Melbourne Toy run is better..:-)
Posted on 05/30/2004 2:27:16 PM PDT by Laverne
WASHINGTON (AP) - Members of the Rolling Thunder motorcycling group revved their engines on the White House driveway Sunday during a visit with President Bush, who took about 10 bikers in jeans and leather jackets for an Oval Office tour.
The roar from bikers on the Mall nearby could be heard on the South Lawn as eight motorcycles, headlights illuminated and American flags jutting off the rear seats, rolled up the driveway to the South Portico where Bush was waiting to greet them.
Bush shook hands with Artie Muller, president of the veterans' advocacy group, and kissed Muller's rider, singer Nancy Sinatra, a veterans' supporter, who was dressed in a skirt, cowboy boots and a pair of dark shades.
Later, Bush addressed, via a telephone hookup, a Rolling Thunder rally at Robert F. Kennedy Stadium in the capital.
The president noted the letter of endorsement he received from the group last week. "Artie, I thought you were going to offer me riding lessons," Bush joked, thanking Rolling Thunder for backing his re-election campaign.
"Ride safe," he told them.
Other bikers who rode up the driveway included White House budget director Josh Bolton, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony Principi, and various Rolling Thunder leaders.
The group endorsed Bush in 2000 over Democrat Al Gore, a Vietnam veteran. This year, they chose Bush, who served stateside in the Texas Air National Guard during Vietnam, over John Kerry, a decorated veteran of the same war who is also a motorcycle enthusiast.
For the past 15 years, the group has announced its arrival with the roar of motorcycles - not unlike the sound of the 1965 bombing campaign against North Vietnam that was called Operation Rolling Thunder.
Rolling Thunder is an organization that seeks to create awareness of POW/MIA issues and promotes increased veterans' benefits. It has 70 chapters and over 7,000 members throughout the United States and abroad.
"In the Oval Office, I looked you in the eye as you told me of your relentless pursuit of finding out the plight of many of our POW/MIAs, and I appreciated so much your concern, your care and your persistence," Bush told the rally. "I also want to thank you and your organization, Artie, for honoring the men and women of our military who fight today in Afghanistan and Iraq."
The Kerry campaign said Bush's proposed budget cuts would affect veterans.
"It's pretty audacious of the president to brag about looking the leaders of Rolling Thunder in the eye considering that his most recent veterans initiative is a secret plan to cut almost $1 billion from the Veterans Affairs," Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said.
The administration, according to White House documents, has told officials who oversee veterans programs to prepare preliminary 2006 budgets that would cut spending after the presidential election. The documents show spending for the Veterans Affairs Department would fall 3.4 percent from $29.7 billion in 2005 to $28.7 billion. The White House says the memos sent to agencies contain routine guidance, and insist final spending decisions will not be made for months.
Gary Scheffmeyer, vice president of Rolling Thunder, said the president showed the group around his office, pointing out busts of presidents and paintings. Scheffmeyer said they talked about the war in Iraq, the fight against terrorism, veterans' health benefits and soldiers still missing from Vietnam.
"this just has to be killing Kerry"
I was thinking that too. LOL!
This has got to be BS...though the Prez says he is gonna take the hatchet to domestic spending...I hope that combat wounded veterans get some assurances from the Prez and Republicans that combat wounded vets cuts are off limits to the chopping block...
For a Kerry spokesperson to utter such..is beyond low life scum sucking and..is reminiscent of their having Ed 'the red' Assner cold call social security recipients claiming the Republicans and Pres. Bush were cutting Social Security...this lie was fomented mostly in FL a few weeks before the last presidential election.. imo
Your good friend simply needs to remember 1971 -1972 on his own.
"Kerry doesn't know who he is"
I am convinced that NO LIBERAL knows who they really are. I base this on the fact they have no core beliefs .. any thing they supposedly believe in one day can suddenly change the next day (as Kerry continues to prove daily).
Those liberals who have escaped this fate do have core beliefs .. such as Zell Miller.
I want to do this one year, it seems very very cool.
BTW has anyone done the Toys in the Sun run in FL in December. They take over I-95 and have over 25,0000 motorcycles parade down I-95 two by two. Its one of those "only in america" things.
One of my riding friends is doing this this year. I think it says a lot that the president pulled some bikers out for a tour. Pictures?
Kerry=Idiot
One thing is fairly universal, Kerry can't penetrate into the Harley/Riding communities. Too many BS detectors.
We should breakdown the cliche groups which side with who:
Nascar Dads= Bush
Security Moms = Bush
Harley Voters = Bush
Divorced Dads= Bush
Veterans = Bush
Married Women Mothers = Bush
Homosexuals= Kerry
Quota Queens= Kerry
Homosexuals= Kerry
NAA"l"CP= Kerry
Please add everyone
every year for the past 9 - :-)
Imagine a presidential harley or chopper...
notice again:
Good News for America = Bad News for Kerry = Bad News for Democrats
Cool
Melbourne Toy run is better..:-)
"The Kerry campaign said Bush's proposed budget cuts would affect veterans.
""It's pretty audacious of the president to brag about looking the leaders of Rolling Thunder in the eye considering that his most recent veterans initiative is a secret plan to cut almost $1 billion from the Veterans Affairs," Kerry spokesman Phil Singer said."
"The administration, according to White House documents, has told officials who oversee veterans programs to prepare preliminary 2006 budgets that would cut spending after the presidential election. The documents show spending for the Veterans Affairs Department would fall 3.4 percent from $29.7 billion in 2005 to $28.7 billion. The White House says the memos sent to agencies contain routine guidance, and insist final spending decisions will not be made for months."
Associated Press should be ashamed for not asking for that crap to be deleted before they moved the story.
Well, looking for the right reply number to to thank you no end for the pix. #23 is my lucky number, so here it is. Thanks a bunch,, Chadgore. I just gotta get back in shape and get some wheels again. I woulda been mad at myself for not clicking on the ping, Martin. Thanks.
teach him to read and then give him stuff to read!!
not slighting your friend either...I know lots of folks that govern their lives with the latest soundbites on network news.
Love it!
As noted by Madison previously, UAW solidarity has a tendency to dumb down one's common sense......
Bush looks as dapper as a new $20 bill. Notice the way he looks people right in the eyes as he shakes their hands.
Kudos to the Rolling Thunder brigade.
"Rolling Blunder"
You think "with" really belongs in that sentence?
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