CA: Bush to visit area base, GOP fundraiser (Twentynine Palms and Coachella Valley)

President Bush will visit the Coachella Valley and the Twentynine Palms Marine base next weekend.

Bush will attend a Republican National Committee fundraiser at the Toscana Country Club in Indian Wells on April 22. Tickets to the dinner cost $25,000, said Palm Desert Mayor Jim Ferguson, a longtime Republican activist who received an invitation but is not attending.

Bush will spend the nights of April 22 and April 23 in Rancho Mirage, said Alex Conant, a White House spokesman. However, the White House is not yet divulging where in Rancho Mirage the president will stay, he said.

On April 23, Bush will attend church services at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms before having lunch with Marine and Navy families, Conant said.

The president will then observe training exercises that Marines participate in before deployment to Iraq, said Capt. Chad Walton, spokesman for the base. The exercises include training in a simulated Iraqi town, mock attacks on military convoys and live-fire practice with pop-up targets, Walton said.

On Monday and Wednesday, about 160 Marines and Navy sailors are scheduled to return to Twentynine Palms from Iraq after seven months of deployment, said Sgt. Christopher Cox. He added he does not know whether the president plans to meet with the Marines and sailors.

Bush is scheduled to return to Washington on April 24. The White House itinerary said events prior to his return to the White House that day are still to be determined.

This will be the president's second Inland visit in the past eight months. In August, Bush visited a Rancho Cucamonga senior center to discuss changes in the Medicare program.

In October 2003, he visited Riverside and San Bernardino, and he campaigned in Riverside in 1999 for the GOP primary. In May 2000, Bush campaigned in Palm Springs and attended a fundraiser in Rancho Mirage.

Before arriving in the Inland area next week, Bush will travel to Northern California. He will arrive in San Jose on Friday to attend a panel on the American Competitiveness Initiative at Cisco Systems Inc., and will spend Friday night in St. Helena.

On April 22, Bush will tour The California Fuel Cell Partnership in West Sacramento before flying to the desert.

Gov. Schwarzenegger hopes to meet with Bush during his California visit, although a time and location have not been set, said Margita Thompson, the governor's press secretary.

TO ALL BUSH HATERS ON THIS THREAD -- which seems to be just about everyone on this thread:

Ask yourself how much happier would you be with President Al Gore or President John Kerry and what do you think they would do about illegal immigration and border security?

1. Illegal immigration has been going on for many years, it did NOT start with President Bush. And it can't be stopped by waving a magic wand, which he doesn't have.

2. President Bush has done quite a lot to secure the borders. More to be done, but why aren't you giving him any credit for what he has done (Clinton did NOTHING -- have you been complaining about illegal immigration during his presidency, or did you just discover illegal immigration as a problem, only during Bush's presidency?)

"Since President Bush took office, funding for border security has increased by 66 percent. The Border Patrol has been expanded to more than 12,000 agents, an increase of more than 2,700 agents, or nearly 30 percent. The President's FY07 budget funds another 1,500 new agents. Agents are being provided with cutting-edge technology like infrared cameras, advanced motion sensors, and unmanned aerial vehicles. Protective infrastructure, such as vehicle barriers and fencing in urban areas, is being installed. Manpower, technology, and infrastructure are being integrated in more unified ways than ever before.

The Administration's Border Security Strategy Is Getting Results. Since President Bush took office, agents have apprehended and sent home more than 6 million people entering the country illegally - including more than 400,000 with criminal records. Federal, State, local, and tribal law enforcement are working together. More than 600,000 illegal immigrants were apprehended through the Arizona Border Control Initiative last year - an increase of more than 50 percent increase over the previous year. The men and women of our Border Patrol have made good progress - but we have much more work ahead, and we will not be satisfied until our agents have full control of our border. "

http://www.whitehouse.gov/infocus/immigration/

3. Why aren't you putting any blame on the Democrats who are the ones who obstruct the immigration bill?

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