Be sure to read the New Era’s coverage. And, if you got pictures, send ‘em. I’ll post ‘em. The address is tmurse@lnpnews.com. By the way, the transcript of Bush’s speech is here. That’s all from here. Thanks for joining us.
2:01 P.M. It’s off the ground.
2:00 P.M. — AF1 is taxiing.
1:52 P.M. — Air Force One awaits.
1:50 P.M. – Just passed the MrScoop.com guy and his big truck. Wow. What ad placement.
1:48 P.M. — East Oregon Road. We’ll be at the airport in 3 minutes. 2 the way this ‘cade is moving.
1:43 P.M – We’re doing 82 mph on Route 222.
1:36 P.M. – Clarification of my last post. They’re waving at the president. Not the press. Just wanted to make that clear.
1:34 P.M. – I’m amazed at the number of people still standing along the road, outside their homes, snapping pictures and waving to the motorcade. Will Bush stop somewhere on the way to the airport?
1:32 P.M. — At least 100 people still protesting along Stony Battery, including one holding a sign that reads, “Worst President.”
1:30 P.M. — Bush has left the building, Secret Service running and the motorcade is rolling.
1:18 P.M. – The motorcade is preparing to leave the Jay Group.
1:02 P.M. — Stay tuned … more coming.
12:55 P.M. – Bush done speaking.
12:52: P.M. — Question: “Are you disappointed in Americans for condemning the Iraqi war since after 9/11 we were ready to go to war?” Bush: “People don’t like war. I’m not disappointed in America. I love America. I fully understand that people are just anxious about seeing death on the TV screen.”
12:39 P.M. — In the “Nice Try” category, someone just asked, “Are you able at this point to support any of the presidential candidates?” Answer: “No.” The follow-up: “Would you rather see your daughters go into business or politics?” Answer: “I’d’ rather them do whatever they want to do”
12:35 P.M. — Question: So how can students afford college today, especially poor students? Bush responded by saying he signed a bill increasing the size of Pell Grants, and that he supports tax incentives to help families save. He also encourages taking out student loans. “If you work hard and you want to go to college, you can find all the help you want. Some people don’t like repaying loans, but that’s part of life.”
12:26 P.M. — Question: “What will it take to have peace in the Middle East?” Bush said, “First, it will take a firm rejection of extremism and the people who use terror as a weapon to achieve their objective. Secondly, I believe that in order for there to be peace there needs to be a Palestinian democracy committed to living side by side with an Israeli democracy. First of all, I believe it can happen. I do believe there can be peace.”
12:23 P.M. — Question No. 4: What is the president’s thought on allowing the federal government to implement national electricity corridors over the objections of state governments and landowners. “I support it on a limited basis as long as it achieves the national objective.”
12:18 P.M. — Question No. 3: “Do you have any further plans on preventing illegal immigration?” Bush responded, “Yeah, I do.” He said the feds are doubling the border patrol, modernizing the border by more clearly defining it, and using “better policy in enforcing the law.” He also wants a temporary worker program using ID cards.
12:14 P.M. — Bush was asked how the federal farm bill would affect Lancaster County’s farmers. He is still answering and spending a lot of time promoting nuclear power and alternative fuels to power cars, etc.
12:03 P.M. — Guess who asked the first question of Bush? Yep. Manheim Realtor Gerry Beane, who was first in line to get a ticket Monday. It was no softball, either. He asked Bush why we’re spending so much money on the war in Iraq, given the polls that show Americans don’t support the war. “We need to bring our soldiers home,” Beane told Bush. Bush responded forcefully, “Those same polls will tell you people are worried about catastrophes in the Middle East affecting our national security.” Bush went on, to applause and cheers, to say “I don’t want out troops feeling like I’m making decisions based on politics when lives are at stake…My decision have been based, or at least it is my belief, is that what we are seeing is a great ideological struggle between forces of rational behavior … versus radicals … who are willing to murder innocents to advance their objectives.”
11:48 A.M. — Bush recognizes Christ Blank, an Amish man from Nickel Mines. He praised the Amish for their ability to forgive and embrace Marie Roberts, the widow of gunman Charles Carl Roberts IV. “I’m honored you’re here,” Bush said to Blank.
11:42 A.M. — Bush praises state police for being first on the scene at Nickel Mines shooting. “These folks had the ultimate challenge to bring comfort to a hurting community”
11:37 A.M. — Bush is on the floor with chamber chairwoman. Applause and cheers.11:30 A.M. — We’re inside the Jay Group, where some 400 people are seated”stadium-style” around where the president will speak. It is a very intimate setup. Bush will be literally 5 feet from the audience. Internet connection slow. Bear with us.
11:07 A.M. — Motorcade on Route 30 toward Jay Group. 21 cars. Traffic stopped on Route 30. People standing outside cars observing motorcade.
10:48 A.M. — Door open Bush out, greeting locals.
10:43 A.M. — touchdown plane taxiing.
10:39 A.M. — We’re back. A few feet from the runway. President Bush’s plane is expected to tough down in seconds. On hand to greet him are former state Sen. Noah Wenger, Register of Wills Donna Reinaker and Kennedy Kulish.
9:54 A.M. — OK, folks. We’re going to be out of commission for a short time while we go through security and back into the terminal. You’ll hear from us as Bush approaches. Here’s an Andy Blackburn shot of the motorcade to tide you over.
9:45 A.M. — Manheim Township Police say Airport Road will be shut down “when Secret Service says.” That would be relatively soon.
9:43 A.M. — State Police helicopters are flying over the airport and security crews sweeping the maintenance building at the airport in preparation for the president’s arrival.
9:33 a.m. - Manheim Township Police are instructing about a dozen or so observers gathered at the runway fence to leave. They are to drive to Penn Cinemas about a half mile from the airport.
9:23 A.M. — Here’s an Andrew Blackburn image of the motorcade and TV satellite trucks lined up.
9:04 A.M. — Good morning from Lancaster Airport. We’re planning to blog President Bush’s visit to Lancaster this morning.
Air Force One is set to arrive at 11:05 a.m. The White House, in a morning update, said: “Congress has completed the fiscal year without finishing work on a single appropriations bill, and the President will urge Congress to get its work done and send the bills to him individually, without unnecessary spending that would lead to higher taxes.”
While we wait for President Bush to land here, we can tell you who’s traveling with him. Among the dignitaries is Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania’s senior senator, who flouted “unwritten rules against hobnobbing with the press and criticizing the president or his team” during his last trip to Pennsylvania on Air Force One, The Patriot-News’ Brett Lieberman notes. “Despite his rule violations, Specter will once again be traveling in style Wednesday when he joins President Bush aboard Air Force One for Wednesday’s quick flight from Washington, D.C. to Lancaster. Though Specter disagrees with the president on many of the spending fights, it’s protocol to invite the local lawmakers and senators for the trip. And with his approval rating hovering around 30 percent, the president can use all the friends he can get. Besides, it’s a short trip.”
Lancaster County’s congressman, U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts, is also traveling with Bush.
The Philadelphia Daily News’ John Baer writes this morning that “if there remains a place in America where President Bush can give a speech on controlling government spending without drawing horselaughs it is Lancaster County.”
In preparation for Bush’s visit, about 400 protesters gathered Tuesday night in downtown Lancaster. The shouting, banner-waving protest was a marked contrast to the silent candlelight vigils that have been more typical of Lancaster’s anti-war protests, The Associated Press notes this morning. In addition to opposing the war in Iraq, the protesters took issue with the president’s positions on other issues, such as children’s health insurance.
The AP also reports that Bush, with no ceremony for television cameras, will veto a bill today expanding SCHIP, the popular health care program for children, by $35 billion. The move will set up a veto fight that Bush probably will win but will give Democrats a campaign issue for next year’s elections. They will argue the veto shows Bush and his Republican allies are insensitive to low-income children who are uninsured through no fault of their own. The Senate passed the bill with enough votes to override the veto, with 18 Republicans lining up with Democrats. But the House fell about two dozen votes shy of the number needed to override. Bush argues the expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, or SCHIP, is a step toward socialized medicine and would entice people with private coverage to switch to government-financed plans.
Check back throughout the morning. Also, if you have photos you want to send us, go right ahead. I’ll publish them here. The address is tmurse@lnpnews.com.
