Wisconsin Welcomes the President

Today, President Bush will be taking some time away from the Western White House in Crawford, Texas to visit Wisconsin.

He'll arrive in Ashwaubenon in the morning.

From WBAY:

The president is set to give a speech on the economy at Fox Valley Metal-Tech in Ashwaubenon. From there, he heads to a private luncheon at a Hobart home, which is a fund raiser for Republican Congressional candidate John Gard.

People who live in that Hobart neighborhood are excited about the visit but not everyone welcomes it.

Signs of support hang high on the house hosting the president Thursday, but just down the street and around the corner, another sign went up that isn't so inviting. Joan Mills put the sign in her front yard.

"I wanted to show that not everybody supports George Bush. I think Republicans as well as Democrats are very unhappy with the situation in this country now," she said.

The sign reads, "I am George Bush and I approved this mess."

Mills wanted the sign to turn heads. "This morning somebody drove by and hit the brakes and backed up to read it."

She also wanted to make sure her voice was heard. "The people that drive by give me the thumbs up, and this is a Republican neighborhood," she notes, "so that makes me happy."

But her sign isn't making everybody here. "I just think it's ridiculous. I mean, just let it be," says Nanette Shelley, who supports President Bush's visit. Her husband is attending the event.

Shelley said she doesn't think anyone going should see the sign. "I think they should keep their opinions. It's not protesting. I don't think they should bring that into the neighborhood. I could see if it's outside the neighborhood but I don't think the kids need to be involved in that."

"Just let him come in and leave," she said.

Mills doesn't know how long she'll keep her sign up or if the president's motorcade will even go past her house. Regardless, she says, it's likely not the last sign she'll put in her yard.

Eight years ago, if President Clinton was going to be attending an event in my neighborhood, I wouldn't have put up a sign saying, "I am Bill Clinton and I approved this mess."

Mills has a right to express herself, but she's not really accomplishing anything. In my opinion, she's venting in a rather childish fashion.

While the President will be lending his support to John Gard, Nancy Nusbaum will be holding an event of her own -- a FREE breakfast with vets and military families.

Nusbaum is really hung up on the $1000 a plate fundraiser that the President is doing for John Gard. She's acting like it's some sort of sleazy move. Politicians hold fundraisers all the time.

Earlier this summer, Howard Dean and Jim Doyle got cozy at a fundraiser in Milwaukee. So what?

Russ Feingold was in the Milwaukee area just yesterday campaigning for Jim Sullivan for state senate. Feingold appeared at a fundraising event at the home of Mark and Elani Geinopolos in Elm Grove.

Sponsorship levels for the fundraiser:

Hosts $1000, Sponsors $500, Friends $250, Supporters $100.

All personal and conduit contributions gratefully accepted.

Sorry no PAC or corporate checks. Contribute online via secure server at www.sullivanforsenate.com.

That's politics as usual. Nusbaum needs to get a grip.

Greg Borowski notes that state Dems will be staging an event before the President's arrival.

State Democrats, meanwhile, will be holding a news conference and rally at 10 a.m. tomorrow at the Brown County Courthouse to get in some pre-criticism of the visit. The party plans to highlight stem cell research.

That would pick up an issue Democrats and Gov. Jim Doyle are using against Republican gubernatorial hopeful Mark Green, whose House seat Gard hopes to fill. The three Democrats running for the seat - Steve Kagan, Nancy Nusbaum and Jamie Wall - are to attend.

What is with these Dems and stem cell research?

I suppose the rally will include the same old lies and distortions about stem cell research that the DPW has been regurgitating for what seems like forever.

If the Dems want to get the voters' attention, they should vow not to increase taxes, or better yet, cut them.

That's a winning issue, not stem cell research scare tactics based on flat out lies.

I'm surprised that the Wisconsin Dems seem to want to put all their eggs into the "cloning and destruction of embyros" basket.

Instead of criticizing the President's visit and his fundraiser for John Gard, the Dems should consider focusing on a positive message about their agenda for Wisconsin.

That's the problem. They don't have one. Subsequently, the Dems are on the attack, taking the shrill, negative stuff to the people.

Personally, I don't find that approach appealing.