President to visit Sarasota today (44th visit since 2000)

When Air Force One touches down at the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport today, it will be the 44th time that President Bush has been to Florida since he won the 2000 election.

Bush is back in the Sunshine State this time trying to stop Democrats from taking control of the U.S. House for the first time under his presidency.

First, Bush will headline a $20-a-person fundraiser for Longboat Key Republican Vern Buchanan at the Sarasota Bradenton International Convention Center.

Buchanan is battling Democrat Christine Jennings for the 13th Congressional District in what has become one of the most competitive races in the nation.

Later, Bush is expected to lead a fundraiser for the Republican National Committee in Boca Raton.

The president is not scheduled to speak at or attend any public events during his scheduled two-hour stop here.

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Vice President Dick Cheney was in Sarasota at another private fundraiser in early October warning Republicans that a Democrat-led Congress would bring Bush's tax cuts to an end and hurt the economy.

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President Bush and first lady Laura Bush are making separate money-raising visits to Palm Beach County this week.

The president will attend a $25,000-a-head fund-raiser for the Republican National Committee late this afternoon at the Boca Raton home of advertising executive Jordan Zimmerman and his wife, Denise.

Earlier in the day, Bush is slated to campaign in Sarasota for Vern Buchanan, the GOP congressional candidate facing a tougher-than-expected fight for the seat U.S. Rep. Katherine Harris is leaving to run for the U.S. Senate.

Laura Bush is to appear Friday at the Palm Beach home of Dwight and Martha Schar to raise money for Republican U.S. Rep. Clay Shaw, who faces a tough and expensive challenge from Democrat Ron Klein in a nationally watched House race.

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TALLAHASSEE, FL (AP) -- Gov. Jeb Bush joked during a Florida Cabinet meeting that the people of San Francisco may be endangered and, "That's probably good news for the country."

The topic at hand was environmental land and at the time of his remark, Bush was looking at a map showing locations boasting a lot of different wildlife.

"It looks like the people of San Francisco are an endangered species, which may not be a bad thing," Bush said during the meeting Wednesday. "That's probably good news for the country."

People in the room broke into laughter

"Did I just say that out loud?" the governor asked.

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