BUSH KEEPS S.F. AT BAY (only Prez in 75 years not to visit)

[truthpusher]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/08/21/MNGA5EB32N1.DTL

BUSH KEEPS S.F. AT BAY
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President hasn't participated in 75-year tradition of visiting city -- and he has no plans to do so
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- Marc Sandalow, Washington Bureau Chief
Sunday, August 21, 2005
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Washington -- Presidential visits to San Francisco have been a tradition since Rutherford Hayes lunched at the Cliff House in 1880.

Presidents arrived by stagecoach and jet. One was shot at. Another died. In all, 20 presidents have visited the city, including every chief executive for the past 75 years.

Except George W. Bush.

Now in the fifth year of his presidency, Bush has yet to set a foot in the city that was home to his childhood baseball idol, Willie Mays, and shows no inclination to do so. The White House is planning a California visit by the end of the month, and San Francisco is not on the itinerary.

San Francisco, with roughly three-quarters of a million residents, is the only city among the nation's 25 largest that has not been host for a Bush presidential visit. If he avoids San Francisco for the rest of his term, he will be the first president not to visit since Calvin Coolidge, and only the second in more than a century.

The reason seems plain to even casual observers of American politics.

(snip)

complete story: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/08/21/MNGA5EB32N1.DTL

[sakabatou]

1. He's afraid of all them gay folk....

:sarcasm:

[Fridays Child]

17. And well he should be...

...given how he's led the national conversation on issues such as gay marriage.

[Barrett808]

2. Next MIHOP: SF

Just sayin'.

[VegasWolf]

3. That's fine, I doubt that Bush has anything to contribute to the literati!

[Name removed]

4. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EST]

19. You owe me a keyboard!

[teknomanzer]

26. If the guy can spent so much time...

on his pig farm in ho-dunk Crawford I don's see why he can't visit one of THE major cities in the United States. Your right he hasn't visited Dog Patch... But SF isn't some speck in Utah or some speck in Texas. It looks like deliberate avoidance to me, but SF probably doesn't need him anyway.

[Retrograde]

28. the respect he deserves...

"His father came here many times and was always treated with the respect and dignity that he deserved."

Maybe that's why he's not coming here!

[NV Whino]

5. Fine with me

SF doesn't want him.

[maddezmom]

6. San Fran rocks....

San Francisco is as politically, culturally and geographically distant from the president as anyplace in America. Eighty-four percent of the city's voters cast ballots against Bush in 2000, and 85 percent voted against him in 2004. The city has voted Democratic in 12 consecutive presidential elections.

:applause:

[NYC]

35. That didn't stop him from coming to New York.

Though he made certain not to rub elbows with New Yorkers, or even be seen.

[President Kerry]

43. His host city - Washington DC

gave him 90% thumbs down in the 04 election. Granted, he doesn't spend much time there either.

Although if he did, perhaps he'd do even worse..

[Duer 157099]

7. SF should wear this as a badge of honor

And perhaps formulate a slogan around it!

[Arugula Latte]

8. San Francisco is much too good for that piece of crap.

My former city doesn't need that corrupt dumbass failure darkening the Golden Gate.

[William769]

9. To may homosexuals

He'a afraid that queer eye for the straight guy will try to show him a fashion sense.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[VegasWolf]

11. Bush drinks finger bowl, intelligentsia appalled! nt

[eleny]

12. The boundaries of BushWorld are getting narrower by the day

[Secular Agent Man]

13. Falwell probably told him

he would burn in hell if he went there. :eyes:

[Arugula Latte]

14. Welcome to DU, Secular!!

:hi: :toast;

[Rob H.]

15. The city can't create "Free Speech Zones" big enough...

to contain all the people who voted against him.

[TheDonkey]

16. San Fran is a big city and the pres should grow some courage and get there

but then again this is bush so he's chickenshit.

[proud patriot]

18. This is one decision of bush's I agree with

It's okay with me if he doesn't come to SF in fact
every surrounding city of the Bay Area should be
included ....

[President Kerry]

44. can we expand the Bay Area a bit further?..

in fact, can Boston be included? Please..

[Autonomy]

20. Maybe he should try the East bay

He's adored in Berkeley!

[AndyTiedye]

21. I Know a Place in San Francisco That ** Can Visit

He can have Al Capone's old cell.

[proud patriot]

22. LOL

:rofl:

[Gman]

23. And I'm sure the good people of San Francisco

are quite happy that he has no intention of visiting with the only exception that they won't have an opportunity for a huge, mass protest.

[Imagevision]

24. Bush visit SF.? ha! -- Ah-nuld is on his way out - 37% in the polls here.

wait till ya'll hear "sweet neo-con"

[AlCzervik]

25. He'll be in the freeper stronghold of Placer County no doubt

most populist gop area in california, no wonder Eddie Murphy sold his northern california estate there.

[moondust]

27. He doesn't want his fingerprints on anything

when his them terrists blow the place up.

[AspenRose]

29. Well that's ok...I don't think the vast majority of them want him

there...kind of like the NAACP. He snubbed them too.

So they're in good company, the fine folk of SF.

30. Baghdad by the Bay

Herb Caen called San Francisco, and titled his book, "Baghdad by the Bay." Now, seeing what Bush has done to the real Baghdad, let's be grateful that he's steering clear of San Francisco. I'm proud of my birthplace for being a city in which Bush might feel uncomfortable. Most people leave their hearts there. He would leave just an ugly stain.

[sallyseven]

31. Aren't they lucky!!

Good things go to good people. Not to worry I will be out in February and that will be better.

[VegasWolf]

32. Bush the Ball-less won't even visit a pissed off mother! nt

[turbo_satan]

33. Considering the reception SLC has planned for him...

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_2958368

he's probably not too eager to set foot in SF.

[niallmac]

34. So instead he visits Boise.

Now I don't know if there is a redder city in a redder state and he still won't make a public appearance. Special invite only deal in Nampa and a visit to who knows where in Donelly.

I am still aglow from Deans visit to Boise. He spoke mid week at a band shell at lunch hour so anyone could come and hear him. I was the first to shake his hand when he came off the stage. Felt like I was in a real democracy for gods sake.

[leesa]

36. Why on earth would SF want that vile man sullying their space.

[tabasco]

37. Stay out of Oakland, too, a55hole.

Oakland, Maryland ! :grr:

[Akoto]

38. This sounds about right for Bush.

If you can't beat it to death, avoid it.

[laugle]

39. I'm in the S.F. bay area, and that stinking little

COWARD could not stand all the demonstrations that would happen. His little PEA BRAIN would explode. Hell, there would probably be riots in the streets. S.F. is probably happy he isn't coming, it would cost us a fortune in police and manpower.

[Miss Chybil]

40. He only goes where his approval ratings are high.

Like Utah and Idaho.

[President Kerry]

46. and by high you mean in the 50's...

which for those states, where he took 70% in the '04 election, is pretty damn bad..

[BobbyinPortland]

41. Too many old boyfriends he doesn't want to run into.

Don't ya just hate it when that happens. Awkward!

[KamaAina]

42. Not only Presidents, but King David Kalakaua visited SF

Ka Palakiko in Hawaiian. In fact he, along with Warren Harding, died there.

Kalakaua was the first monarch to circumnavigate the world. His 'Iolani Palace (think Five-O HQ) was wired for electricity years before that other building at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., NW.

Records are sketchy, but it is widely believed that King Kalakaua was not only able to ride a bicylcle, then just coming into fashion, but also to eat a pretzel...

[AtomicKitten]

45. That's OK with us here in SF

He'd have one butt-kicking protest waiting for him.
I dare him to come on down.