Oh, they're with him

Ed Gillespie, chairman of the Republican Party, told reporters shortly before tens of thousands of anti-war and anti-Bush demonstrators swamped midtown Manhattan that protestors were supporters of Democratic challenger John Kerry. Gillespie says he's taken out an advertisement in local newspapers to appear on Monday that welcomes Republican delegates, thanks New York City for helping to stage the four-day GOP infor-mercial and reminds visiting Republicans that those protestors are Democrats.

"We will be joined here by thousands of Democrats and Sen. Kerry's supporters,'' Gillespie says he's telling delegates.

Asked if he was linking the demonstrators to Kerry's campaign, Gillespie replied: "I didn't say that they were linked. But they are supporters of Sen. Kerry.'' He said he hoped protestors' exercise of free speech stayed peaceful.