Bush schedules Parkville visit to raise money for Graves

[proud2BlibKansan]

By STEVE KRASKE
The Kansas City Star

President Bush plans to visit the Kansas City area on Feb. 1 to raise money for Rep. Sam Graves.

The stop at a Parkville home will come four days after the president’s eighth, and final, State of the Union address. And it’s four days before the Feb. 5 Missouri presidential primary.

Bush’s appearance will be at the home of John and Twyla Wilson. His talk will begin sometime after 10:15 a.m., when the Secret Service will shut down the area for security purpose.

The ticket price, according to invitations that have been mailed out, is $1,000 a person, $5,000 for host couples.

Missouri Democrats quickly noted that Graves will be the first congressman of the 2008 election cycle to receive fundraising visits from Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

Graves, a four-term congressman in Missouri’s 6th District, is being challenged this year by Democrat Kay Barnes, a former Kansas City mayor.

The last time Bush visited Kansas City was in August. He spent the night on the Country Club Plaza, then his motorcade headed off first thing the next morning to the Corner Cafe in Riverside, a trip that snarled morning rush-hour traffic.

There’s no word yet on whether Bush will spend the night prior to the Feb. 1 fundraiser.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/449883.html