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What do You Mean "We"?
National Review ^
| 3/24/04
| Byron York
Posted on 03/24/2004 1:12:06 PM PST by Molly Pitcher
What Do You Mean We? 9/11 families for Bush.
EDITOR'S NOTE: This article appears in the April 5, 2004, issue of National Review.
In mid March, George W. Bush traveled to Long Island to help dedicate a new memorial to the 281 people from Nassau County who died in the September 11 terrorist attacks. The president took part in a groundbreaking ceremony, and while he didn't address the crowd, he did speak privately with each of the victims' family members who came to the event. But first, he had to direct a little traffic.
A man named Jimmy Boyle, a retired New York firefighter whose 37-year-old son Michael, also a firefighter, died in the North Tower of the World Trade Center, was trying to get to the event but found himself stuck in traffic and the web of security that surrounds presidential appearances. Boyle was with his wife, one of his sons, and a staffer for his friend and congressman, Peter King (R., N.Y.). He drove up to one checkpoint and was told by a guard to go to another point nearby. He tried that, and was sent to another checkpoint, and then to another. The runaround continued until King's aide called his boss, who had flown to New York with Bush on Air Force One.
A few minutes later, with frustration in the car rising, Boyle's cellphone rang. His son answered it and said to Boyle, "It's George Bush." And indeed it was. A thoroughly surprised Boyle told the president he couldn't get past the checkpoints. "I've got some power around here," said Bush, with a bit of presidential understatement. "I think I can get you in."
Just then, another policeman guarding yet another entrance confronted Boyle and his group. "The cop said, 'You can't go there,'" recalls Boyle, "and I said, 'I'm on the phone with the president of the United States.'" Of course, the policeman didn't believe it. As the two argued, a golf cart drove up with two members of the president's staff, and bingo, Boyle was in. When the president arrived, he approached Boyle with a smile. "I told you I could get you in," he said.
Bush had reason to pay attention to Jimmy Boyle. Boyle is a past president of New York's Uniformed Firefighters Association, Local 94, the largest local firefighters' union in the country. He's also a lifetime Democrat who has never voted for a Republican for president (he was, in fact, head of Firefighters for McGovern back in 1972). But this year, Boyle plans to vote for George W. Bush, because Boyle wants the president to keep up the war on terrorism.
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: New Jersey; US: New York; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: 911memorial; bush43; bushdemocrats; byronyork; endorsement; firefighters; gwb2004; longisland; presidentbush; terror; union; unions
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I know there are more out there like Mr. Boyle. In fact, one of our friends at church is a firefighter, and he resents mightily the International Firefighters' Union and its support for Kerry.
To: All
2
posted on
03/24/2004 1:14:05 PM PST
by
Molly Pitcher
(Carter's idiocy is surpassed only by his uselessness.)
To: Molly Pitcher
3
posted on
03/24/2004 1:15:42 PM PST
by
Fiddlstix
(This Space Available for Rent or Lease by the Day, Week, or Month. Reasonable Rates. Inquire within.)
To: Molly Pitcher
bttt
4
posted on
03/24/2004 1:15:54 PM PST
by
ChocChipCookie
(The French have raised their terror level from Run to Hide.)
To: Molly Pitcher
I'm not a "union" firefighter, but was pointed to this website:
Fire Fighters For Bush It appears that there are many members of the IAFF who agree with Jimmy Boyle.
5
posted on
03/24/2004 1:17:41 PM PST
by
Johnny Gage
(God Bless our Military, God Bless President Bush, and GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!)
To: Molly Pitcher
Great post!
Great tagling also by the way.
6
posted on
03/24/2004 1:24:04 PM PST
by
Bacon Man
(Beware the lollipop of mediocrity. Lick once and you suck forever.)
To: Molly Pitcher; grellis; apackof2
Funny how I never heard about this in the mainstream press.
7
posted on
03/24/2004 1:25:48 PM PST
by
sergiod
(W-04!)
To: Molly Pitcher
If truth and justice are ever to prevail....every damn liberal newspaper that prints "XXXX Union with 50,000 members votes to support (filll in the blank with a liberal) for office"....will be required to print a retraction that they meant the "Officers" not members.
8
posted on
03/24/2004 1:26:07 PM PST
by
JimVT
(.)
To: Bacon Man; Molly Pitcher
LOL!
Yes, great tagline, Molly.:-)
9
posted on
03/24/2004 1:34:07 PM PST
by
MozartLover
(Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.)
To: Molly Pitcher
...and a great story.:)
10
posted on
03/24/2004 1:34:27 PM PST
by
MozartLover
(Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are.)
To: Molly Pitcher
Illbedamn.
To: Molly Pitcher
"I told you I could get you in." Gotta love it.
12
posted on
03/24/2004 1:46:59 PM PST
by
Imal
(Crime and insurance are both matters of managing risk.)
To: Molly Pitcher; ohioWfan; GretchenEE; MJY1288; TruthNtegrity; rintense; mtngrl@vrwc; ...
Wonderful story ... but very typical of others I have seen about the President.
Thanks for posting this, Molly!
13
posted on
03/24/2004 2:01:42 PM PST
by
kayak
(The terrorists ... are offended by our existence as free nations. ~ GWB 3/19/04)
To: kayak
he, he...I love it when others come along and add to the keywords...
I'm usually so in-a-hurry to get the thread posted, that I don't use enough...
14
posted on
03/24/2004 2:05:00 PM PST
by
Molly Pitcher
(Carter's idiocy is surpassed only by his uselessness.)
To: Imal; MozartLover; All
Yes, this story rings true in so many ways...
15
posted on
03/24/2004 2:05:54 PM PST
by
Molly Pitcher
(Carter's idiocy is surpassed only by his uselessness.)
To: kayak; Molly Pitcher; autoresponder; PhilDragoo; Liz; onyx; nicmarlo; Happy2BMe; potlatch; ...
Oh, yeah ! Great article about President Bush, alright !
16
posted on
03/24/2004 2:08:32 PM PST
by
MeekOneGOP
(The Democrats say they believe in CHOICE. I have chosen to vote STRAIGHT TICKET GOP for years !!)
To: MeekOneGOP
Way to go, Mr. President!!
17
posted on
03/24/2004 2:13:16 PM PST
by
Argh
To: dansangel
Ping to a good story about the President.
18
posted on
03/24/2004 2:26:18 PM PST
by
Argh
To: Molly Pitcher
Oh, Molly! This story could not have come at a better time. Thank you.
The hearing...the press...kerry...It's been a rough day.
Thank you. This has lifted my spirits.
Prayers going up for a decent man.
19
posted on
03/24/2004 2:47:57 PM PST
by
lysie
To: lysie
You're welcome, lysie!
Yes, I was looking for a diversion from these blasted hearings, and there it was!
Surprised it had not already been posted...
20
posted on
03/24/2004 2:54:44 PM PST
by
Molly Pitcher
(Carter's idiocy is surpassed only by his uselessness.)
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