Bush Backers Fear Iraq's Political Effect
By Dana Milbank
The Washington Post
Wednesday 10 September 2003
President Tours Fla. for Fundraisers
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - As President Bush took a fundraising spin today through this famous electoral battleground state, his supporters here voiced worry that troubles in Iraq have hurt his political standing.
In the two days since he asked to double the amount of money being spent to pacify Iraq, Bush has sought to return to his normal routine, giving a pair of education speeches and speaking at three fundraisers Monday and today. But those Republican faithful attending Bush's fundraisers, while still confident of his reelection next year, said they had grown anxious about Iraq.
"This aftermath in Iraq is going to be tougher than we thought it was," said John Ellis, a real estate investor at a fundraiser here. Ellis also said he worried that Bush could "get blamed for the economic problems." Bush has not taken a question from reporters since Aug. 22. In those 18 days, escalating attacks on U.S. troops in Iraq led the administration to request another $87 billion and to reconsider its resistance to a United Nations force. Bush's Middle East peace plan has been tossed aside with the resignation of Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and a resumption of killings, including two suicide bombings in Israel today. Meanwhile, reports have shown the economy losing jobs and the 2004 federal deficit approaching $600 billion.
Bush aides said they are not worried about his standing. They said he is not purposefully avoiding difficult subjects, pointing out that the education events were scheduled before Sunday's Iraq speech and that Bush is likely to take questions from reporters as soon as Wednesday. And they argued that this is a natural trough. "If you look at the last three years, August always is a time when the coverage goes down," a senior aide said.
Polls indicate Bush has returned to the popularity he had before Sept. 11, 2001. In an ABC News survey released yesterday, 56 percent said they approved of the job Bush was doing, but the number saying the Iraq war was worth fighting slipped to 54 percent from 70 percent in late April.
Just as on Monday, Bush did not mention Iraq in his official speech today at an elementary school, where he announced a new Web site to help states analyze student test data.
In a speech to donors at a luncheon, Bush won applause for saying, "This nation will not be intimidated." Defending his Iraq policy, he said: "These aren't easy tasks, but they're essential tasks, and we will finish what we have begun."
Bush arrived in Jacksonville after an Air Force One landing was aborted because the control tower spotted a police car near the runway. His entourage encountered a second surprise between events here as Bush's motorcade passed a motorist being detained at gunpoint for going the wrong way on the interstate as Bush approached. Bush foes rented a billboard near the event taunting Bush over jobless statistics -- "Three Million Jobs Since 2000 Lost by George W. Bush."
At the first of the day's two $2,000-per-person fundraisers, which raised $2.8 million combined, the donors, while confident Bush will ultimately prevail, expressed concern about Iraq.
"It's a big worry to him, I'm sure," said Maxwell Dickinson, a contributor. "It's a much stickier situation than they ever thought it would be." Jud Bennett, another contributor, said he is concerned about the effect on Bush of Iraq developments but, like others here, figured the troubles will subside before the election. "I think it'll close up because a lot of people don't approve of the Iraq situation, but I still think he'll be reelected," he said.
Carol Brubaker, who drove to the fundraiser from her home across the border in Georgia, urged patience -- much as Bush did on Sunday night. "The polls are down, obviously. It must be a very difficult time for him personally," she said. Iraq "is a work in progress," she added. "I think it is getting better, so I don't think it'll be an issue that turns the election."
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