Reagan Pulls County’s GOP Elite to Wilson Lunch

It may well be remembered in local Republican circles as the power lunch of power lunches.

As evidence of his marquee value in Orange County, President Reagan attracted a guest list to a fund-raising luncheon Tuesday in Irvine for Sen. Pete Wilson (R-Calif.) that read like a “Who’s Who” of the county’s GOP elite. More than 1,000 party activists, from Irvine Co. Chairman Donald L. Bren to Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez, paid $500 a plate to nibble on meat loaf Wellington and broccoli and sip white wine.

Even Hollywood weighed in, with Glenn Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jaclyn Smith, Buddy Ebsen and Mickey Rooney in attendance.

It was the first day of public appearances since the Republican National Convention last week for the President, who was looking fit, tanned and relaxed after a week at his Santa Barbara ranch.

Wilson, who is locked in a reelection battle with Democratic Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy, netted $450,000 for his campaign.

Wilson’s 55th birthday on Tuesday was observed with a red, white and blue cake. But it was Reagan who was the center of attention at the gathering, which some political observers said symbolized the county’s mounting importance in the national political arena.

A decade ago, the county was viewed by political strategists as a collection of bedroom communities, places where state or national candidates made occasional campaign stops but never seriously mined for contributions, Wilson campaign manager Otto Bos said Tuesday. But that has changed, Bos said.

“Today, there is the kind of money in this county that can make or break a campaign,” Bos said. “In the past, major candidates held fund-raisers in San Francisco and Los Angeles and maybe their hometowns. But now Orange County is a must stop. . . . This may be our biggest money-making event. It is a sign that Orange County is flexing its political muscle.”

The business community in particular was out in force at the luncheon in what Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder said was a “thank you” to Reagan for “eight good, good years.”

“A lot of people have made a lot of money, thanks to Reagan, and they wanted to pay their respects,” Wieder said after the President spoke to the crowd and urged Wilson’s reelection. “Let’s be honest: There are a number of people here who wouldn’t have come if this had just been a Pete Wilson luncheon. . . .”

Tom Wilkins agreed. A Democrat who owns a small manufacturing business in Santa Ana, he said:

“I started my business six years ago, and it is now going great guns. Reagan has given small businessmen the confidence (that) they can succeed. I’m here because he deserves my applause.”

In what some GOP activists say may have been Reagan’s final visit to the county as President, the luncheon took on the air of a tribute at times.

The President arrived at the Marine Corps Air Station in Tustin by helicopter at about 11:20 a.m., after flying from Santa Barbara to Long Beach for a brief stop to sign a trade bill. He then traveled by motorcade to the Irvine Hilton, where luncheon guests had started arriving at mid-morning. Security was tight, with everyone in attendance--including reporters covering Reagan’s two-day Southern California campaign swing--required to walk through metal detectors before entering the ballroom.

Reagan, traveling without his wife, Nancy, reached the ballroom about 12:20 p.m. as a band played “California, Here I Come.”

In a 10-minute address, Reagan praised Wilson as a “Teddy Roosevelt Republican” and attacked the Democrats as being soft on crime and weak on defense issues. Referring to the Democrats, he used the word liberal 13 times.

The luncheon was a decidedly formal affair. For the men, dark suits, white shirts and red, yellow and paisley ties were the order of the day, while most women were in heels, silk and pearls.

Behind the platform, where Reagan, Wilson and other dignitaries sat, about 4,000 red, white and blue balloons were used to fashion a huge American flag. At each table, guests received a complimentary wine glass with Wilson’s Senate seal and his signature.

Meat loaf Wellington--meat loaf in a puff pastry--reportedly was chosen for the main course because it is one of Reagan’s favorite dishes.

‘Looks Very Republican’

“It looks very Republican. It’s great, isn’t it?” said Toni Williams, a Mission Viejo resident. “I just hope the Democrats don’t drop a bomb on this place. They could set the Republican Party back 20 years, there are so many big names here.”

All five county supervisors were there, including Vasquez, who received rave reviews on his address at the GOP convention last week in New Orleans.

Also attending were C. Christopher Cox and Dana Rohrabacher, Republican nominees in the 40th and 42nd Congressional Districts. Both Cox, an attorney, and Rohrabacher, a speech writer, worked in the White House before returning to Orange County in January to run for Congress. Along with Rep. David Dreier, (R-La Verne), Cox and Rohrabacher helped carry Wilson’s cake to the podium before the luncheon crowd sang “Happy Birthday” to the senator.

When asked if he was nervous, Cox smiled and replied: “Thank goodness nobody tripped.”

Wilson, however, was not so lucky. When he bent to blow out the candles, his red tie swung squarely into the blue icing.

Chances are good, though, that some in the crowd were paying more attention to the dozen or so Hollywood celebrities scattered around the room. During the pre-luncheon introductions, former “Charlie’s Angels” star Jaclyn Smith and Mickey Rooney attracted the most attention. When Rooney’s name was called, many in the crowd stood for a better glimpse.

One of the biggest cheers came when Johnny Grant, the master of ceremonies, remembered John Wayne, one of Hollywood’s best known and most active Republicans. In a playful attack on Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis, Grant said he had a feeling that Wayne was probably looking down in disgust at the “5-foot, left-wing liberal who is running around calling himself ‘The Duke.’ It’s probably for the good,” Grant added, “that John is not in charge of the lightning up there.”

It was Reagan, however, who received the loudest ovation.

Times staff writer Laura Kurtzman contributed to this article.