Pacific Views

Bush Visits Portland, Dean's Campaign Stalks Bush

Bush shows up tomorrow today (oops -- is it past midnight again?).

Bush's visit to Portland provides lots of news for a normally slow August. Oregon Public Broadcasting reported that the environmentalist community took reporters out to the Deschutes National Forest to talk about Bush's Healthy Forest Initiative and to discuss the issues on this policy before Bush shows up. New rules governing forest policy are now in effect inflaming the Democrats.

Bush's team is anticipating protests on this visit to the norhtwest, although what I heard on the radio was that no groups in Portland have registered for permits so people will need to stay on the sidewalks or face arrest.

Bush's campaign stop in central Oregon is close to two forest fires that might interfer with this photo-op. There is some question about these fires with partisans on both sides asking for an investigation into why these fires started now, so close to the President's visit.

Finally, Howard Dean will be campaigning in Oregon on Sunday, showing that although Oregon has no real vote in the Presidential primary, it is considered a battleground state for the national election. Dean is taking his campaign to the national arena and is making sure that Bush doesn't have a free ride in these early campaign stops. Oregon Democrats are already fired up for the Presidential battle.

x-posted at PolState.

Posted by Mary at August 21, 2003 04:47 AM | TrackBack