Wednesday, September 20, 2006

The Prodigal Returns

He never comes back to the old family home. He was born in New Haven, but moved out West as a baby. He never really knew life here. As a consequence, he grew up to be a different man from his patrician grandfather and awkward, insulated father.

But George W. Bush is coming home to the state of his birth, and the town of his forefathers, on Monday for a very expensive fundraiser.
State GOP Chairman George Gallo said the fundraiser will energize the party's faithful.

"We're absolutely excited and ecstatic to have the president of the United States come to Connecticut to support the Republican Party and the Republican team," said Gallo, who is hoping to raise about $400,000 from 30 couples. (Vigdor)

The president remains deeply unpopular in Connecticut, with only a 32% approval rating. The Farrell campaign is doing all it can to take advantage of Bush's unpopularity. This is the statement they released yesterday:
"President Bush is coming to Greenwich for two reasons: first, to thank Chris Shays for his unwavering support for the War in Iraq, and for a host of other Bush priorities; second, because President Bush knows Chris Shays is in serious trouble, he's here to try and rescue him. This visit is a reward and a down payment on Chris Shays' continuing support for the War in Iraq.

"The president could have held this fundraiser anywhere in Connecticut, but he chose Chris Shays' district, which is understandable and appropriate."

Greenwich is also home to a lot of rich Republicans. Basically, the president can get in, raise an ungodly sum of money, and get out before he is drawn into uncomfortable conversations with relatives ("So! How's your war going?") or reporters ("So! How's your war going?").

In any event, the return of the president to his ancestral homeland probably won't be a huge story. He is not doing any active (i.e, public) campaigning here, especially not alongside endangered incumbent Chris Shays.

Source
Vigdor, Neil. "President to visit Greenwich to raise funds." Stamford Advocate 20 September, 2006.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

CLP has become the other pair of MLN.

I guess Ned's fortune, and the fact his wife makes mega-money as a hedge fund mgr, makes no difference because EVIL GEORGE BUSH, is visiting Greenwich to raise $$$ from the same multi millionaires that Ned Lamont goes to the country clubs with.

Unknown said...

Shays better hope that Bush doesn't try and kiss him...

Anonymous said...

Maybe Diane Farrell could counter the Bush appearnce by bringing in Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuelan Pres. Hugo Chavez. After reading their comments from the UN the last two days it seems as if what they were saying was taken directly from the DNC's playbook!!!

They hate Bush almost as much as you Democrats!!!

Anonymous said...

I just heard that one of the guys saluting the flag at the end of the new Nancy Johnson ad has been dead for several years... can anyone in the 5th confirm?

Anonymous said...

Anon 2:46,

Poor W had to be nice to Iran at the UN because Iraq is so Fubar he's made our country powerless to stop Iran from getting the bomb.

Anonymous said...

A-1:58pm--

Mrs. Lamont isn't a hedge fund manager, she's a venture capitalist with an emphasis on capitalism.

And George Bush isn't evil b/c his grandfather was a big-wig US Senator from Greenwich, nor b/c the family gained entrance to the exclusive Round Hill Club.

W is evil b/c he started this stupid war that hasn't done anybody any good, except for the war profiteers. (plus his Katrina response was a heckuva showing.)

Anonymous said...

But Yogi--

The Republicans have one positive agenda. They think the very rich are still paying too much taxes!

I mean they no longer believe in restrained spending, they suddenly trust the federal govt. to spy on its citizens, they believe in nation-building experiments. But the one thing they have in common with your father's GOP is unbridled GREED.

Anonymous said...

Yes, one of the guys at the end of Johnson's ad is Ken Olson. He was on the school board in New Britain and died a few years ago. Way to go Nancy!

Anonymous said...

So she is using old footage.

What about Murphy's ad, you know, the one where he says that he can "clean up" Washington, yet he has a registered lobbyist in the ad!

Which is worse?

Anonymous said...

I think if Nancy did use old footage with someone who is deceased that is really tasteless and sounds like a typical boneheaded play.

Anonymous said...

I think if Nancy did use old footage with someone who is deceased that is really tasteless and sounds like a typical boneheaded play.