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9-11 Bush Photo Offered to Donors
AP
Posted on 5/14/02 9:31 AM Pacific by Suzie_Cue
9-11 Bush Photo Offered to Donors
Tue May 14, 1:24 AM ET
By SHARON THEIMER, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) - Capitalizing on President Bush (news - web sites)'s drawing power, the Republican National Committee (news - web sites) aimed for a record $30 million fund-raising bonanza Tuesday while congressional Republicans sought to reward donors with a Sept. 11 photo of Bush aboard Air Force One.
The photo of Bush calling Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) from the presidential plane just hours after the terror attacks is part of a three-picture set the National Republican Senatorial Campaign and its House counterpart promises to anyone who donates $150 or more to attend their joint fund-raising dinner next month.
The photos depict "the defining moments of 'The First Year' of the George W. Bush presidency," a fund-raising mailing says.
The pictures show "the gritty determination of our new president at his inauguration; a telephone call from Air Force One to Vice President Cheney the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2001; and President Bush's historic State of the Union speech before a joint session of Congress that united a nation and a world," it says.
In an accompanying letter, Cheney tells prospective donors the dinner has special meaning this year.
"It is an opportunity to honor President Bush for his courageous leadership during this historic time and to thank you for making that leadership possible through your steadfast support of President Bush and his agenda," Cheney wrote.
Larry Noble, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, a campaign watchdog group, said use of a Sept. 11 photo and other pictures of Bush on the job, "though not as expensive," reminded him of then-Democratic President Clinton (news - web sites)'s use of overnight stays in the White House Lincoln Bedroom and other trappings of his office to reward donors.
"They really came in saying they were going to clean up fund raising and politics and not be involved in the same kind of behavior the Clinton administration was involved in," Noble said of the Bush White House. "I think we saw from the first days in office they were doing all the same things."
Cheney drew criticism from campaign watchdog groups a year ago for holding a reception for about 400 top Republican donors at the vice presidential mansion on the eve of the RNC gala.
Bush political adviser Karl Rove was criticized in January by Democrats for telling the RNC that Republicans could campaign this year on their efforts to fight terrorism.
A National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman defended the inclusion of a Sept. 11 photo in the donor package.
"These pictures are of historic moments from the president's first year and are living testimony of his courage under fire, and leadership," the NRCC's Carl Forti said. "It is frankly offensive that anyone would suggest otherwise."
White House spokeswoman Anne Womack did not immediately respond to messages left at her office Monday evening seeking comment.
A Republican official said the photos were licensed and therefore not believed to be the work of an official White House photographer.
The fund-raising solicitation for the June 19 Republican congressional dinner came as the RNC anticipated raising about $30 million at its black-tie presidential gala Tuesday night at the Washington Convention Center. That amount would shatter the previous single-night record set in 2000 by Clinton and then-Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites).
The estimated RNC total, provided by a Republican official on condition of anonymity, would easily exceed the $26.5 million Clinton and Gore raised at a Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) barbecue.
Bush and Cheney helped raise $24 million at the RNC's black-tie gala last year.
Such fund-raising records would be difficult to break if a new law prohibiting unlimited campaign contributions from companies, unions and others to national party committees survives numerous legal challenges and takes effect after this fall's election.
The RNC, in its lawsuit, contends the soft money ban unconstitutionally interferes with states' rights and the party's ability to take part in the political process. Party committees use soft money for overhead and party-building activities around the country such as get-out-the-vote drives.
RNC gala organizers offered tables of 10 to individuals and political action committees for $15,000 and to corporate donors for $20,000.
Those who committed to raising $500,000 or more were honored as dinner co-chairmen, while those who raised at least $250,000 were vice chairmen of the event at the Washington Convention Center.
Republican "Eagles" — those who donate at least $15,000 annually to the RNC — were invited to meetings with administration officials earlier Tuesday.