LEWISTON – Tickets for today’s “W is for Women” event were all gone Thursday, snapped up Wednesday, leaving many unable to hear first lady Laura Bush speak today.

The Bush-Cheney campaign said Mrs. Bush’s popularity was responsible for the free tickets being gobbled up less than 24 hours after the ticket phone number was released. Some, though, had questions about how the tickets were processed.

Others said they wished Mrs. Bush were speaking at a site that could hold more than 800 people, the limit allowed at the Franco-American Heritage Center at St. Mary’s Church on Cedar Street in Lewiston.

Yvette Parent of Lewiston was one of the lucky ones. Standing in line to pick up her tickets at the downtown Republican headquarters Thursday, Parent said she was excited that Laura Bush would be in Lewiston today for the 11:30 a.m. event. “I’m looking forward to it. That woman is such a lady. And I like Bush,” Parent said with a smile.

State Rep. Lois Snowe-Mello, R-Poland, also had tickets. As a Republican legislator, she was easily able to get tickets Monday. “This is thrilling. It’s great to have Lewiston be honored with the first lady,” Snowe-Mello said. Laura Bush “has a heart of gold. She has the heart of a mother.”

Republican staffer Andrew Simon, who was helping people pick up tickets, said when he came to work at 7:15 a.m., people were already lined up at the door. “The response has been overwhelming,” said Randy Bumps, executive director of the Bush campaign in Maine. “The folks coming in to pick up tickets seem extraordinarily enthusiastic about the first lady coming to Lewiston.”

But the ticket shortage left many, like Carol Walker of Auburn and Deborah Larrabee of Durham, disappointed.

For days, both women kept calling the Portland ticket number and were unable to get through.

“I’ve always loved local government, and I watch politics from the edges,” said Walker, a retired teacher. When she found out the first lady was coming, “I said, Wow. I should try to get there.’ I’m excited Lewiston is hosting this. I love what our Maine women have done for politics, statewide and locally.” Walker said she admires how Laura Bush handles the pressures of her position and was thrilled that, “She’ll be standing in our town.”

Larrabee was frustrated with not being able to get through. She questioned why the campaign didn’t let people know sooner that all the tickets were gone.

And there were questions and controversy about how tickets were processed.

Rita Dube, executive director of the Franco-American Heritage Center, said people were asked for their party affiliation. “I heard people being asked, Are you a Democrat or Republican,’ and Do you support President Bush?'” Dube said, adding that she herself was asked. All the answers Dube heard were that ticket-seekers were Republicans. Dube said she does not know whether Democrats were denied tickets.

Asked if party affiliation were a consideration in issuing tickets, Alison Harden, with the Bush campaign, replied that the tickets were given on a first-come, first-served basis.

Jamie Loftus of the Bush campaign said she was not aware that those seeking tickets were asked their political party affiliation. People were asked for personal information – their Social Security number and date of birth – for security reasons, Loftus said. People may have had a hard time getting through because the telephone line was overloaded with so many calling, she said.

In other states, Bush campaign events have barred Democrats, sometimes requiring attendees to sign oaths that they support President Bush, according to news reports.

Ben Buxton, who works at the Democratic headquarters downtown, said he believes he did not get a ticket because he’s a Democrat. As a citizen, he said, he wants to hear what the first lady has to say.

“I saw the phone number on the news, and I called,” Buxton said Thursday. He got through. As required, he left his Social Security number, his date of birth, his home address and ZIP code. “I didn’t get called back” because, he said, he’s a Democrat.

“The purpose behind weeding out Democrats is so they only have Republicans there. But this is Laura Bush, the first lady of our country. If the president was speaking, I’d like to hear what he had to say. To leave people out just because of their political affiliation is wrong.”

The Bush campaign “believes in having tightly controlled media events and photo opportunities” said Jesse Derris, a spokesman for Sen. John Kerry’s presidential campaign. Because the Kerry campaign does not ask party affiliation or for people to sign pledges, Kerry gets hecklers and hard questions. “That’s good,” Derris said. “We need a dialogue.”

But the Bush campaign insisted there will be Democrats, unenrolled and Republican voters at today’s event.

One Democrat attending will be state Rep. Lillian O’Brien, D-Lewiston. As a Lewiston city councilor, she has a ticket. As an official, it’s important she go and pay respect to the nation’s first lady, regardless of party, O’Brien said.

It’s possible some Democrats were screened out to avoid anyone getting in who wanted to heckle or disturb the first lady’s speech, O’Brien said, adding that she didn’t have a problem with that. “Some would say they’re not doing their job if they don’t do the cross-checking,” she said.