairview Road.

Isabella Mohr, 8, held up a sign nearly as large as she was that read “Gimme free cocaine cuz I wanna grow up like you.”

Obama supporters gathered around the family, jeering at mother Elisa Mohr.

“You shouldn’t teach your kids to hold up signs that say, ‘I want cocaine,’” said Stephanie Alvarez, wearing an Obama T-shirt and clutching her 2-year-old son, Skylar.

“Bush did cocaine too,” another Obama supporter chimed in.

“Gimme a free Corvette when I’m 16, red please,” read a sign held by Cassandra Mohr, 11.

“Obama gave money to all the banks so I want some free stuff too,” Cassandra said.

Mohr said she was proud of her children for standing up for their beliefs.

“We came here to protest Obama, we do everything as a family,” Mohr said. “I’m introducing my children to political action.”

An Obama supporter, Fountain Valley resident Alvarez scooped up her son, still clutching his sidewalk chalk, and headed to Costa Mesa after the 2-year-old saw a presidential helicopter headed to the fairgrounds in Costa Mesa on Wednesday.

“We just wanted to try and get a glimpse of him,” she said.

Reporter BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at brianna.bailey@latimes.com.