I think this is CR*P! Those people are citizens and they are citizens with significant voting power. Additionally, this is a freaking election year and it will play poorly to old people across the country(do you really thinkg the MSM will ignore this...Bush is throwing them red meat), whether or not they give a flip about the AARP and will say to them that Bush doesn't care about their issues.
Sometimes you need to rise above the fray and be the bigger person. Bush needs to step it up and go to the meeting.
Um, no, the AARP is CR*P. They've spent lots of money in South Florida bashing the administration on senior health-care coverage. What goes around comes around, and I don't seriously think the AARP's endorsement (which Bush won't get anyhow) is going to churn out many votes.
Those people would give him about the same welcoming as the NAACP. He doesn't need that type of reception right before a national vote.
Laura is the ideal choice. Everyone generally likes her, she can make his case better than he could to this group of voters. She's also less likely to be "booed" and if she were, it would prove to the Bush campaigns favor again because people like her.
Did you read the article?
I think Mrs.Bush will do much better with the AARP than will the President. She has the gentle, positive, caring delivery that will work wonders.
That organization is politically irrational to the point of insanity. Bush owes this organizatuion which claims to represent America's geezers (including me) exactly -----nothing.
Go check out the AARP legislative forum if you enjoy debating with people over the age of 50 who think it's fun to call the President "Shrub".
Bush cited safety concerns. This sounds credible. Say the Secret Service or FBI are aware of certain threats, related to Al Quaeda. An attack on the AARP gathering would be really bad. Kerry would get a lot of positive MSM hype, although it's hard to imagine him getting more than the MSM's normal, Kerry schmoozing.