Posted on 07/22/2004 8:42:05 PM PDT by RWR8189
CHICAGO (CBS/AP) The President visited two Chicago suburbs on Thursday talking about homeland security in Glenview before rallying Republicans at a frundraising dinner in Winnetka.
On the same day of the release of the 9/11 Commission report highlighting major domestic security problems, the commander in chief is in a northern suburb to conduct a homeland security spot-check at the Northeastern Illinois Public Training Academy in Glenview.
President Bush on Thursday acknowledged "deep institutional failures" in the nation's defense that led to the 2001 terrorist attacks, and he said he would seriously consider the Sept. 11 Commission's recommendations to better anticipate threats.
"The job's not done, and this report will help our country identify even more steps to better defend America," Bush said.
But he was silent, however, on one of the panel's key recommendations to create a Cabinet-level national intelligence director, who would oversee the 15-agency intelligence community. The idea got a cool response on Wednesday from Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, who said, "I don't think you need a czar."
Bush said the panel's report was "serious and comprehensive." He called for better coordination among intelligence agencies, increased collection of intelligence by humans and better technology to track enemies anywhere in the world.
"I agree with their conclusion that the terrorists were able to exploit `deep institutional failings' in our nation's defenses that developed over more than a decade," Bush said.
"We will give serious consideration to every idea because we share a common goal, to do everything in our power to prepare for and to stop any terrorist attack."
Bracing Americans for the possibility of another terrorist attack, Bush said: "They intend to strike the United States again. They're seeking increasingly powerful weapons that would allow them to kill our citizens on an unprecedented scale. That's the reality of the world we live in today."
Bush spoke at Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy here just hours after the independent panel released its 575-page tome in Washington. While the panel's report focused Americans on the nation's vulnerability to attack, Bush highlighted steps he says he's taken to better safeguard the nation.
"We will work tirelessly to disrupt and prevent terrorist attacks, and if an attack should come, America will be prepared," Bush said.
His words seemed a direct response to a four-word conclusion in the executive summary of the report: "The nation was unprepared."
About 100 demonstrators gathered to protest Bush's visit to Illinois, where he also was attending a Republican Party fund-raiser in affluent Winnetka, just outside Chicago. About eight people with Bush-Cheney campaign signs chanted "Four more years." Anti-Bush protesters shouted back, "Four more months."
Before the speech in a state that Bush lost to Al Gore in 2000 by 12 percentage points, the president and Ridge watched a mock terrorist attack in which police, firefighters and rescue personnel responded to a hijacked bus that had crashed into a tanker carrying chemicals.
After the president spoke at the Northeastern Illinois Public Safety Training Academy, he planned to visit the home of Patrick Ryan in Winnetka, for a $25,000 per person fund-raiser to benefit the Republican National Committee. Ryan, chief executive of insurance giant Aon Corp., is Bush's finance chairman in Illinois.
The president's visit to the Democratic-leaning state, not even considered a battleground this year, came as the Illinois Republican Party struggled in its fourth week without a U.S. Senate candidate.
Republican primary winner Jack Ryan dropped his campaign over embarrassing sex club allegations in his divorce records, and a series of possible replacement candidates, from former governors to Chicago Bears great Mike Ditka, have since declined. The latest, state Sen. Kirk Dillard, announced Thursday morning that he wasn't interested.
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Bush Campaigns In Glenview, Dines In Winnetka
...About 100 people gathered in the north shore suburb to protest Bush's appearance. Most carried signs decrying the president's policies on the environment or the war in Iraq.
Alex Armour, political director for Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Evanston, said her office helped organize the protest because the president has not made the country safer. Other protesters say Bush lied about the need for the war in Iraq.
Near the protesters, eight people carried Bush-Cheney signs and shouted "Four more years.".....
For those of you who don't know, GWB was up in the area of the birth of the anti-Christ, yes, the PIAPS. She was created in Evanston, IL, also a northern suburb, by evil trolls.
Go GWB!!!!!
How was he received during his speeches?
Known FReepers in attendance: TheRightGuy; Richard in IL; RWR8189's nephew; and jamesnwu along with his Lizzy the Lurker friend. We were joined by Dapper Dave from Milton Twp. who furnished the giant 4' x 8' Bush/Cheney banner. We were also joined by two young yamulka-wearing guys who identified themselves as reps from "Orthodox Jews for Bush". As jamesnwu mentioned, we were also joined from time-to-time by various passersby and were pleased with an overwhelmingly favorable response from our viewing audience.
The Glenview Police were not as helpful to us as cops normally are, mostly because the other guys had a permit and we did not. They did, however, let us make two loud passes around the protestors gathered in a triangular "square" in the center of the outdoor mall. We chanted "4 more years" at the top of our lungs and drowned out their speeakers at the podium. After two passes, the cops told us if we wanted to continue chanting we would have to move to the park across the highway, or we could quietly remain in our spot directly in front of the protestors. We opted for greater visibilty and stayed put -- quietly, but nevertheless waving our signs.
A huge cheer went up from the crowd when the trio helicopters bearing Bush and his contingent roared overhead on the way to the Glenview Emergency Crew Drills nearby -- it was almost as if they were deliberately buzzing the protestors. We stayed until their last speaker finished and then dispersed. Some of our group planned to reunite along the Bush motorcade route to his next event.
Unfortunately I had to leave my digicam in the car because cause of threatening weather and hands full of signs, so consequently there will be no pictures.
While carrying my Bush signs and walking back to my car in the parking garage, a couple of lefties asked if I had some signs for Hitler as well. Rather than lose my cool, I nonchallantly replied, "Hitlary's not running til 08!"
Y'all let me know if I've left anything out!
Great job!
I see their math skills are fuzzy too. GWB won't lose but even if he did, he's there until January 20 or there abouts.
Thanks to all you Chicago FReepers!
I can't wait until Nov. 3 when we can all chant:
Who's in the White House?
BUSH,BUSH,BUSH,BUSH!
Bully ol' man! Bully!
"Hitlary's not running til 08!"
&&
Love it! You're a fast thinker.
Keep hammerin' em Big Guy. Couldn't make it because of a foul condition known as work.
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