Clinton visit transforms Frankford Ave.

Yesterday was not a typical Monday morning at the Mayfair Diner in Northeast Philadelphia. Usually, there aren't police barricades on both sides of adjacent Frankford Avenue, Secret Service agents lining the diner's walls, or hundreds of onlookers gathered outside. Then again, on most Monday mornings, presidential candidates don't stop by for a cup of tea. By 6:15 a.m. yesterday, roughly 200 people had gathered on both sides of Frankford Avenue in order to get a glimpse of, or a handshake with, Arkansas Governor and presidential hopeful Bill Clinton. At 7:07 a.m. the crowd was roaring. A procession of cars had stopped on Frankford Avenue, and Clinton had emerged from one of them. For a few minutes, Clinton, with his wife Hillary, Senator Harris Wofford (D-Pa.) and Democratic senatorial candidate Lynn Yeakel, made their way through the crowd to the diner's entrance. They went inside for breakfast and chatted with people inside the diner. During the course of the next hour, some onlookers struggled to see the Clintons through the screens on the windows, edging closer to the panes, then edging away when they realized a Secret Service agent was glaring at them. "Yeah, Hillary!" a group of young women shouted to Hillary Clinton inside the diner, as two Secret Service agents covered their ears and winced in pain. Many in the crowd held up signs and placards. Most were supportive, with messages like "Dumpe Bushe and Quaylee," "Annoy Bush, Elect Clinton," and "Clinton/Gore Teamsters." Others, like the ones that said "Hanoi Bill," "Traitor," and "Hey $lick, Where's Genny?" were decidedly unsupportive. Linda Walther of Northeast Philadelphia held up a banner that said "Position Wanted. Wharton M.B.A. Seeks Job with Clinton/Gore Admininstration. Analytic Ability, Interpersonal Skills, 10 Years Experience. Call Linda." Walther said she received her M.B.A. in management from Wharton last May, but has been unable to find work. "I'm interested in somebody in the administration who recognizes the fact that we do have some problems in the United States and who doesn't want to trivialize them," she said. At times, the Clinton supporters argued with the protestors. When asked why he was holding up a sign that said "Traitor," Howard Walton of Northeast Philadelphia replied, "ask [Clinton] what he was doing in Russia." Walton said he thought Clinton was unpatriotic and had improperly evaded the draft during the Vietnam War. John Rosenfeld of Cherry Hill, N.J., asked Walton if he had served in Vietnam. "I was too old for Vietnam," Walton said. Rosenfeld argued that President Bush's record in office was less than sterling. "What about Irangate and Iraqgate," Rosenfeld asked. "What about the economy and unemployment?" "[Clinton's] worse than Dukakis," Walton said. "You never had it so good." A middle-aged woman, tired of listening to the argument, asked Walton if he had a job he should be going to. "I've been on disability for 10 years," Walton said. "I've never had it so good." Several people, eyeing the cups of coffee provided for members of the press, sporadically exclaimed, "Hey, free food? I want some free food!" Still other spectators simply waited patiently in the cold damp morning for the Clintons, Wofford and Yeakel to emerge. At about 8:10 a.m., the four left the diner, to loud cheers from the crowd. After short statements by Wofford, Yeakel and Hilary Clinton, the presidential candidate spoke, urging Americans to "take your country back and reclaim your future." Then they left, as quickly as they came. By 8:40 a.m., Frankford Avenue was returning to normal, with few traces of yesterday ever having been anything but a typical Monday morning.