Behind scenes, Bush campaign arms for battle

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2333023

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Behind the scenes, however, his campaign operatives have been putting in place an ambitious grass-roots effort intended to drive up GOP turnout in November.

When the president returns today to Washington from a holiday at his Texas ranch, he is expected to lay out significant themes to broaden his support beyond the Republican faithful and prevent a repeat of the 2000 election squeaker.

<snip>

The campaign has tapped a number of familiar faces, including Austin pollster Matthew Dowd, who worked in the last Bush campaign, and Mary Cheney, the daughter of the vice president who will assist her father on the stump.

<snip>

Even though Democratic presidential contender Howard Dean has gained a reputation for pioneering the use of the Internet to identify and energize supporters, the Bush campaign boasts that far more people, 6 million, are wired into its Web site. Among other things, the site makes it possible for supporters to electronically send scripted letters on various issues to local newspapers.

Calling into local and nationally syndicated talk radio shows, a popular medium for Republican voters, also is encouraged on the Bush Web site, which provides telephone numbers for conservative celebrities such as Oliver North, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh.

[Cassandra]

1. Why does this have the sound of...

"his campaign operatives have been putting in place an ambitious grass-roots effort intended to drive up GOP turnout in November."

driving cattle to market?

[kentuck]

2. Yeah, he's gonna be a man of "peace"....

and a compassionate conservative again. As if....