Election 2008
In-depth coverage of the candidates and the issues, all leading up to the Aug. 5 primary and the Nov. 4 general election.
Topeka — President Bush will not headline a campaign fundraiser for Republican congressional candidate Lynn Jenkins, but instead will send first lady Laura Bush to the event while he visits Texas to see damage from Hurricane Ike.
The White House made the announcement Monday.
Jenkins is running against U.S. Rep. Nancy Boyda, D-Topeka, for the 2nd Congressional District, which includes west Lawrence, Topeka, Manhattan and much of southeast Kansas.
The invitation-only fundraiser at a private residence for Jenkins is scheduled for Tuesday.
Invitations for the event had asked for $7,500 per couple to have a photograph taken with the president.
Boyda, who had scheduled a rally Monday in the Statehouse, canceled the event because of the disaster in Texas, she said.
"President Bush has canceled his planned visit to Kansas tomorrow in order to comfort victims and lead the relief effort. He'll have my full support, and I'll work in Congress to swiftly provide whatever relief is needed," Boyda said.
Last week, Boyda and the Kansas Democratic Party had been critical of plans for Bush's fundraising visit to Topeka because they said it would have been a waste of taxpayer dollars for political purposes.
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just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
Ticket sales must have been going badly.
nobody1793 (anonymous) says…
"Invitations for the event had asked for $7,500 per couple to have a photograph taken with the president."I'll do it with photoshop for five bucks.
monkeyspunk (anonymous) says…
Do they make "FatHeads" of Dubya? Might be easier.
50YearResident (anonymous) says…
He didn't want to ruin Jenkins chance of winning like he did Ryun's.
KansasVoter (anonymous) says…
Dang it! I live in Topeka and took tomorrow off of work so that I could protest.
autie (anonymous) says…
hmmm..I didn't think the lame duck would take to water so soon..
workin2hard (anonymous) says…
So nobody thinks that he should go down there and see for himself the damage that the storm brought. Many are with out power. So many lost everything they had. Look on clicktohouston.com thats just a few pictures to what is going on. At least he is taking the first step to get something done. You people just think its not me so who cares.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
The usual suspects would be carping no matter what the President would have done.
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
Good god, maybe he just thought looking at the devastation was more important that some fundraiser. The naysayers, you all know that if he had NOT gone then you would be @#$ching about that. Just because the story has the name "Bush" in the subject does not necessarily mean that it's a good opportunity to legitimately bash him. In fact, if you let this dumb crap go, the actual valid criticisms that you have might, actually, be seen to have more merit than otherwise. "Cry wolf" and all.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"Just because the story has the name "Bush" in the subject does not necessarily mean that it's a good opportunity to legitimately bash him."His past record would indicate otherwise.
LiberalDude (anonymous) says…
KansasVote, you should go protest anyway. Laura supports all the same things as GWB. Plus Jenkins deserves protest just for trying to put on this event and selling out to the GOP.
snap_pop_no_crackle (anonymous) says…
Recreate '68!
BABBOY (anonymous) says…
Jonas, Are you seriously complaining about people complaining on blog site? Which is more redundant?. I agree with you blogging is stupid and rather lame sometimes and more so each day, but is the nature of the beast. I do not blog that much anymore because I realized I was arguing with unemployed people who think that blogging 100 times on an issue somehow increases their IQ and negates the fact that they do otherwise have a life.By the way, why did Bush wait so long to go see what is up in Texas? He should have ..... (just kidding)
Ragingbear (anonymous) says…
By Bush not being there, ticket sales will rise. Even republicans don't want anything to do with Dick Tater... I mean George W.Bush.
dagopman (anonymous) says…
What a sorry state of affairs in this congressional election...not a decent candidate to support. Neither Boyda nor Jenkins is worth a tinkers damn.
uncleandyt (anonymous) says…
Boyda is good.Does anybody need tickets? I've got 4 together near the couch.
dagopman (anonymous) says…
Nancy Boyda is an overrated commodity fueled by the media.
LiberalDude (anonymous) says…
Boyda has represented us way better than Ryun ever did or Jenkins ever would. As I've stated before, I'm not happy that she voted to continue funding the Iraq war but the rest of her voting record was good.
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
Babboy: That's not what I'm arguing at all. I don't particularly find posting on here either dumb or pointless. I find it, truthfully, highly entertaining. But the people that jump on Bush for Everything are, to my mind, just proving right the right-wingers who say that there are some who are just driven at this point by hatred and spite.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"But the people that jump on Bush for Everything are, to my mind, just proving right the right-wingers who say that there are some who are just driven at this point by hatred and spite."Perhaps you should pay better attention to world events.
Mixolydian (anonymous) says…
In other news, our governor is galavanting all around the country as the female talking head - Palin counter point for Obama.Who's paying for that? Is she taking personal vacation days? Is she still drawing her salary? You can't run a government with a blackberry.
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
Methinks the Bozo doth protest too much.
TopJayhawk (anonymous) says…
Ain't none of 'em worth a tinkers damn. They should all be outsted, and let's just start over. Can we get a Mulligan here?
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"Methinks the Bozo doth protest too much."You're the one protesting others' exercising their right of free speech."Who's paying for that? Is she taking personal vacation days? Is she still drawing her salary? You can't run a government with a blackberry."I agree-- Palin should resign her governorship while running for VP.
johnadavies (anonymous) says…
He's probably just scouting locations for the Bush II Presidential Library; maybe they can put it on the beach at Galveston!
jafs (anonymous) says…
If the government does a better job with this one than with Katrina, I'll be very glad.However, I just saw a headline that read "Many will wait weeks for food, etc."Also, I'm not sure exactly what a visit from the President will accomplish.
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
"You're the one protesting others' exercising their right of free speech."Um, no I'm not.
just_another_bozo_on_this_bus (anonymous) says…
"Um, no I'm not."Well, that settles it, I guess.
jonas_opines (anonymous) says…
That's good. I have a busy day.Have a good afternoon then.
lee66049 (anonymous) says…
Boyda??? You must be kidding? A record of being the biggest do nothing congress in history. Lowest approval ratings ever, even lower than President Bush. Even the DNC did not want Boyda to be a part of the convention. She helped approve July as Watermelon month and yet, there is an energy crisis, a housing crisis, a lending institution crisis. How did Boyd handle any of that? She did nothing and took a five week break....Boyda, please....she has to go just like Ryun...had her chance and did nothing. We deserve better than her.