Bush rallies GOP during stopover

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Republicans in southwest Missouri gathered the party faithful, and President Bush whipped them into a frenzy.

Bush told the crowd of some 6,500 people during a rally Friday that Republican Senator nominee Jim Talent was just like him -- "a family man who has got his values straight."

"I'm here to take a stand. The best person running for United States Senate is Jim Talent," Bush told the cheering crowd. "I need him in the Senate to work with me. We've got some big problems facing our country, but there's no doubt in our mind that we can achieve anything when we set our mind to it."

Security concerns kept rally-goers from toting homemade posters. Gone also were the professionally printed placards that are typical rally fare. The only banner behind the podium welcomed President Bush.

"Who needs banners and posters when you've got the President speaking for you," Talent's campaign spokesman Rich Chrismer said.

The mood outside was different.

At least 400 protesters shouted slogans and lined the sidewalks around the center where Bush spoke. Some were against Bush's war plans, while others demonstrated against Talent's stand on the environment and partial privatization Social Security.

"I'm here to help wake our brothers up that it's time we all stood up for peace. People are standing up all over the country. I have not met one person who said this (war) is a good thing," said Marlene Colony of Tampa Bay, Fla., who came to protest and be with her family and friends who live in Springfield.

Before Bush arrived at the rally, Republican candidates from across southwest Missouri were introduced. None of them mentioned Carnahan by name -- although Sen. Kit Bond did refer to her once as his "junior colleague" while noting that she failed to support his initial bill on election reform.

Bond pushed aggressively for legislation to reform federal election laws after Nov. 7, 2000, when hundreds of St. Louis voters were turned away by election workers. The workers were using a list of voters who had been deemed inactive and purged from the rolls. The list has drawn much criticism since then.

"We want to get an honest count, but we won't get that count unless you go to the polls," Bond told the crowd.

Carnahan campaign spokesman Dan Leistikow noted that she did vote in favor of the election reform bill passed by Wednesday by the Senate.

David Fuller of Springfield said he supported Talent's stand on taxes and economic growth.

Just this week, VF Jeanswear in Lebanon announced it would close in December, leaving 750 people jobless. Rawlings Sporting Goods Company Inc. also said it was closing two plants in Licking, costing the area 175 jobs.

"If you tax all the profits, businesses aren't going to have any money left to operate," Fuller said.