Hi All, In "Newsweek" (weekly news magazine) they say the open carriage ride was cancelled because of concerns by the White House and an address to Parliament will not happen because (according to the magazine) Bristish officials don't want Bush "exposed to heckling lawmakers". I think politicians don't want to know that protesters exist. It says the visit was first suggested in 2001 and things were rosier back then.
So I have to write my one experience with a major politician. I don't think I've written this before. When the first Bush was Vice President he came to Brattleboro! I went because I wanted to see the "circus" surrounding the event. He spoke on the Common (park) and there were a lot of people yelling "no more years" (instead of "four more years", another term as VP). The Secret Service people were fascinating to me. Very straight faced with their ear pieces in, they continually scanned the crowd. Bush had been driven over from Keene, New Hampshire, a 20 minute drive. I think they closed that main road for the duration of his visit. After speaking on the Common he was to have a press conference in the Elks Home (the Elks are a fraternal organization). That house faces the common and was a quarter block away. Bush got into a limosine and it drove off with the Secret Service running along-side. I was standing next to a woman and her little boy and the little boy said "Are they going to run all the way to Keene?". LOL As far as I know they checked out all the apartments and businesses that face the Common. I can't remember if they requested that they be empty during the visit or not. That seems a little extreme. It is unlikely that any Republican running for national office will ever come back to Brattleboro <G>. Other than our Senator Jeffords who was a Republican but switched to Independent after Bush got elected. If I'm counting right this took place about 15 years ago, wait it must be more like 19 years ago... Jane in Vermont, USA [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace-chat [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
