Cindy McCain Nabs Top Style Honors as GOP Convention Draws to a Close; Grassroots.com Torch Awards Recognize Mrs. McCain, Animal Activists and Others.

Entertainment Editors

SAN BRUNO, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Aug. 4, 2000

It was one Grand Old Party in Philadelphia this past week, and Grassroots.com captured the best of the Republican National Convention by unveiling the first ever Torch Awards. Designed to capture the lighter side of politics as usual, the Torch Awards were awarded daily throughout the convention. Grassroots.com, the Internet's premier political action site most recently bestowed its honors on a buttoned-up woman from Arizona, a governor on the move and a committed group of vegetarians.

With a bi-partisan team of political insiders including Mike McCurry, former Clinton spokesman, and Kyle McSlarrow, former chairman of Dan Quayle's presidential campaign, the Torch Award selection committee had a full-access pass that took them everywhere from the convention floor to the hottest after-hours parties. Here are their picks for best of the convention:

-- "Fashion Forward" Award: Who was the best dressed at the

Convention?

Winner: Cindy McCain. When is this woman not stunning? Like

her husband, Cindy McCain, clad in St. John Knit suits and

Chanel shoes, makes her colleagues stand up and take notice.

She's stylish, yet practical -- knits won't wrinkle on the

Straight Talk Express!

-- "Golden Megaphone" Award: What protestors left you saying,

"Can't we all just get along?"

Winner: PETA. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals 

relentlessly espoused the virtue of vegetarianism to this

meat-and-potatoes crowd, day and night, night and day.

Activists even dressed the part, showing up outside parties

in pink bunny suits.

-- "The Convention MVP" Award: Who's moving on up the party

ranks?

Winner: Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. He rose to the

occasion, hosting a convention that, for the most part, was

snafu free. If this one-time veep contender ever decides to

leave politics, he could always go into event planning.

-- "I Want One of Those" Award: Which giveaway was a

Have-to-Have?

Winner: The Convention 2000 Barbie Doll. Donning a

conservative -- yet fashionable -- red suit and official

floor credentials, Barbie is ready to take on the issues.

-- "The GOP's 'IT' Guy": Who's the most eligible bachelor at the

GOP convention?

Winner: George Prescott Bush. Talk about red, hot and blue.

This tall, dark and handsome twenty something is making "P"

the sexiest letter of the alphabet.

-- "Most Rockin' Party" Award: What was the party of the Grand

Old Party?

Winner: Blues Traveler Bash. "Optimistic Thoughts" prevailed

at the midnight concert featuring the coolest cats in

Southern blues. Joining 3,000 other rockin' delegates at

the bash were George P., the Bush girls and members of the

House leadership, including House Whip Tom Delay.

-- "GOP's Favorite Junk Food" Award: What's yummy for the tummy

in Philly?

Winner: KandyKakes. Politicos were having their cake and

eating it too, devouring the creamy confections everywhere,

from the media lounge in Pavilion 4 to the Florida delegation's

party at the Hard Rock Cafe.

-- "The Best Line We've Heard All Night" Award: Who had the best

one liner?

Winner: Laura Bush. The former teacher and librarian outlined

the difference between Al Gore's efforts to get to know teachers

and her husband's efforts, "George spends every night with a

teacher." And you thought he was just checking out books.

Hubba hubba.

About the Torch Awards

The Torch Awards, awarded daily at the Republican National Convention, will make another appearance in Los Angeles at the Democratic National Convention. Well-known political insiders including Mike McCurry and Kyle McSlarrow will help select the award winners.

All Grassroots.com convention coverage and copies of previous news releases can be found on the Grassroots.com website at http://www.grassroots.com.

About Grassroots.com

Grassroots.com, Inc. is a non-partisan media and technologies company creating the Internet's premier political action site -- a website containing rich media and everyday communication-collaboration tools. Grassroots.com is an online community that enables citizens and their representatives to effect positive, democratic change. Founded in September 1999, the private venture-backed company is based in San Bruno, Calif., with offices in Washington, D.C. Major investors in Grassroots.com include Advanced Technology Ventures, Knight Ridder Ventures, and AIG Horizon Partners, LLC. The company can be found on the Internet at http://www.grassroots.com.