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Bush Attends 9/11 Memorial, Fund-Raiser
Yahoo! News ^ | 3/11/04 | Mike Glover - AP

Posted on 03/11/2004 11:21:26 AM PST by NormsRevenge

WASHINGTON -

President Bush (news - web sites) isn't backing down. His response to the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, is a centerpiece of his campaign for re-election, and he underscores the point Thursday with a visit to a new victims' memorial, before headlining a campaign fund-raiser.

Bush used images from the World Trade Center's smoldering wreckage in his first re-election TV commercials last week, and refused to retreat when critics called them crass exploitation of those killed in the attacks.

Bush was to be among the first digging shovels of dirt at the groundbreaking for a new Sept. 11 memorial in East Meadow, N.Y., a Manhattan suburb on Long Island.

The quarrel over the ads was shadowing Bush, as at least two groups announced plans to protest his visit.

"No one's been held accountable for anything about 9/11," said Bill Doyle, who lost his 25-year-old son, Joseph, at the World Trade Center. Doyle, who also criticized the image in Bush's campaign commercial of the flag-draped remains of a victim being carried from ground zero, said he intends to be at the demonstration.

"I have a problem with exploiting death for political gain," he said. "I'd have the same problem if Democrats used images of body bags coming back from Iraq (news - web sites) in one of their ads."

The $750,000 memorial will feature two semitransparent aluminum towers, representing the World Trade Center, rising 30 feet from a reflecting pool. It will also have a wall with the names of 281 victims who lived in or had ties to Nassau County, N.Y., and two pieces of steel from the trade center's wreckage.

It is expected to be completed in time for September's third anniversary of the attacks.

Besides Bush, New York Gov. George Pataki, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (news - web sites), and Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., were also attending the commemoration. Both Pataki and Giuliani have defended Bush's use of Sept. 11 in the campaign.

Afterward, the group of politicians were making the five-minute trip to Bush's fund-raiser. Bush has raised more than $160 million for his re-election and shows no sign of slowing down as he approaches his stated goal of $170 million.

Both Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) and his wife, Lynne, were on separate money-raising trips as well.

Bush had long planned his Long Island fund-raiser, and when the organizers of the memorial groundbreaking heard the president was coming, they invited him, aides said.

Bush started the day by tending to his conservative base with satellite remarks to the National Association of Evangelicals Convention in Colorado. He used the occasion to issue a fresh appeal for support of his national-security agenda, with a special emphasis on his "compassionate conservative" goals.

"America is a nation with a mission," Bush said. "We're called to fight terrorism around the world, and we're waging that fight. As freedom's home and freedom's defender, we are called to expand the realm of human liberty, and by our actions in Afghanistan (news - web sites) and Iraq, more than 50 million people have been liberated from tyranny."

The economy is another pillar of Bush's re-election bid and he was carrying his message of tax cuts and trade to Long Island as well.

He takes a 10-minute tour of USA Industries, which makes automobile parts in Bay Shore, N.Y., and hosts a "conversation on the economy," where managers and workers typically extol the benefits of his economic agenda.

___

Associated Press Writer Frank Eltman in Garden City, N.Y., contributed to this report.


TOPICS: Extended News; Government; Politics/Elections; US: New York; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 911; 911memorial; attends; bush; fundraiser; longisland; memorial

1 posted on 03/11/2004 11:21:26 AM PST by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge
Bless this President and his administration!
2 posted on 03/11/2004 11:29:21 AM PST by OldFriend (Always understand, even if you remain among the few)
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To: NormsRevenge
Notice that the AP had to throw the FUND-RAISER in the headline right next to 9-11 Memorial.

Just another subtle way to give the impression that anything Bush says or does about 9-11 is for personal gain.

3 posted on 03/11/2004 11:31:36 AM PST by commish (Freedom Tastes Sweetest to Those Who Have Fought to Preserve It)
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To: NormsRevenge
"I'd have the same problem if Democrats used images of body bags coming back from Iraq (news - web sites) in one of their ads."

How about John Kerry, who by the way served in Vietnam, using the Vietnam war in his advertising. 50,000 US toops died there -- should Kerry stop running those ads?

A google on "bill doyle 9/11" doesn't immediately indicate any membership in groups like Peaceful Tomorrows, but his name is linked off of similar sites ("Bush knew/lied", "coverup" nutjobs) and his name pops up all the time in 9/11 related stories.

4 posted on 03/11/2004 11:32:28 AM PST by kevkrom (Ask your Congresscritter about his or her stance on HR 25 -- the NRST)
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To: NormsRevenge
"No one's been held accountable for anything about 9/11," There may be some ex-Taliban leaders in Afghanistan that probably do not feel that way.
5 posted on 03/11/2004 11:33:49 AM PST by SF Republican
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To: NormsRevenge
It is becoming clear that a minority of 9/11 families were bought off by the Democrats so that the Democrats could blunt Bush's record on 9/11. Of course, the lamestream media is going right along with the plan. I am sick of hearing from these people about how disgusting the use of 9/11 images are. What is truly disgusting is that these families have spat on the memory of those who lost their lives on 9/11 by selling out.
6 posted on 03/11/2004 11:34:55 AM PST by FlipWilson
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To: NormsRevenge
What to expect from

A P(uke)

Another lefty propaganda outfit like REUTERS
7 posted on 03/11/2004 11:42:22 AM PST by observer5
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"America is a nation with a mission," Bush said. "We're called to fight terrorism around the world, and we're waging that fight. As freedom's home and freedom's defender, we are called to expand the realm of human liberty, and by our actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, more than 50 million people have been liberated from tyranny."

NEVER FORGET

8 posted on 03/11/2004 11:44:30 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi Mac ... Support Our Troops! ... Thrash the demRats in November!!! ... Beat BoXer!!!)
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To: NormsRevenge
"I have a problem with exploiting death for political gain," he said.

Yet Bill Doyle doesn't have a problem in exploiting his 9/11 professional victim status to protest Bush at a memorial for 9/11! Where's the logic in that?

9 posted on 03/11/2004 12:23:55 PM PST by NYCVirago
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To: All

U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) hugs the relative of a victim of the September 11, 2001 attacks, as he participates in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Nassau County 9/11 memorial, at East Meadow on Long Island, New York, March 11, 2004. The memorial is being built for the 281 residents of Nassau County who died in the attacks. REUTERS/Jason Reed


10 posted on 03/11/2004 1:28:42 PM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi Mac ... Support Our Troops! ... Thrash the demRats in November!!! ... Beat BoXer!!!)
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To: NormsRevenge
My sister was there:



Hi, I went to support President Bush today in Bay Shore. Didn't get to see him, didn't really expect to, wanted to be out there to support him. There were more Bush supporters then those against. And most of the ones who were against had one agenda: Homosexuals 'rights'.

Oh, and there were 2 nutty Haitians yelling get out of our country, holding the Haiti flag.


News 12 was there...and the crowd chanted 4 more years :-)

Spoke to a NYC Firefighter and he said the majority of FDNY are in support of President Bush. Everyone he knows supports President Bush. This guy lost 8 of his buddies.

As the crowd who saw President Bush speak were leaving, I asked a couple of them how it went....From 2 different people at 2 different times, both said: He is a GREAT Man

That was my day....was standing for a loooooong time.
I gotta tell ya, there were a lot more supporters there then I thought there were going to be :-)

11 posted on 03/11/2004 1:32:29 PM PST by jwalsh07 (We're bringing it on John but you can't handle the truth!)
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To: jwalsh07
I was in Bay Shore, not Eisenhower Park. LOL, you have been off the island too long. Was so happy to be out there supporting President Bush today. I called USA Industries, tried to get in to hear President Bush speak. No go, so I stood on the street with all the other supporters :-)

President Bush shakes hands with a worker
at U.S.A. Industries in Bay Shore.

12 posted on 03/11/2004 1:53:47 PM PST by deadhead (God Bless Our Troops and Veterans Bush-Cheney '04)
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To: deadhead
Until we literally "unplug" the media, we're going to have their slanted impressions...since getting satellite tv, I can honestly say that if the major networks were basketball players they'd be lucky to suit up for a game!
13 posted on 03/11/2004 3:22:51 PM PST by princess leah
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