Bush's visit puts Reichert on spot
By Alex Fryer
Seattle Times staff reporter
Whether Republican Rep. Dave Reichert, of Auburn, walks out of Air Force One or greets President Bush on the Boeing Field tarmac Monday, there will certainly be plenty of cameras ready to capture the moment.
Some of them may belong to Reichert's 8th District political foes, eager to tie the two-term congressman to a president struggling in approval polls.
"If we can get that image, absolutely. Are you kidding?" enthused Sandeep Kaushik, an aide for Democrat Darcy Burner, who lost to Reichert in 2006 and is facing state Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, for the opportunity to take on Reichert again.
On Monday, Bush is to hold a fundraiser at the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue, hosted by Reichert's campaign and the state Republican Party. An e-mailed invitation says the afternoon event will include a $10,000-a-person VIP reception and a $1,000-a-person general reception.
As for the political calculus of Reichert appearing with Bush, who took 33 percent of the King County vote in the 2004 election, state Republican Party officials and Reichert's office were keeping quiet.
All questions about the event were referred to the White House, which only confirmed Bush's schedule.
But former state Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance stated the obvious: "President Bush is not popular in the Pacific Northwest. But if you're Dave Reichert, you know the Democrats are going to link you with President Bush whether he comes here or not, and there is no one who raises money like the president of the United States. There is a huge financial upside and no political downside."
The average take from a presidential visit ranges from $250,000 to $1 million, said Vance, who added that such events are planned long in advance. Last year, Bush raised about $800,000 at a private Medina reception where he spoke for 45 minutes.
Reichert himself is certainly aware that the presidential visit could become grist for the opposition.
During his hotly contested 2006 race against Burner, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee released a television ad showing Reichert stepping off Air Force One with Bush when they were on their way to the Medina event.
Linking a candidate with an unpopular president of the same party is pretty standard stuff in politics, and protesters are gearing up for Monday's visit, just as they did when Bush was last in town. |
