Cox Comes to the Aid of His Partiers

It’s a politician’s nightmare: A thousand anxious constituents dressed to the nines to celebrate the inauguration of the new president . . . and nowhere to go.

Welcome to Christopher Cox’s week. The Republican congressman from Newport Beach returns home from an overseas trip, walks into his office and finds a thick stack of requests for tickets. Not just any old ticket, but the biggest ticket of the moment: that slip which gets a person into one of the eight official inaugural balls--nine, counting tonight’s oh-so-coveted Texas Black Tie & Boots Ball.

And Cox had one thought: He had no idea how to accommodate the requests. Then an idea came to him. He’d throw his own bash in the nation’s capital.

House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), who’d been traveling overseas with Cox, said fine, sure, why not. The board of the Library of Congress agreed to open its doors for the party, and the U.S. Capital Historical Society volunteered to sponsor the $125-per-person event, meaning they’ll benefit from any profit.

But the key to any serious party, especially one designed to attract 1,000 Washington partygoers, is entertainment. LeAnn Rimes wasn’t available. Neither was fellow country-western singer Lee Ann Womack. But a 14-piece orchestra was. It would do. The band was quickly booked.

And there was a twist of wonderful fortune in the congressman’s party planning. Thanks to an obscure Library of Congress rule barring the exchange of money on the grounds, the food and drinks would be free.

“The Library of Congress is the most elegant building in America and the best venue in Washington,” Cox gushed late Thursday, deep into another 16-hour day planning the event. “It’ll be very nice.”

Comedian Tom Dreesen, a veteran of “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” will act as master of ceremonies. Comedian Yakov Smirnoff, a friend of the congressman’s, also will perform. Safeway Stores and the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers will underwrite the party.

Orange County Republican Bruce Nestande, a Bush supporter, said he decided to pass early on trying to wiggle into the inauguration because of the crush for tickets.

“When I was back in Washington last week, every member of Congress I talked to was confronted with: ‘Where do I find tickets?’ I think Cox is filling a vacuum here to the best of his ability,” Nestande said.

Orange County, though, will be well represented during the inauguration festivities, putting up a guest list ranging from developer George Argyros to Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas to, well, Cox.

The official four-day program of events, called “Celebrating America’s Spirit Together,” kicked off Thursday and ends Saturday, with the eight official inaugural balls--and Cox’s. Ticket prices range from $125 to $2,500 per person. The tab for the inauguration is an estimated $30 million.