CAMPAIGN ECONOMICS VENDORS HIT PARTISAN PAY DIRT SELLING CONVENTION SOUVENIRS.

Byline: Chris Sieroty Staff Writer

Jay Fisk has been selling souvenirs in Los Angeles for 28 years, but the four days of the Democratic National Convention has proved a lot harder work than a Lakers or Kings game.

Fisk and other Staples Center vendors say the convention has been good for business; he can't keep ``Gore 2000'' T-shirts in stock and is hoping to receive another shipment before the convention ends today.

Convention officials expect each of the five kiosks inside Staples Center to sell $40,000 a day in merchandise.

``Anything with Joe Lieberman on it is popular,'' said Fisk.

``The No. 1 seller is the Leadership for the New Millennium button,'' said Fisk. ``The button is popular because both candidates are on it. They love buying the ones with both of them on it.''

Such is the support for their party's historic ticket and the hopes that their candidates will win in November, continuing the Democratic presence in the White House after eight years of Bill Clinton's rule.

At stalls throughout Staples Center, Democrats can buy buttons, hats, T-shirts, bumper stickers, coffee mugs, golf balls, and a host of other political paraphernalia.

Ron Gills, a member of the California delegation from Santa Clarita, spent almost $60 on T-shirts that read: ``America 2000 The Democratic National Convention,'' with a picture of California and the American Flag.

Other delegates paid $27 for Hillary for U.S. Senate T-shirts and $15 for Hillary hats or Gore 2000 mugs.

``I purchased a number of souvenirs, including several buttons, to commemorate being here,'' said Gillis, a regional director for the California Democratic Party. ``Conventions are historic moments.''

One popular bumper sticker read: ``Take back the House. Vote Democratic.''

Also being offered to Democrats wanting to relive the 1960 Democratic Convention at the Los Angeles Sports Arena were buttons telling the party faithful that ``The Tradition Lives On!'' a reference between former President John F. Kennedy and Vice President Al Gore.

Ted Hake, author of ``The Guide to Presidential Campaign Collectibles,'' and co-host of QVC's convention show, said buttons and other memorabilia help tell the story of the whole election.

``One of the trends I've noticed is that people seem to be collecting memorabilia from the elections they've lived through and voted in,'' he said.

``The Clintons have proved to be very popular,'' added Hake. ``The anti-Clinton buttons sell just as well or better than the pro-Clinton buttons.''

Doug Rose, vice president of merchandising for West Chester, Pa.,-based QVC, said that just as in Philadelphia with the GOP, the television shopping network is the official retailer at the Democratic convention.

Rose said the audience who watched their hour-long program Wednesday night was a ``buying audience'' - not quite the same audience C-SPAN would attract.

``We offer our viewers the kind of merchandise that would only be available if they were here,'' said Rose. ``The appeal is that as much as they would want to be there, they can't.''

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo: (1 -- color) A Democratic National Convention delegate shows off some of his political buttons. Button collecting is a hot pastime, with prices starting at $2.50.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

(2) Conventioneers line up to buy political buttons in the halls of Staples Center.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer