Fans show support at Harris Riverfront Park on Monday. Photo by Mike Andrick.

Bush campaign gets local

by ARRON PENDLETON
reporter

The rally for Republican presidential nominee George W. Bush rally began with a bang as fireworks exploded when the candidate took the stage Monday at Harris Riverfront Park.

Bush made his second campaign stop in West Virginia in as many months. The rally came one day before the first presidential nominee debate in Boston.

The College Republicans started preparing for the rally last Thursday. Kristy Hays, Knoxville, Tenn., senior and president of College Repub-licans, said, "We had a huge sign-making party on Saturday and we continued making signs until 3 a.m. Monday, just so George Bush would know how much the students supported him."

Some creative signs read, "I invented the Internet."

Other signs read, "Got W?"

Bush talked about how he would like to spend $2 billion over the next year to advance clean coal technology. He also spoke about building up the military and giving budget surplus tax money back to the people.

Huntington Mayor Jean Dean remarked about the large number of students in attendance by saying, "Who said our young people are not involved in politics?"

Hays said there were about 150 Marshall students at the rally and about 300 young people overall.

Some students had a positive reaction to the rally.

Jimbo Boyd Jr., War, W.Va. junior, said, "The rally was electric. That was nothing like I have ever seen before. He was very presidential, which is what I was hoping I would see. He has conviction in his voice."

Hays, said, "I thought the rally turned out fantastic. We had a lot of Marshall students out there which was wonderful. There were a lot of students. It was absolutely packed and it was a great way to send George Bush to the debates on Tuesday and on to the presidential election in five weeks."