Bush Camp Controlling Admission to Events

By SCOTT LINDLAW

BEAVERTON, Ore. (AP) - President Bush's team exerts close control over admission to his campaign events. Dissenters and would-be hecklers are turned away, campaign officials say. On several occasions in recent weeks, Democrats who have gotten in have been ejected because they wore pro-Kerry T-shirts.

The Bush campaign billed his visit to Beaverton as a chance for ordinary citizens to pose questions to the president.

But first, his audience at "Ask President Bush" heard a 21-minute speech from Bush. Then there were 22 minutes of testimonials on his domestic policies from four supporters. After that, Bush moved into a second speech lasting 24 minutes on terrorism and Iraq, along with a few comments about his meetings with world leaders.

Bush Camp Controlling Admission to Events

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I'll never know, I suppose. Let's just say I ponied up the $15k to the Bush event that I was invited to and wore an "XW" pin on my clothing. Would I have been ejected? Hmmm...

avoid the fact that Bush couldn't raise fleas on a dog should he try competing against Kerry's spontaneous crowds. Better to hide than have the inevitable comparison being made. This way, as bad as the control theme is, the reporters are distracted from the main popularity issue.

Didn't this happen in Truman's time, the tepid(but at least open) GOP audiences for Dewey, and the large and cheering crowds for Harry's whistlestop? Back in those days when the media didn't shroud itself in polls they had other ways to gloss over their incompetence and retreat into the conventional Foggy Bottom wisdom.

I notice how defensive on this issue the media(at least CNN) is by skirting around the obvious then saying the Dems are inflating the numbers although the crowds ARE large and exuberant.