Uncle of President Bush campaigns in Cape County

President Bush's uncle, seeking to garner farmers' support, visited a Gordonville farmer's tool shed Friday to campaign for his nephew's re-election.

"President Bush has led our country on principle," said St. Louis lawyer Bucky Bush, who chairs the president's re-election campaign in Missouri.

About 40 people, many of them farmers, turned out to hear Bucky Bush, GOP lawmakers and Missouri Farm Bureau Federation president Charlie Kruse of Dexter, Mo., note the formation of a Missouri farm and ranch leadership team. The team's aim is to build grass-roots backing for the president's re-election in the agricultural community.

The group met amid straw bales in a large, tidy tool shed on the John Lorberg farm near Gordonville.

Bucky Bush said his nephew has worked to protect the nation from terrorism. He said the president understands farmers and ranchers.

"Your president's home is a ranch in Crawford, Texas," he told the crowd. "That speaks volumes as to where his heart is."

Bucky Bush was joined by other GOP dignitaries, including U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson of Cape Girardeau.

Following the rally, Bucky Bush said it's too early in the presidential campaign to put much stock in polls. "Polls now don't have much meat on their bones," he said.

Missouri is expected to be one of the battleground states in the presidential race this fall.

Bucky Bush said Republicans will work to get the vote out in the November election.

"If we can get the vote out, we'll win Missouri," he said.

Lorberg, who has raised corn on 350 acres near Gordonville, said he's sold on President Bush's character.

"He has morals and he is a Christian man," Lorberg said after the rally.

Kruse was named chairman of the farm and ranch team.

Although farm policy is important to Kruse, he said national security is the biggest issue in this presidential election.

U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, who grew up on a farm in Mississippi County, said President Bush would like to do away with the estate tax, or "death tax."

"President Bush believes the death of a family member should not be a taxable event," Hulshof said. In contrast, Hulshof said, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry supports the death tax.

mbliss@semissourian.com

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