bush in Iowa and Minnesota today - he just needs a crown to complete

the effect in this picture

President Bush shakes hands with supporters as he is introduced at a campaign rally at LeClaire Park Bandshell in Davenport, Iowa.



http://www.startribune.com/stories/587/4910479.html

Bush in Iowa

Iowa Republicans say they are not surprised that the incumbent president is in a dead heat with Kerry in the state.

``After what happened in 2000, with the election going to the Supreme Court, that hardened many people's attitudes,'' former Iowa state Republican chairman Michael Mahaffey said. ``Democratic Party activists have been very disgruntled and they want to make sure they do everything they can to make sure that George Bush is defeated.''Mahaffey's view is that the ``passion is more to get George Bush defeated than it is to get John Kerry elected.''

snip

Bush in Minnesota

One calculation in the president's visit to rural Minnesota may be the overlap effect on Iowa. Mankato has a television station that broadcasts into Iowa, says political science professor Joseph Kunkel of Minnesota State University in Mankato.

The president was visiting a farm in the town of LeSueur, Minn., and a quarry in Mankato.Bush lost the state in 2000 with 45.5 percent of the vote to Gore's 47.9 percent.

"Praise God! Praise God!" screamed the America hating Brownshirts.

That's LeClaire Park, but that ain't the bandshell. Thats a stage that was constructed for this event. Why? Who knows? Something to do with bush being a complete asshole I suppose. I live in Davenport, IA and have been to that park many many times.

you can click on to get a bigger view - if you right click the picture (above) and left click on 'Properties' you can get the address/url.

The elevated ramp may serve the desire to NOT have bush's feet touch dirt. He is going to have a wicked twist in his back from shaking hands.

The Star Trib's addy is:

http://www.startribune.com/

U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) greets supporters during an election rally in Mankato, Minnesota, August 4, 2004. Bush is on a three-day campaign swing through middle America in the hotly contested states of Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio and Michigan. REUTERS/Jason Reed US ELECTION

I wonder how many of those kids reaching out to shake Dubya's hand are going to go out and enlist in the Army or Marine Corps and volunteer for duty in Iraq?

Why should they get their hair mussed when the poor are perfectly willing to die for them?

on edit: Look at the sea of white faces. So much for the big tent thing.

Sure, but nobody lives in northern Iowa.

KEYC does not have that much reach. They hit south central MN hard (and plan on covering the event hard) but it's reach into Iowa is negligible.

had been a secret Dem, and yanked REALLY hard! :)

jerk the jerk off that ramp 'on accident.'

Would have machine gunned him and the whole crowd if he did anything unusual. But you gotta remember, since his events are so controlled, they probably vetted everyone in the crowd's entire lifelong medical history so they would know if someone had a problem with spasms.