Sister of president paves way for a Bush visit to N.J. Monday

NJ Star-Ledger ^ | 10-14-04

[ambrose]

Sister of president paves way for a Bush visit to N.J. Monday

Thursday, October 14, 2004

BY JOE DONOHUE AND RAVIYA ISMAIL

Star-Ledger Staff

President Bush is expected to make his first campaign stop in New Jersey next week, making a pitch for votes in a state where polls have shown a tighter-than-expected race, Republican sources said yesterday.

Bush is expected to make an afternoon visit Monday in Burlington County, according to four GOP sources involved in the campaign, all of whom requested anonymity.

The president's sister, Doro Bush Koch, alluded to it while campaigning in North and Central Jersey yesterday.

"Your campaign has just begun. Maybe you'll get a visit from the president," Koch told about 40 supporters crammed into Republican Victory 2004 headquarters in Bernards Township.

Jennifer Duffy, an analyst with Cook Political Report, said a personal trip by the president at this point in the campaign "is pretty significant, considering they don't have a lot of time left." She added that it could be a move to keep Democrats off-balance in a state they are counting on winning for John Kerry.

[zarf]

This is a huge gamble for the Bush campaign. It's an aggressive move, no doubt.

[conservative in nyc]

It's not as aggressive as you think, and makes a lot of sense. New Jersey is split up between the New York City and Philadelphia TV markets. Burlington County is in South Jersey, in the Philly TV market, but close enough to areas in the New York TV market that the New York stations will likely air a story or two about the visit. And the Philly TV markets will carry the story as if the President had visited a swing Philly area Pennsylvania county anyway.

I view it as a win-win --- the President will get coverage in North Jersey without lessening coverage in South Jersey or Southeastern PA.

[Dog]

Where is Bernards Township in Burlington County?

[independentmind]

I grew up in Burlington County. Bernards Township is not in the County. If Bush goes to Burlington County, my guess is that he will be in the Moorestown/Marlton area.

[Larry381]

The fact the Bush is even visiting Jersey is huge and can only mean the Republicans consider the state in play. Bush was slaughtered in the popular vote in New Jersey in 2000 and the fact that this state is now in play can be extrapolated to every other battleground state. Like I continue to say Bush will win the election the only mystery is by how large a margin.

[jimboster]

I didn't even know Bush had a sister.

[XRdsRev]

Bernards Township is in Somerset County, NJ. Bernards is very wealthy and largely Republican as is most of Somerset.

[kylaka]

Bernards Township is in Somerset county, located central north (west of New Brunswick), Whittman's stomping grounds. If Bush is going to Burlington Cty, it will most likely be Moorestown.