THE RIVERBOAT GAMBLER COMES TO TOWN:

Bush Gives Final Push to GOP Campaigns: Candidates Vie for Offices In Kentucky and Mississippi (Mike Allen, November 2, 2003, Washington Post)

A year and a day before voters will decide whether Bush will get a second term, he made two stops each in Mississippi and Kentucky to urge conservative independents to vote Tuesday and to encourage loyal Republicans to plunge into turnout drives.

Bush started and ended 13 hours of barnstorming at his Texas ranch. His first stop was in Southaven with Haley Barbour, a lobbyist and former Republican National Committee chairman who has shattered Mississippi records by spending more than $10 million to challenge Gov. Ronnie Musgrove. Bush said Barbour "used to run in high circles."

"I guess in this part of the world, you say he used to pick high cotton," Bush said to laughter. "But one thing about him, no matter how high the circle he ran in, he always loved to talk about Mississippi."

Then Bush flew to a hangar in Paducah, Ky., for a rally with Rep. Ernie Fletcher, who is vying against Kentucky Attorney General A.B. "Ben" Chandler III to replace Gov. Paul Patton, who has been scarred by scandal and is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.

"You should like the fact that when he becomes the governor and he calls up to Washington, the president will answer the phone," Bush said as Fletcher beamed.

Bush ignored the chants of "four more years" at his first stop, then answered an even more vehement wave of them here by saying, "It's actually three more days."

Once again Mr. Bush shows himself willing to play for high stakes even at the risk of great personal loss. So far he's on a three year roll.

Posted by Orrin Judd at November 2, 2003 7:44 AM