Posted on 10/09/2004 4:30:07 PM PDT by demlosers
Associated Press
CHANHASSEN, Minn. - President Bush predicted he would win Minnesota and offered sharp responses to some of John Kerry's statements at last night's debates during a campaign stop on Saturday.
"There's no doubt in my mind that with your help, we will win Minnesota and win a great victory in November," Bush said to a crowd of about 17,500 at a city park in this Minneapolis suburb, a stronghold of Republican politics.
No Republican has carried Minnesota since Richard Nixon in 1972, but polls have shown Bush within striking distance this year. Vice President Al Gore won Minnesota by just a few percentage points in 2000.
Bush exhorted his supporters to get out the vote, with Republican officials vowing "the best grass-roots ground game in the history of Minnesota," in the words of Republican State Chairman Ron Ebensteiner.
Bush's 45-minute speech included stinging critiques of Kerry, and gave some commentary on Friday night's presidential debate.
"My opponent earned his record as the most liberal member of the U.S. Senate," Bush said. "Several of his statements last night didn't pass the credibility test. He actually tried to say he's had one position on Iraq. I could barely contain myself. He must think we're on a different planet."
Bush said Kerry's direct-into-the-camera pledge not to raise middle-class taxes can't be kept.
"The problem is, to keep that promise, he has to break almost all his other ones," Bush said.
A small group of protesters was kept outside the park, with supporters gaining entrance with tickets.
Bush said he will visit Minnesota again before the election. First Lady Laura Bush accompanied him on the visit, but did not speak.
Recent weeks have seen a flurry of state visits by the two candidates and their surrogates. Sen. John Kerry's daughter Alexandra was the headline speaker at a women's march and rally in downtown Minneapolis on Saturday. Vice-presidential candidate John Edwards is expected to visit Maple Grove Senior High on Sunday, and Vice President Dick Cheney is scheduled to speak at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds in Rochester on Tuesday.
Denise Garcia Heise said she agrees that Bush has a good chance of beating Kerry in Minnesota.
"It seems like more people are supporting him, and I think he has a shot - a great shot - at winning," the Chanhassen woman said.
Jane Brashaw of Plymouth said she was worried about Bush's chances after his lackluster showing in the first presidential debate, but said she thinks he's hitting his stride after his Friday night performance.
"I think his true character wasn't showing at all, and last night I thought it did," Brashaw said. Her 14-year-old son, Shaun Bell, said Bush comes across as "mumbly" on television but was much more impressive in person.
Ray Salazar, a supporter from Mound, said Bush's appeal is that he's a "regular guy" who's just like voters.
"He stumbles on his words like the rest of us," Salazar said. "It's not canned, slick, ready for presentation like Kerry or Clinton. Both those guys are eloquent speakers, good debaters. Bush is like us."
Does Kerry ever exceed 1,000 supporters?
yes, he does get in the 12k to 15k area, but he also has a lot bussed in from unions and other orgs.
he had a fair size crowd today, largely union bussings.
hey, I hear the Kerry campaign pays their rally attendees better than blood donors! ;)
Thanks for all that showed up. The President will win our State.
He picked a beautiful day to visit!
Well, the Twins are tied 5-5 in the 8th today.
Amen!
Of course if both teams had lost, that would have meant he was "lying" (just like failure to find stockpiles of WMDs has been described as proof that "Bush lied").
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.