 |
Candidate Profile of
|
 |
| News | Candidates | Convention | Vote | Search | Shop | ||
 |
"Limited government brings focus. It requires us to put aside posturing and politics and find common ground." |
 |
Bush wins -- read his acceptance speech! | |
| Gov. George W. Bush (TX) The son of President George Bush started this campaign as a frontrunner selected by political commentators who gave him the most media of any 2000 GOP hopeful. Since then, Bush has taken a series of calculated steps to solidify that position. His landslide re-election victory in a large state and significant numbers of Hispanic supporters gave his frontrunner status credibility on the surface. Behind the scenes, Bush used knowledge from his father's campaigns to develop a wide range of contacts and a solid fundraising network. Having his brother serve as the governor of Florida was another good card Bush knew how to play. Taking these strengths and leveraging them against a national Republican dynamic that was shaken by poor showings in the 1998 congressional elections (and conversely support for Republican governors), the Bush campaign spread the word in GOP circles that Gov. George W. Bush was exactly what the party needed in 2000. Many Republicans agreed and began unofficially signing on to the idea that Bush should lead the national ticket. "I've been encouraged by the outpouring of support from fellow elected officials and party leaders all across our country many of whom, as you know, have made the trip to Austin, Texas,'' Texas Governor George W. Bush told reporters as he announced the creation of an exploratory committee for his presidential campaign in March 1999. And the Texas governor continued to build support among fellow GOP governors, a majority of whom have pledged their support for his campaign. Bush is also organizing a network of campaign and policy advisors, including Indianapolis Mayor Stephen Goldsmith as an advisor on domestic policy, former Federal Reserve governor Larry Lindsey on economic policy and President Reagan's Secretary of State George Shultz on foreign policy. At the same time Bush enjoys the benefits of his father's name id, his campaign borrows a line from the Oldsmobile commercials and promises "this is not your father's campaign"... instead it is a younger, more conservative group that's ready for the next century. When Bush broke all records and raised $37 million by June 1999, he effectively won the 2000 GOP money race. No other Republican challenger was able to match him in fundraising. And his money shows Republicans are putting their money where their collective mouth has been. In his first major policy speech, Bush outlined a broad plan to increase the role of faith-based groups, such as churches and charities. For example, Bush said he will push for legislation that allows the 70 percent of individuals who do not itemize their income taxes to still claim a deduction for charitable giving. Bush has been criticized for making mistakes when naming foreign countries and heads of state and is building a foreign policy agenda around interaction with Russia and China as major powers in the next century. After winning the primaries, despite a strong challenge from John McCain, Bush worked to solidify his Republican base and build from it to reach independent voters. His selection of Dick Cheney as a running mate in July helped Bush keep his conservative base while addressing concerns that the party show a compassionate face. |
