The Talk of the Democratic Convention: Jerry Springer

Talk show host Jerry Springer, named “Democrat of the Year” by the Ohio Democratic Party, is set to attend the Democratic National Convention in July as an at-large delegate.

Springer was chosen last week by Ohio Democrats to be part of the state delegation of 159 delegates and 24 alternates headed to Boston this summer.

“We recognize him for his hard work in helping the party rebuild itself,” said Dan Trevas, spokesman for the Ohio party. Springer has appeared at about 50 county Democratic events, and given thousands of dollars to state and national Democratic causes, Trevas said.

Springer, a former mayor of Cincinnati, spent $1 million last year investigating a possible run against Sen. George Voinovich (R-Ohio), but decided against it.

Not all Ohioans are impressed. “I think it sets a new low for the Ohio Democratic Party,” said Jason Mauk, the state Republican Party’s spokesman.

*

Who’s Counting?

More than 120,000: Number of College Republican National Committee members nationwide.

1,148: College RNC chapters.

About 10,000: Number of College Democrats nationwide.

More than 500: College Democrats chapters.

*

Entrepreneurial Feat

Sen. John F. Kerry flip-flops are the newest campaign novelty item on the Internet. The blue-and-white sandals feature a Kerry caricature and the tagline: “Kerry ... the original flip-flop” across the soles.

The shoes, and matching T-shirts, are being marketed by business consultant Kurt Aeschlimann, 41, of Knoxville, Tenn., on www.kerryflips.com.

“A couple months ago I was just sitting at home and watching the news and just thinking, ‘Kerry’s flip-flopping on so many things -- I just wish he would take a stand on something,’ ” said Aeschlimann, who described himself as a conservative. “Then you started hearing the phrase ‘flip-flopping’ in the news more, and quite frankly, it just hit my funny bone.”

The month-old site, which attracted both customers and hate mail on the day it launched, gets more than 1,500 hits a day.

A Kerry campaign spokeswoman, Laura Capps, retorted, “Until George Bush actually does something about the highest gas prices in history, we all might be looking for cheap footwear.”

*

Duly Quoted

“I think it’s important not to give advice very often. It’s better for a marriage. I don’t want a lot of advice from him.”

-- First Lady Laura Bush on her relationship with President Bush, in an interview this week.

“The mainstream media actually have been very good to me. By their absence they’ve given me a wonderful gift of being able to make mistakes without reading about them in screaming headlines.”

Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich, on the campaign trail in Oregon.

*

Compiled from staff, Web and wire reports by Times staff researcher Susannah Rosenblatt.