One indication of just how important the state is to Bush's team was that three of the state's four Republican members of Congress - Tom Petri, Jim Sensenbrenner and Mark Green - all attended Friday's rally



One indication of just how important the state is to Bush's team was that three of the state's four Republican members of Congress - Tom Petri, Jim Sensenbrenner and Mark Green - all attended Friday's rally

In Wisconsin, Bush targets swing voters

By David Callender
September 4, 2004

WEST ALLIS -- Less than a day after delivering the same message at the Republican National Convention, President Bush brought his appeal for a "stronger, safer, better" America to this battleground state Friday.

Speaking to more than 5,000 hand-picked Republican loyalists during a rally at State Fair Park, Bush called for continued tax cuts and for the creation of new health savings accounts and private retirement accounts for younger workers as an alternative to Social Security.

He also defended the war in Iraq, arguing that "we are striking the terrorists abroad so that we do not have to face them at home."

In a state where he is running in almost a statistical dead heat with Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, Bush spent much of his time reaching out to swing voters.

[Excerpt]

Bush lost Wisconsin by fewer than 6,000 votes four years ago. Republicans believe he underperformed in many potentially Republican parts of the state, including Milwaukee, the Fox Valley and western Wisconsin.

One indication of just how important the state is to Bush's team was that three of the state's four Republican members of Congress - Tom Petri, Jim Sensenbrenner and Mark Green - all attended Friday's rally, as did Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker, Senate Majority Leader Mary Panzer and Assembly Speaker John Gard.

Also at the rally were the president's chief political adviser, Karl Rove, and Bush's former communications director Karen Hughes.

When this story was posted in September 2004, here was the front page of PCOL Magazine:

Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview This month we sat down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before. Then read the questions and answers one by one and leave your comments on the issues raised during the interview including Infrastructure Upgrades and the new Situation Room at Headquarters, Is there a Budget Crunch this year at Peace Corps, Peace Corps' Long Term Expansion, the Changes to the Five-Year Rule made last year, Safety and Security Issues, the Cooperative Agreement with NPCA, RPCVs in Policy Making Positions at Peace Corps Headquarters, Peace Corps' Departure from Russia in 2002, Director Vasquez's Accomplishments as Director, the Peace Corps Safety and Security Bill before Congress, Continuity at the Agency during Changes in Administration, the Community College Program, and the Director's Message to the Returned Volunteer Community.

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