Bu** Visit Put Lexington Police In Overtime Shortfall

[drfemoe]

(LEXINGTON, Ky., Saturday, October 18, 2003)
-- More than $15,000 is needed to pay overtime for Lexington police officers who helped protect President Bush during a fund-raising visit earlier this month.

Mayor Teresa Isaac won't send the $15,956 bill to the Kentucky Republican Party or its nominee for governor, Ernie Fletcher, who shared the $1.3 million raised during Bush's appearance at Lexington Center. Other cities, including Portland, Ore., have billed the GOP for the cost of Bush's fund-raising visits.

"The decision was made before the president's visit that, unless the cost was astronomical, we weren't going to press the issue by asking somebody else to pay for it," said Bruce Edwards, the mayor's spokesman.

But several members of the Urban County Council said local taxpayers should not have to absorb the cost of political events. Bush did not appear in public; he spoke to Republican donors at an invitation-only event. " ... > conintued

:think: .. Of course there's a good explanation ... he's not "campaigning" ... and we have clear skies and peace in the middle east too ..


A president on the trail
Traveling on the ultimate campaign vehicle -- Air Force One -- Bush still says his recent trips are not about politics
By Wayne Washington, Globe Staff, 10/19/2003

RIVERSIDE, Calif. -- It's a stock line now, tossed out at just about every fund-raiser President Bush attends. And last week, as he mixed a little money-tree shaking with an appearance with the Golden State's new governor-elect, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bush offered it up again.
... snip ...
When Bush flew to Lexington, Ky., on Oct. 9, he went simply to help a fellow Republican, Representative Ernie Fletcher, win his race for governor. But Bush refused to cast his trip in purely political terms. "For me, politics will come in time," Bush said that night. "I've got a job to do, and it's my honor to lead this country." ... continued

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