Aides "Vacation" at Convention

Back home in the nation's capital, G. William Hoagland writes budget resolutions and reconciliation bills as staff director of the Senate Budget Committee. In San Diego, he's checking facts in speeches as part of the Republican National Convention staff.

``I'm making sure that numbers and facts are accurate,'' he said, admitting that he's found a few errors, such as by one speaker who meant to say 2 per cent and said 27 per cent. Hoagland said that, technically, he's on vacation in San Diego, although he admitted that it hasn't been much of a vacation yet.

``But, I'd rather be here,'' he said.

Like many congressional staff members working in San Diego, Hoagland paid his own expenses out here. Literally, scores of House and Senate aides are in San Diego, and many are doing tasks only loosely connected with their duties back home.

``There's a lot of motivation for congressional staff to make sure Republicans do well in this election,'' said John P. Feehery, communications director for House Republican Majority Whip Tom D. DeLay of Texas. ``This convention has a lot to do with it.''

Feehery has been handling press for DeLay, but has also been writing speeches for convention speakers. And while the House has not been the most family-friendly place in the past two years, with its long schedules, Feehery admitted that in San Diego he's suffering from ``sleep deprivation.''

That's also the case for Elizabeth Morra, press secretary for the House Appropriations Committee. Morra is setting up satellite feeds to link conventioneers with media outlets at home. ``I'd much rather be at my Appropriations desk answering calls. But at least it's sunny and we're outside here. And you've got to experience this at least once.''

Morra is paying many of her own expenses here, estimating that she'll spend at least $300 for the week.

While Morra longs for the second floor of the Capitol, Edmund M. Amorosi, press secretary for the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee, said: ``There's nothing going on back home. Washington's a dead town right now. The Washington press corps is here. Most of the people on the Hill like action, and this is where the action is.'' Amorosi is volunteering in the Youth Voter area.

Bob Stevenson, press secretary for the Senate Budget Committee, agreed that he'd rather be in San Diego. ``This is my fifth one. It's always invigorating.'' Like Morra, Stevenson is linking local media outlets with Dole surrogates.

Amy Call, a Senate Budget Committee press assistant, said her convention job scheduling television speaking appearances ``is much more exacting'' than her normal duties, which include editing a weekly budget bulletin. ``It's tiring and I've been working a lot, but there's some vacation time in there,'' she said. Call estimated she'll spend $500-$600 of her own money to be here.

A Hill aide doing her normal job is Michele A. Davis, press secretary for House Majority Leader Richard K. Armey of Texas. ``I'm just doing what I normally do,'' she said. ``Just in another town.'' And she said that based on contacts with other Hill aides, ``I'm the only one who is.''