Posted on 12/03/2002 6:42:43 AM PST by HarryH
Former President George Bush said Monday his son, the current president, needs Republican Suzanne Terrell in the U.S. Senate.
Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-New Orleans, criticized Terrell for bringing in "out-of-town bigwigs" to help her campaign for Saturday's runoff election. "This is not about Democrat or Republican as much as it is about support for the president of the United States of America," Bush told a rally in an airport hangar in Monroe.
Terrell is a person his son, George W. Bush, can rely on, the elder Bush said.
The former president joined a parade of high-profile Republican national figures who have come to Louisiana in recent days for public events and private fund-raisers, including incoming Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott, R-Miss., and U.S. Sen.-elect Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C. Today, incumbent President Bush makes stops in Shreveport and New Orleans for Terrell.
"Here you have this onslaught of people from out of state, trying to convince people in Louisiana that it's in their interests to trade down, to go with a rookie who's going to go with the (Republican) party 100 percent," Landrieu said during a campaign stop in Lafayette.
When asked about bringing her own bigwigs to Louisiana, Landrieu said she plans to campaign this week with Louisiana Democrats, including U.S. Sen. John Breaux and U.S. Reps. Chris John and William Jefferson.
The elder Bush said his son, George W. Bush, is facing challenges far greater than he did during his term in the White House.
"We need Suzy Terrell there -- who can support the president when she feels he is right," which former President Bush said would be most of the time, "support him on values, support him on Social Security, education, taxes and support him on federal judges."
Bush said such support is particularly important in times of impending war.
Bush addressed a crowd of some 300 supporters at a rally for Terrell and Republican 5th District U.S. congressional candidate Lee Fletcher, who also got a "thumbs-up" from Bush.
Later, Bush was the featured guest at a Terrell fund-raiser at a country club where attendees paid $250 to $1,000 per couple.
Advocate staff photo by Bryan Tuck Democratic U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu speaks to a group of oil and gas industry officials Monday in Lafayette. Landrieu said she plans to campaign this week with several Louisiana Democrats, including U.S. Sen. John Breaux, U.S. Reps. Chris John and William Jefferson. Terrell and Fletcher made brief remarks pledging support for the president and pushing "get out the vote" efforts.
Terrell was interrupted by a man hollering, "Read My Lips -- No More Landrieu!"
In his time as president, the elder Bush took many jabs for a piece of election rhetoric that ran "Read my lips -- no new taxes."
The Republican supporters in Monroe gave the updated version of the pledge a loud and warm welcome.
Landrieu has said Terrell would be a "rubber stamp" for the president.
On Monday, Terrell said she "will stand with him and will not be a roadblock to his important policies, and I will tell you what. He will know when Suzy Terrell doesn't agree," Terrell said.
For her part, Landrieu said she has no plans to bring in former President Clinton, as rumor has circulated she might, but noted that he is supportive of her campaign.
Landrieu said she doesn't want the runoff election to become a popularity contest between Clinton and Bush.
"The race is not about Bush and Clinton, the race is about whether the people of Louisiana want to have a senator that they know, they trust and who is on the right committees," Landrieu said.
The Terrell campaign plans to start running radio ads this week that feature a Clinton impersonator endorsing Landrieu, Louisiana Republican Party Chairman Pat Brister said.
The elder Bush said the U.S. Senate has shifted back to Republican control, but he said it will be "a good thing" to have somebody else "on the president's side of the aisle."
"Certainly the problems he faces for us, for you and for me, are far greater than anything I faced, even though we did have one major crisis with Saddam Hussein," Bush said.
"As I look back, Franklin Roosevelt -- in the World War I fought in -- knew where the enemy was, knew who the enemy was, knew what he had to do to overcome it. It was a global fight of course," Bush continued.
Bush said his son faces "tougher problems than any president," perhaps, since Abraham Lincoln.
"We have got to be sure he has the support he needs to carry the American message to do what is right, even though it is very, very difficult."
Bush said that is what brought him to Monroe to promote Terrell -- not only for the job she's done as elections commissioner, but "for her views on the issues that mean so much to the current president of the United States of America."
Landrieu had a different take, saying Terrell is "not knowledgeable, not qualified, and doesn't know the issues."
Landrieu noted that, in the past, she has broken with her fellow Democrats in the Senate when they were not acting in the best interests of Louisiana.
"I'm proud to be a Democrat and I adhere to many of the beliefs and philosophies of the Democratic Party, but I don't go (to Washington) to wave the banner for the Democratic Party -- I go to wave the banner for Louisiana," Landrieu said.
As an example, Landrieu pointed to oil and gas issues, which often pit a handful of oil-producing states against nonproducing states.
Neither party has done all it could to promote oil and gas production, she said.
Landrieu said she's worked to get Louisiana more revenue from oil and gas production, and to step up drilling in the Gulf of Mexico.
"I carry our message all over the country. I go to Chicago, I go to New York, I go to Detroit and say, 'Thank you very much, you have lights on because of what we produce in Louisiana,' " Landrieu said.
But Landrieu said electing a puppet for the Republican Party would not be in the best interest for Louisiana's oil and gas industry.
"The Republicans talk about more production, but right across our border, they shut production down in the Gulf -- they will not stand up to keep the Gulf open," she said.
You go, Poppy!
LOL. Yeah, right, what "Big-Wig" is Landrieu gonna bring in to help HER? Clinton? McAwful? How about Al Gore....?
ROTFLMAO!!!!!!
Clinton is like the plague to southern Democrat candidates.
Now, that's funny.
Sounds like Poppy may be a better campaigner (and visionary) than he was during his day (at least the 1992 version of Bush 1). Adding to the GOP majority would be a major step in the right direction -- glad to see all the luminaries adding their support. And funny watching Mary Landrieu delicately distancing herself from the lamestream Demos in Washington. I want to see Bubba come down and give her a big smack on the lips! The kiss of death!
The fake Clinton was wanting to become the new spokesman for the abstinence movement, because he had years of practice with Hillary...
Hillary must be coaching Landrieu. Certainly sounds like something she would say in desperation. Sorta like her public threat that "this is your (Terrell's) last campaign".
Seems to me that the people of Louisiana would be better served in the Senate by someone in the majority party who had a decent relationship with the White House. Landrieu sounds desparate. Good.
Does Louisiana need two powerless minority senators on the "right committees," Mary?
I bet.
"The race is not about Bush and Clinton, the race is about whether the people of Louisiana want to have a senator that they know, they trust and who is on the right committees," Landrieu said.
Trent Lott already promised that the Terrell would get appointed to the "right committees". And of course as a majority member she will actually be able to get something done on them.
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