Democrats Are Doing Their Best to Toe the Party Line

CHICAGO — We are gathered here together to have a really good time.

--Hillary Rodham Clinton

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And they are having a good time.

Despite long, hot waits to simply enter the excruciatingly well-secured United Center, speeches that last far into the night, and next to no time for naps, delegates are following the advice of those two fun-loving guys from nearby Aurora:

“Party on, Garth! Party on, Wayne!”

On Tuesday, the Hyatt Regency was the venue for what some had hoped would provide one of the few daylight bursts of star power: Chastity Bono’s reception for the Human Rights Campaign. Although the gathering was lively, it drew few stars--or even star offspring--nor did a certain Republican congressman show up.

The stars, the world must know by now, were all in their suites resting so they could wake up for the convention’s most coveted ticket, John F. Kennedy Jr.’s George magazine soiree in the twinkling gardens of the Chicago Art Institute.

Oprah was there, arm in arm with John-John’s cousin, Maria Shriver. Roger “I’ll-go-to-any-party!” Clinton, Secretary of Labor Robert Reich and Kevin Costner also showed up. But, the diminutive Reich didn’t stay because, he said, he couldn’t see above the crowd. And Costner, well, he’s a registered Republican anyway, so his social staying power doesn’t count.

The party hosted by Bill Daley (son of Richard I, brother of Richard II) at the House of Blues was put down by local party police as “a Gore snore” and “a snooze bash.” Cruel? Perhaps, but what can you expect when the promised secret guest turns out to be the rhythm-challenged veep instead of the man everybody had hoped for--hometown lounge lizard and comedian Bill Murray.

And yes, that heavy-lidded guy on the fringe of the action at the House of Blues was Chicago’s own favorite physician-in-training, William Kennedy Smith. Although he’s doing his residency at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, he declined to offer any free medical (or legal) advice--or, in far greater demand, tickets to JFK Jr.’s party.

The more mature Kennedys were probably trying to conserve their energy for a Robert F. Kennedy Foundation fund-raiser tonight, hosted by Kerry Kennedy Cuomo, Bobby’s daughter and Mario’s daughter-in-law. Details were unavailable, but the president may be there to celebrate his nomination.

Chelsea Clinton made her Chicago party debut Tuesday at MTV’s Rock the Vote bash at the Hard Rock Cafe. Thanks to her youth, this little trouper partied on after an entire afternoon of shopping on Michigan Avenue that would have exhausted any Democrat over the age of 18.

Although there were no plans for her to attend, Chelsea might have enjoyed Wednesday’s “Political Animals Day” at the Brookfield Zoo. The private outing for invited Dems and their kids included a picnic lunch and a from-a-safe-distance visit with--you guessed it--the party animal of the hour, Binti-Jua, the mama gorilla who rescued that fallen toddler.

Binti is soaking up the spotlight from a comfortable perch in a tree at the front of the gorillas’ living space. Good parent that she is, Binti spends her days smiling for the cameras and grooming and rocking her daughter Koola.

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On the eve of the convention, there was a handful of parties that kept going and going and going till morning. These included a lakefront gathering of friends and supporters of Chicago Congresswoman Cardiss Collins.

Chatty cabby Christopher Sanya spent the wee hours chauffeuring a group of hip (and do we need to add--young?) party girls and boys back and forth between the Cardiss yacht club scene and the two other places to see and be seen.

At Jordan’s (Michael the Restaurant), Chicago Bulls coach Phil Jackson feted fellow tall guy and former New York Knick teammate Bill Bradley who, Jackson quipped, “went on to bigger and better things, if you consider being a politician that.”

In keeping with the old guys’ party theme, the event at Jordan’s flashy multilevel restaurant honored Bradley’s upcoming retirement from the U.S. Senate. Jordan the Ballplayer did not attend.

Although Bobby Rush is not a young man, the former Panther Party minister of defense and current congressman did apparently pull off one of the best--or at least longest-running--parties of the entire week. His Sunday night schmooze-and-cruise didn’t dock until 3 a.m.

Still, Rush’s party couldn’t hold a candle to the Park West’s. The event tossed by political strategists David Axelrod and David Wilhelm was so packed, the Chicago Fire Department threatened to shut it down.

Lines wrapped around the block, but firefighters were letting in only 10 guests at a time. Which was kind of surprising. The air was hot and heavy, the food--hot dogs and cheesecake--was cold and sticky, and the music was too loud.

But despite Hillary’s call to party, some delegates are just too pooped.

“I am so embarrassed to tell you this, but I haven’t been to a single party,” admitted a weary Missouri delegate Wednesday in the bustling Hyatt lobby. “I am too tired by the end of the session to do anything but go to my room, take off my shoes, and take a hit of cranberry juice from the big bottle I bought this morning.”