Wilson Attends Grander Old Party

On Labor Day he hung out with the masses in his shirt sleeves at Mile Square Park in Fountain Valley.

But two nights later, it was suit-and-tie time for Sen. Pete Wilson. Not only was the Republican gubernatorial candidate in one of Irvine Cove’s toniest homes--6,500 square feet of marbled grandeur belonging to builder Tom Tucker and his wife, Joyce--he was with some of the Grand Old Party’s most generous glitterati.

For starters, Team 100 player Kathryn Thompson--donor of $100,000 to the President Bush campaign--was on hand with her husband, Gus Owen. (Team 100 player William Lyon also would have been at the bash, Tom Tucker said, but he was vacationing in Hawaii.)

Others on the $1,000-per-couple scene: Mary and Peter Muth with their son Richard, and his wife, Nancy; Pat and Marvin Weiss; Allen and Susan Boerner; Leo and Ruth Cook; Raya and Mel Jaffee; and, co-hosting with the Tuckers--Richard and Cecilia Goodman and Judy and Michael Lapin.

Gayle Wilson, who flew in from Washington for the two-hour buffet reception, preceded her husband to the party. “It’s a busy time,” she said, stealing a minute to sit down in the Tucker’s buff-tone movie theater. “Republicans need to get out and work. We can’t take this (election) for granted.”

As guests waited for the senator to appear, they sipped libations and enjoyed tours of the Tucker’s Mediterranean-style manse. Up for oohing and ahhing: the theater, of course (which, when you took a seat in one of its comfy lounge chairs, felt like being in first class on a jumbo jet); a kitchen paved in gray granite; and an on-a-clear-day-you-can-see-Hong-Kong ocean view.

“I can’t believe I live in this house,” said Tom Tucker, after pointing out his marble-clad shower with its stereo, television and telephone. “Being an American means having opportunity. And opportunity is something you borrow. You have the responsibility to return it to someone else.”

On Wednesday that somebody else was Sen. Pete Wilson, a man who, Tucker hopes, will become governor and, Tucker hopes, will someday become President. “Wilson is progressive and bright,” Tucker said. “Typically, not what we see in government.”

Immediately after his arrival, Wilson posed for keepsake pictures with the Tuckers and their daughters, Jennifer, 13, and Sara, 16.

Then it was out to the pool area for a 15-minute talk about his stand on crime prevention, education and universal prenatal care. “It’s wonderful to be here in this typical California home,” Wilson teased as he began. “Thanks for sharing it with me.”

Others in the crowd: Joan and Gerald Garner; Ted and Georgianna Hales (she did the interior design on the Tucker home and Willa Dean and William Lyon’s Coto de Caza mansion); Anabel and John Konwiser; Rabbi Mark Miller and his wife, Wendy; Cathy and Steven Militzok; David Rickey; Mary Rubenstein; Meryl and Henry Schrimmer and Larry and Jill Tucker.