Posted on 08/14/2002 6:22:33 AM PDT by McLynnan
President Bush listened first and talked later Tuesday as he moved from one friendly audience to the next at the Baylor law school.
Bush made 20-minute cameos in four of the eight discussions that kicked off his economic forum. Vice President Dick Cheney visited the other four. Each of the sessions, which ran concurrently, lasted 90 minutes.
Bush was the focus of every room he entered, but others did most of the talking. After opening remarks from two administration officials and investment executive Charles Schwab, Bush told investing and retirement panelists he was looking out for his McLennan County neighbors.
"I think about how people in Crawford look at Wall Street and the numbers," said Bush, whose ranch is about 25 miles west of Waco. "And one of the things I hope that comes out of this discussion is how do we simplify the numbers so that people can understand what they're looking at."
Panelists gave Bush first-hand accounts of the economy's health. Larry Johnston, chairman of the Albertson's grocery store chain, said he sees weakening consumer confidence when customers buy hamburger instead of steak.
Other stories were more encouraging. Dick Holthaus, president of the National Association of Investors Corporations, said the small investment clubs that make up his group received eight requests to sell for every two to buy in recent months. But he said investors have in recent weeks been buying only, which Holthaus chalked up to market factors and an emphasis on corporate responsibility.
Cabinet secretaries and other administration officials moderated the groups. They mostly called on business and civic leaders when Bush was in the room, ignoring professors from schools like Harvard, Stanford and the University of Pennsylvania.
Corporate accounting scandals were fresh in the minds of several panelists. Harry Alford, chairman of the National Black Chamber of Commerce, told Bush he was tired of seeing embattled executives plead the Fifth Amendment before Congress "as if they're Bugsy Siegel or Al Capone."
Bush told Alford that law-breakers will be held accountable. He also said business schools need to teach students the difference between right and wrong.
"They're afraid of taking a position, evidently," Bush said.
Bush walked swiftly into each room he entered, sometimes catching panelists off-guard. He got a delayed standing ovation when he entered the corporate responsibility session. In the discussion session on jobs and recovery, Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill gave panelists advance warning to stand when Bush entered.
The president took a few notes while participants talked, but he mostly looked directly at them, nodding frequently. He also worked in a few laughs.
At the session on jobs and recovery, North Carolina restaurant owner Van Eure sat between Bush and O'Neill, who has sometimes found few champions in Washington. After talking about estate taxes, Eure said it was an honor to sit next to one of her heroes, presumably meaning Bush.
"Who, O'Neill?" Bush quipped in amazement. "We found one, O'Neill."
George Luck, principal of the Waco ISD Alternative Campus and owner of Temple's Bluebonnet Cafe, sat on the health-care panel. A friend who works for Scott & White Memorial Hospital suggested Luck when White House officials asked for participants.
"I think people were very genuine throughout the entire forum," Luck said. "I don't think there was any difference when the president was there."
Luck said panelists were advised to keep comments short so everybody could speak. Salado nurse Lucinda Harman, also part of the health-care session, said the key instructions were to wear business dress and turn cell phones off.
After a wrap-up session at Baylor's Jones Concert Hall, Bush went to a participants' lunch in the Bill Daniel Student Center. They ate Southwest chicken salad and key lime pie, and Bush worked the room for handshakes and photos.
A Marine helicopter transported Bush from his Crawford ranch to Waco that morning, landing on the new intramural fields across La Salle Avenue from the Ferrell Center. He flew back to the ranch after five hours in Waco.
Even before the event began, Democrats complained the Bush forum was little more than a photo-op. In his closing-session remarks, Bush acknowledged at least some of the pageantry.
"Thanks for having us all," he told Baylor President Robert B. Sloan Jr. "And I want you to thank all the good folks here at Baylor University for putting on a great show."
Sounds like Ann Richards to me.....or any of her Demrat clones.
The economy of the 90's was a mirage as we are now learning - fueled both by out of control "GREED" by the people on the top - and the insiders like Terry McCAuliffe - at Global Crossings - and manipulated by the Rubin led financial companies. Rubin sure knew how to throw a fake party, that's for sure. And, in the end, as always, the little guys, the noninsiders, the hard working employees instead of the party hack insiders, are the ones who lose out.
Nothing was done or said by the ClintonDemrats about how to protect the little guys and their 401K during those fake years.
And when you control the media paying guys to pump the market even though the info was fake - well - what do you get? A FAKE BUBBLE!
Everything about the Clintonled Demonrats is a fake - except their propensity to defraud, steel, cheat, lie, kill - as long as they gain power and control.
If your people ever get total control - which might happen because people are fools and the rest - almost - are corrupt ---- we will be no different than the USSR, than Cuba, than N. Korea, than Communist China. What a shame that you have ONE IOTA OF ALLEGIANCE TO A PARTY OF ENSLAVING DESTROYERS!
This comment was extremely out of line and insulting. Obviously you are incapable of making a rational, intelligent argument based on fact to support your opinions. Tossing around baseless, obscene innuendo reflects on your total inability to say anything of substance.
It is ironic, isn't it? Of course, anywhere you look Bubba managed to ruin something.
Yes, it was obvious you felt no concern about offending anybody. Care to tell us about the fundraising at the economic forum? If there were any press reports about fundraising I missed them. How much money was raised? Who contributed? Who are the beneficiaries of the fundraising?
I'm sure the President will appreciate your critique and take it to heart. Speaking of busy schedules, you must have a lot of time on your hands since you can spend so much of your day finding fault with the President's turn of a phrase. Astute people understood his intent perfectly, but thank you for providing your take on things for those here who can't think for themselves.
Not that it will make any difference.
Campaign donations had absolutely nothing to do with the economic forum. You made the allegation that the economic forum was a fundraiser. Waiting patiently for you to back up your statement with some documented facts.
You are the one making the allegations about posts concerning the former administration, not me. Back up your own accusations because I don't have time to do your research for you. You will see I quoted your WHOLE post. Still waiting for those economic forum fundraising facts.
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.