Politics among the produce at SR market

The presidential election is more than three months away, but it's political high season once a week at the intersection of Fourth Street and Mendocino Avenue in Santa Rosa.

Lined up cheek-to-jowl each Wednesday at the city's busiest corner are booths touting John Kerry, George Bush and the Green Party. Joining them are representatives of the Peace and Justice Center, Veterans for Peace, a group trying to ban geneti-

cally modified crops and another raising money to send protesters to the Republican National Convention.

Nearby this week were five older women in crocheted hats and flower-print dresses. The "Raging Grannies" sang to the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic":

"We are tired of being lied to/

"And we want our country back!"

The center of Santa Rosa becomes the center ring of Sonoma County's political circus at the weekly Down- town Market, where organizers set aside the corner for "free speech."

"Oh, it's a lot of fun," said Becky Montgomery, who was handing out Kerry-Edwards buttons. "It's very lively, and we have lots of laughs."

Things aren't always so funny at the GOP booth next door, though. Last week, as Laurie Robinson offered bumper stickers and commemorative Ronald Reagan pins, a man expressed his differences with presidential policy by flinging the remains of his barbecued turkey leg at a life-sized cutout of President Bush. This week, a gangly teenager stopped by for a button bearing Bush's picture and the legend, "I support our President," then stomped it flat on the pavement.

"You've got to have a thick skin to work the market," Robinson said.

At least if you're a Republican. While Montgomery sat and chatted with strangers at the Kerry booth, while the "adopt-an-activist" group calmly explained their plans to disrupt the GOP convention and while the Raging Grannies basked in amused applause, the Bush folks debated, defended and kept their eyes on the crowd.

"Last week, I was hit in the head with a water bottle," said Republican volunteer Elissa Wadleigh. "Luckily, it was empty."

This week, Wadleigh debated a young man who said, because he's an environmentalist, he wants the Green Party "to run the country."

"They're not for the environment," Wadleigh parried. "They're run by communists."

"Well, Bush is run by the oil companies," the young man said.

"I'd rather be run by the oil companies than by the communists," Wadleigh countered.

Much of the "debate" at the busy corner didn't even rise to that level. Passersby booed Bush-Cheney signs. Middle fingers were raised. A disabled woman rolled up in her electric wheelchair and, unable to speak, got her point across with a wide grin and an emphatic thumbs- down toward the Bush booth.

But it's not all food-fights and name-calling. Two young men, each carrying a skateboard, engaged the Republican contingent.

"Why does our country have to be the one to police terrorism?" asked 19-year-old Andrew Gabriel.

"Because nobody else will," said Mark Carpenter, a GOP stalwart.

They went back and forth, each polite, each listening to the other. Then Gabriel said, "OK, how about some domestic issues," and, later, "What about the Patriot Act?" When a Republican woman mentioned school vouchers, Gabriel said he didn't understand the issue and then listened to her explanation. When she finished, he shook her hand.

Afterward, Gabriel and his friend said they would never vote for Bush.

"We don't agree with them," Gabriel said. "But we want to hear their point of view. We want to understand why they believe what they believe."

Listening to the other side. Where do kids get these crazy ideas?