Orange County’s GOP Contingent Cheers, Except. . .

What does the politically correct Orange County congressman do on the day that Bill Clinton, acknowledged Democrat and suspected liberal, becomes the 42nd President of the United States?

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach), usually one of Clinton’s toughest critics, bit the bullet. He not only attended the ceremonies at a Capitol awash in winter sunlight and 250,000 spectators but opened his office to constituents, mainly Democrats, who were in town for the event.

And with apparent effort, he held his tongue. “I don’t want to be in the paper saying negative things about (Clinton) the first day,” Rohrabacher said. “All the Republicans, including yours truly, Dana Rohrabacher, were applauding Bill Clinton and wishing him well.”

Well, almost all the Republicans.

“I’m sitting here getting an early jump on my income taxes,” Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), said from his suburban Virginia home.

“As much as I love history, I could not physically watch a decorated (World War II) Navy combat carrier attack pilot (Bush) passing on the torch to a draft dodger,” Dornan said. “I just couldn’t watch it live. For historical purposes, maybe I’ll watch it in the next day or so.”

Not that it’s anything personal, Dornan said. “I think the world of George Bush, and I think a lot less of Bill Clinton.”

Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) was at the Capitol, sitting behind Clinton and Bush during the inauguration ceremonies. So were Reps. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton), Jay C. Kim (R-Diamond Bar), who represents Yorba Linda, and Ron Packard (R-Oceanside), whose district includes South County.

“It was an American speech rather than a partisan speech,” Cox said. “The (new) President was very gracious to the outgoing President, and for a Republican, that was very moving.”