Posted on 08/08/2004 3:17:09 PM PDT by areafiftyone
PENSACOLA, Fla. - President Bush plans to campaign with Arizona Sen. John McCain on Tuesday in Florida's military-rich Panhandle.
The bus tour starts with a rally in Pensacola and moves to Niceville and Panama City, all cities in the heavily Republican region, which Bush handily won the region in 2000.
McCain, a one-time prisoner of war in Vietnam who challenged Bush for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, was to accompany the president on all three stops.
In Niceville, Bush was expected to speak at Okaloosa-Walton College before taking questions from the audience. Bush leaves the state after a Panama City rally.
Bob Fischer, chairman of the Republican executive committees for Okaloosa County and Florida's 1st Congressional District, said Bush's visit to Niceville was "extraordinarily unique."
"When was the last time you had a president here in Niceville?" he asked. "That in itself is a huge feather in our cap, an ostrich-sized feather."
Kay Addison, president of the Escambia Federated Republican Women's Club, sees the trip as a way of encouraging GOP turnout.
"We feel like in the Panhandle that 99 percent of registered Republicans have got to vote to take care of the Democrats in South Florida," she said.
Democrats are campaigning a day ahead in Pensacola. Florida Sen. Bob Graham, former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland and Jim Rassmann, the Vietnam veteran who credits Democratic candidate John Kerry with saving his life in combat, planned a rally Monday at a memorial to U.S. troops killed in the Vietnam War.
An independent, statewide poll last week showed Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry with a seven-point lead over Bush. A Republican poll showed a dead heat.
McCain has been featured in the president's campaign ads and has campaigned on his own for Bush, stopping in Cape Canaveral and Jacksonville last week.
The senator will follow the president west on visits to New Mexico, which Democrats narrowly won in 2000, and Arizona.
The same McCain that's been referring to the Swift boat vets as dishonorable? Or was that McCain's evil twin, Skippy?
That's okay - McCain will help with the undecided vote. I don't particularly like McCain but if he is helping Bush I don't care. Every time he travels with Bush he irks the Dems and that is a good thing. You should read how pissed off they get when he campaigns with Bush!
Mr. 'Jekyll and Hyde' McCain.
They should call it - "Assult on the First Amendment Tour"
repeal CFR
Undecided...Bad words, bad words, bad words...Who the (more bad words) could be UNDECIDED?! If it were me, I wouldn't want their (a few more bad words) vote!
Just another reason why I'd make a lousy politician :)
LOL me too. Everyone is saying that the race is sooo close that the undecideds are the ones who will wait till the last minute to make a decision.
I agree. If McCain had supported the Swift Boat ad, he would lose his "centrist" clout. It's up to us to raise the character issue.
I hope President Bush doesn't turn his back on McCain..
I have NEVER trusted the bastard.....NEVER.
Semper Fi
I know that Bush thinks McCain will help him here, but I see it different. When Bush makes appearances with McCain, he simply gives McCain more credibility the next time McCain decides to trash Bush.
IMO the best the Republicans could do, is lock McCain out of any party operations from this point foward. Don't let him in on what's going on. Don't be seen with him in public. Don't do anything that would make it look like McCain was an insider or anything more than a crackpot kook.
Hey, that's what the guy is.
Don't invite him to a dang thing, and if he shows up, get security to escort him OFF THE PROPERTY!
Is McCain speaking at the convention?
The panhandle of Florida (portions of which are sometimes known as the "redneck Riviera") is key to Bush's victory in the state. Most of the voters there are Democrats, but they're conservative. They will cross party lines for the right person. The more rural parts of Florida (combined) can counterbalance the liberal, southeastern coastal portion.
I thought the Mississippi Gulf Coast (Biloxi and Gulfport) was the Redneck Riviera? I've been to both places (Florida Panhandle and the Mississippi Gulfcoast) and this NYer loved them both. I think Bush does well in the Panhandle. He did in 2000.
BTTT
One way to look at it....When McLame is with the President...He ISN'T off flapping his gums elsewhere.
The Mississippi coast may claim the same exalted title. I'm not sure. You're right. Bush did well in the panhandle during the 2000 election. Look at that famous red county vs. blue county map and you'll see the schitzo political make up of Florida. I, thang God, live in the "red" SW portion. Our only local elected Dem official is the Tax Collector. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!
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