Bush to meet with Rolling Thunder leaders

Washington Times ^ | May 29, 2004 | S.A. Miller

[kabar]

President Bush will be the first to meet privately with leaders of Rolling Thunder Inc. when the group's 200,000 motorcycle riders rumble into downtown tomorrow for their 17th annual Memorial Day weekend rally.

"This is the first time we have a personal invitation from the president to sit down and talk about our issues," said Artie M. Muller, president and co-founder of Rolling Thunder, a nonprofit dedicated to publicizing the plight of American prisoners of war left behind in all the nation's conflicts.

"In all the years we have been doing this," Mr. Muller said, "this is the first administration that has been working with us."

They will meet at the White House, where Mr. Bush will deliver a message either by phone or by tape to the larger gathering on the Mall, White House spokesman Trent Duffy said.

"He's proud of what they represent, and they've become an important part of our Memorial Day remembrances," Mr. Duffy said.

[bikertrash2]

Check out Viet Vet News at http://www.vanslawn.com/vietvets.htm

[Dante3]

I don't know how many bikers were there but there was a huge number. I watched them pass on Constitution Ave. for about two hours, then had to leave. Later I saw CNN show ten who met with Bush and just one bike on the street, leaving the impression like it was just a small show.

[samtheman]

Riding through DC with 200,000 motorcycles, drowning out the weekend dedication of the overdue WWII Memorial is not my idea of winning the hearts and minds of the American people.

I think you're wrong. This is exactly the kind of activity that will increase public interest in the event.

[Ligeia]

I don't know how many bikers were there but there was a huge number. I watched them pass on Constitution Ave. for about two hours, then had to leave. Later I saw CNN show ten who met with Bush and just one bike on the street, leaving the impression like it was just a small show.

There would have been even more. I was talking to some bikers in my church parking lot out in suburban Virginia who said the highways and streets into the city were so backed up they gave up. I can hear them already this morning as they fire up their bikes to roll home.

I emailed CSPAN encouraging them to reconsider their decision to drop coverage as it's the best attention paid to the POW/MIA issue.