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Posted on 04/30/2002 3:23:12 PM PDT by SunStar
Bush Revives 'Compassionate Conservatism' Theme
Tue Apr 30, 4:51 PM ET
By Randall Mikkelsen
SAN JOSE, Calif. (Reuters) - President Bush revived his campaign theme of "compassionate conservatism" on Tuesday as he helped out a conservative Republican's uphill run in the California governor's race.
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"We need a different approach than either big government or indifferent government. ... It is compassionate to actively help our fellow citizens in need. It is conservative to insist on responsibility and on results," Bush said.
Bush ran for president in 2000 as a self-described compassionate conservative. Seeking to blunt a perception of conservatives as neglectful of social ills, he offered proposals to improve education, strengthen the welfare system, and help religious charities provide social services.
In California, conservative Republican Bill Simon, who beat White House-backed moderate Richard Riordan in the March primary, trailed incumbent Democratic Gov. Gray Davis by 14 points in a poll released on Sunday.
With the California race likely to influence his own re-election chances in 2004, Bush is now working hard to bolster Simon's chances, and on Tuesday he cast Simon in his political image.
"I rejected the old-style politics and that's exactly what Bill Simon is going to do here in California," Bush said at a Silicon Valley fund-raiser for Simon that raised $1.5 million.
Simon told Bush, "You set America on a new path, and we can do the same in California." He cited education reform -- a centerpiece of Bush's compassionate conservative agenda -- and cutting taxes as Bush issues that would be emulated.
The total take was more than $4 million for Bush's two-day California fund-raising swing on Simon's behalf. Bush raised about $2.75 million at a star-studded event in Los Angeles on Monday.
Bush lost California, which has the largest number of electoral votes needed to win the presidency, by a wide margin to Democrat Al Gore in 2000.
The president on Tuesday jokingly recalled his struggle to overcome a political-neophyte image when he left a business career to defeat incumbent Democrat Ann Richards in the 1994 race for Texas governor. He said Simon faced similar attacks.
"He's never held elective office, he's only been a successful businessman. How could he possibly be the governor of a big and diverse state? It sounds to me like Governor Davis is getting his advice from Ann Richards."
A Republican source said Bush committed to Simon's race partly because having the governorship in Republican hands could make it harder for Democrats to take California for granted in the 2004 presidential campaign.
Although Bush had backed Riordan, the former Los Angeles mayor, in the primary, he began making up with Simon even before primary-election day, and the fund-raising swing was organized quickly, the Republican source said.
You should be happy that a real conservative won the GOP nomination, rather that the RINO Riordan.
improve education=bigger more expensive government.
strengthen the welfare system=bigger more expensive government.
help religious charities provide social services=bigger more expensive government.
Bush is doing what he said he would, so no surprise here. I had hoped he would also pursue justice and am disappointed.
Don't forget your 'Vote for Lights Out Davis' bumper sticker. Sheesh.
Reading your screen name I presumed you were a hard core felon.
FYI.
Bill Simon is more like Ron Paul.
The NRA gives him an "A" rating. He wants to enforce Prop. 187, etc.
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