CROWDS STEP UP TO NO AVAIL.

Byline: Dana Bartholomew. Staff Writer

SAN FERNANDO - They'd flown miles from Miami, slogged hours across Los Angeles and strutted blocks across this city for a once-in-a-lifetime peek at power and fame.

A glimpse of America's most famous schoolteacher, first lady Laura Bush. A face-to-face with Mexico's most charismatic presidente, newly elected Vicente Fox. A look at the top state power-broker, Gov. Gray Davis.

But all the hundreds of fans and detractors saw was the 19 steps of Morningside Elementary School where the delegation met with students.

No first lady. No presidente. No governor. Just a look at bare steps and closed double doors.

``Hey, what the hell, man,'' said Andrew Thibodeaux, 49, of San Fernando, who driven all of three blocks for the historic visit. ``This is big time for San Fernando - we've got the president of a sovereign nation, we've got the first lady, we've even got the governor.

``We didn't come all the way down here to be shined on.''

They were. After an hour under the hot sun, an estimated 500 spectators got the slip as the dignitaries escaped out the back door with not even a wave from their motorcade.

Nonetheless, this largely Latino city turned out in droves to welcome - except for some supporters of the Chiapas Indian movement - Mexico's most revolutionary figure since Pancho Villa before dozens of TV cameras.

``We want Fox, we want Fox,'' shouted throngs pressed to the sidewalk, in English and in Spanish. Many carried homemade signs. Some waved the green, white and red of their native land.

``He's like a homegrown person, he likes to wear boots, a cowboy hat. He's one of us,'' said Jim Mejorado, a youth minister from San Fernando. ``I'll call him the new Pancho Villa - the Mexican version of Kennedy.

``He gives people hope.''

The visit by Mexico's first leader who was not part of the dominant PRI party in 75 years was a coup for this town of some 30,000 in the midst of millions from Los Angeles.

Library clerk Mary Sela, 18, waited for a cell phone call from mom if the charismatic leader showed his face. Should Fox brave the steps, one old man sat high in a tree to record the event on videocassette.

Not everyone, however, came to pay homage to Fox.

``Fox, don't promise here what you haven't delivered there,'' read a banner as big as a school bus flanked by dozens of Chiapas Indian sympathizers demonstrating behind black bandannas and balaclavas.

A vehement set of conga drums drove a dozen Pacoima Aztec Dancers, dressed in extravagant feather headdresses and traditional loincloths, to dance in protest of Fox's failure to reach a settlement with his indigenous rebels.

``They've snuck out the back, sneaky little Fox,'' exclaimed Uitzilzenteotl Cozkacuauhtli, 29, leader of the troupe. ``They're on the brink of civil war and he's up here talking education with Davis.''

On its own corner across from the school was an isolated protest against Bush's office by two dozen demonstrators. ``Bush stole the election,'' read one sign. ``Not my president,'' read another.

Bob Kunst, the leader of Oral Majority, flew all the way from Miami to protest Bush's ``presidency-through-the-courts'' in San Fernando and he'll protest at Sunday's Oscar extravaganza.

``Gore won, Bush lost,'' said Kunst, holding a plastic Oscar and a sign that read, ``Oscar for Bush, best performance in a coup d'etat.'' ``We're opening up a campaign nationwide to prove that Bush was a thief.''

``Why don't you guys grab another corner,'' one man said in anger to the anti-Bush contingent. ``You've got the best freakin' corner on the whole street - that sucks.''

Brenda De La Cruz, 19, of Granada Hills and an avid Bush supporter, merely wanted a glimpse of the first lady. ``I'm so disappointed,'' she said. ``I was really excited she came to the Valley.''

Show or no show, Thursday's throng was the biggest thing ever to hit San Fernando, said Willie Cook, 79, a lifelong resident.

``It's a spectacle,'' he said, leaning against a wall, staring at 19 steps. ``Never seen anything like it.''

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Photo:

Supporters and protesters line Maclay Avenue across from Morningside Elementary, hoping to get a look at first lady Laura Bush, Mexican President Vicente Fox or Gov. Gray Davis.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer