The emperor hits Miami to visit regular folks. The review.

[seafan]

So, with all the hoopla around *'s little visit to Miami, yesterday and ending today....


....A very busy agenda, all under the guise of:

The president's visit here to the home state of his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, suggested the depth of White House concern about the president's political standing as Republicans head into the campaign with a leader whose approval ratings are hovering in the 30 percent range. The president rarely travels domestically on weekends and almost never spends the night in a city within easy flying distance of home.

White House strategists, however, are trying a new approach that has Bush lingering during targeted trips across the country rather than popping in for a single speech and leaving within hours. He launched these "drill-down" visits earlier this month in Chicago, where he also spent the night, celebrated his 60th birthday with Democratic Mayor Richard M. Daley and held his first full-fledged, domestic news conference outside of Washington.

Afraid these *drill-down visits* are gonna yield yet another dry collapsing hole for the chimp.





So, to recap:


He flies into Miami International Airport on Sunday, July 30, 2006, greeted by his ardent supporters, all 20 of them.

The usual crowd:


JOHN VANBEEKUM / MIAMI HERALD STAFF
President Bush, right, back to camera, shakes hands with his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, second from right, as U. S. Representatives from Florida Lincoln Diaz-Balart, left, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, second from left, wait their turn.


George W. Bush (C) greets Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) (L) as his brother, the Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush looks on upon the President's arrival in Miami, Florida, July 30, 2006. REUTERS/Jim Young (UNITED STATES)


President Bush is greeted by U.S. Rep. Lincoln Diaz Ballart, left, and his Brother, Gov. Jeb Bush after landing in Miami.
(Sun-Sentinel/Joe Cavaretta)

On Sunday, Air Force One arrived at 6:30 p.m. at Miami International Airport. Gov. Jeb Bush, the president's brother, and three Republican members of South Florida's congressional delegation -- Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln and Mario Diaz-Balart -- greeted the president with hugs and handshakes.

The president presented a volunteer service award to South Florida resident Dorcas Biegari before his motorcade began to make its way to Miami Beach. Startled tourists in bathing suits watched the motorcade pull into Joe's Stone Crab in South Beach.

Bush dined privately with community leaders at the restaurant, out of sight from where the media pool was sequestered. A list of Bush's dinner guests was not released.

But, we were told that this visit was to meet with "average Americans...".

President Bush swooped into Miami late Sunday, startling bikini-clad beachgoers along Collins Avenue as his motorcade revved to dinner at Joe's Stone Crab in Miami Beach -- part of a White House strategy to get the commander in chief out of the Beltway bubble and amid regular folks.

Diners in shorts and T-shirts grabbed cameras and craned their necks for a peek of the president, but they had to settle for a huddle of Secret Service agents as the president ate privately with people the White House called ``community leaders.''

But, poor George's invitation to Dolphins coach Nick Saban to join him for dinner was rebuffed!

Dolphins coach Nick Saban doesn't consider himself an aficionado of politics, but he understands that when the president asks you over for dinner, you oblige.Unless of course if that request comes during training camp.

That's the reason Saban had to politely decline an invitation to dine with President George Bush Sunday evening while the President was in South Florida.

''There's nobody in the world that has more respect for the President of the United States, what he does, what his responsibility is, what our support for what he does is, regardless of who is in that position,'' Saban said. ``It was really a tough decision for us last night to stay here and work with our team and go to the meetings and do what we have to do in camp.''

In spite of that, George licks his crab-claw-stained fingers off amidst all the common folks, and speeds off to spend a luxurious night at the Four Seasons Hotel on Brickell Avenue.




And, what will fearless leader have on Monday's very busy agenda?

His first stop will be for breakfast at an undisclosed location with local business leaders, then he is expected to tour the National Hurricane Center and the Port of Miami. He is also scheduled to speak at the U.S. Coast Guard Integrated Support Command in Miami.

The president's final stop this afternoon will be at a closed-door fundraiser at a Coral Gables home.

Ooops, here is the Monday"undisclosed breakfast location:"

(CBS4 News) MIAMI President Bush woke up in Miami on Monday and went straight for the Cuban coffee. The president’s first stop on his extremely busy schedule was the famous Versailles restaurant in Little Havana, where he was scheduled to have a breakfast with business leaders.

President Bush, center, participates in a breakfast meeting with community leaders, including his brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, seated at left, at Versailles Restaurant & Bakery, Monday, July 31, 2006, in Miami. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)



No pictures yet of the visit to the National Hurricane Center, or giving remarks on *the economy* at the Coast Guard Command Center or touring the Port of Miami...

But here is one of the main reasons for *'s visit:

Afterward, he and the governor will headline a fundraising luncheon for the Republican National Committee at Miami developer Armando Codina's Coral Gables home.

(Yep, Jeb's old business partner from the murky 80's.)

''Miami is one of the poorest cities in the country,'' Ros-Lehtinen noted, ``but it is also a rich area for fundraising.''

Are these really the types of people we want in a government by and for the people?



There's an old saying in Tennessee -- I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee -- that says, fool me once, shame on -- shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again. George W. Bush, September 17, 2002

[PA Democrat]

1. "Drill down" visits from the Shrub sound about as pleasant as

a root canal.

[Drum]

5. He & Pickles used to call it that....nt

[SteppingRazor]

2. Well, at least his advance people picked good restaurants...

Joe's has the best damned stone crab claws on the planet -- though it's ridiculously overpriced.

And Versailles has the best Cuban sandwich on the planet -- seriously. You won't find a better one in Cuba.

[Kire]

3. Look!

He's mauling another woman. :banghead:

[Eurobabe]

10. Laura must be on strike in that department since

she found out about the Condi-minium.

[Kire]

15. LOL

that's a good one

[Virginia Dare]

4. Sounds like a reality TV program....

Coming to Freeper Food Network(FFN) Dubya's Food Finds....:eyes:

Synopsis: Follow the nation's beloved leader as he travels the country in search of the finest dining experiences available to share with some very lucky carefully selected supporters.

[shain from kane]

6. Look at the size of Jeb's head. n/t

[Benhurst]

14. He looks like a conehead who has had major plastic surgery.

:rofl:

[Frustratedlady]

7. Anybody count the number of times he said...

"It's hard work..." or how he is keeping us safe? I lost count and don't think I could stomach another viewing to bring you the exact number. I DO think there are some Bushisms in that speech.

[seafan]

8. Yes, he's still here.... update.

Now, from the Port of Miami:

''Jeb and I just went and had a little coffee at Versailles, which reminded me of the important influence that those who have fled oppression at home can make to our society,'' the president said.
//snip
``But in order to enforce the border, we have got to recognize that people are sneaking in here to work; the best way to enforce the border is to have a rational way for people who are doing jobs Americans aren't doing to come to this country on a temporary basis so they can realize their dreams.

snip

He said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice ``is working urgently to get a sustainable cease-fire, a cease-fire that will last. We're going to work with our allies to bring before the United Nations Security Council a resolution that will end the violence and lay the groundwork for lasting peace in the Middle East.''
Bush added: ``As we work with friends and allies, it is important to remember this crisis began with Hezbollah's unprovoked terrorist attacks against Israel. Israel is exercising its right to defend itself. And we mourn the loss of innocent life, both in Lebanon and in Israel. We're determined to deliver relief to those who suffer; we're determined to work to resolve this crisis.''

snip

Earlier Bush visited the National Hurricane Center in West Miami-Dade, where he chatted with director Max Mayfield about advancements in hurricane detection.

snip

He will wrap up his stay by attending a Republican National Committee luncheon. He flies back to Washington, D.C., in mid-afternoon.

Traffic on State Road 836 and Interstate 95 will be disrupted for several minutes when the presidential motorcade heads for Miami International Airport.
A small group of protesters sought to use the visit to voice their opinions.
Democracy for America Miami and Veterans for Peace called for a makeshift protest of Bush's visit to Miami Beach, but they were not allowed to protest directly in front of the Coast Guard Integrated Support Command where he spoke this morning.
''They're not letting us get anywhere close to where Bush is going to speak,'' said Simon Rose, spokesman for Democracy for America Miami. ``They want to do anything they can to marginalize us.''

Serfs! Be gone! :sarcasm:

[Eurobabe]

9. Why does Chimperor always man-handle the women-folk?

Looked like he wanted to suck out Ileana's brain. He's a perv.

[seafan]

13. It is VERY creepy. Check this one out:

U. S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. R-Miami

[Contrary1]

11. "...meet with "average Americans"

as in bellhops, room service, and hotel maids.

[WillieDee]

12. Great post!

SSIA

[newyawker99]

17. Hi WillieDee!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[seafan]

21. Thanks, WillieDee. Glad to have you with us. n/t

[seafan]

16. One additional detail: Neil Cavuto will be "interviewing" * at the port.

On Fox News today: The Port of Miami-Dade like you've never seen it -- that is, with President Bush sitting in front of it.

Fox anchor Neil Cavuto is interviewing Bush at the port today, to air during Cavuto's show between 4 and 5 p.m. The expected topics include the Middle East and the economy.

-- GLENN GARVIN

Dubya hits town


Just like he takes his chef everywhere he goes, he takes his little fox pet too.

[DoYouEverWonder]

18. A list of Bush's dinner guests was not released.

Can't imagine who he would invite?

Orlando Bosch - check
Luis Posada - can't make it, in jail
Santiago Alverez - can't make it, in jail.....

[Doctor_J]

19. Look at all those "regular folks" he hung out with

right-wing business leaders, Jeb's crooked pals, and ultra-rich criminals. What a piece of shit that man is.

[seafan]

20. And he ends the day, raking in $1 Million at Armando Codina's house.

After the Hurricane Center and zipping around the Port of Miami:

Then his motorcade took him to the exclusive Gables Estates neighborhood, where he attended a private fundraiser at the home of industrial developer Armando Codina that brought in $1 million for the Republican National Committee.

Quite a *busy day* for the emperor.


Jeb and Armando go WAY back.

[radfringe]

22. ....Actually, mid-October

Bush looks to UN for Mideast solution
NEDRA PICKLER | Associated Press
July 31, 2006
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/news/nation/15166216.htm

Bush stopped briefly at the National Hurricane Center, a room filled with maps and monitors of the hurricane zone. Christopher Landsea, a science and operations officer, told Bush of a paper he had just written that found there was not a consensus linking hurricane patterns to global warming.

The president replied, "There is a consensus you're doing good work."

Bush said it was important that people take the center's forecasts seriously, and he noted that the height of hurricane season begins next week and runs through mid-September. After a pause, National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield corrected him. "Actually, mid-October," Mayfield said.

Later, Bush took a half-hour boat tour of the Port of Miami to examine security improvements. Then his motorcade took him to the exclusive Gables Estates neighborhood, where he attended a private fundraiser at the home of industrial developer Armando Codina that brought in $1 million for the Republican National Committee.