Poll finds most are put off by Bush vacation
By Mimi Hall, USA TODAY
CRAWFORD, Texas — Taking a 30-day
working vacation at his ranch after six months
in office, President Bush is spending too much
time away from the White House, according
to a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll.
In the poll, which was released Monday, 55% said Bush is taking too much
time off. Not that this is a full-fledged vacation, Bush aides insist.
"The president is enjoying being back home," spokesman Scott McClellan
told reporters Monday morning. "He plans to work as well as take a little bit
of time off."
Bush's advisers are sensitive to the perception that he doesn't work as hard as
some of his predecessors. If Bush returns as scheduled on Labor Day, he'll tie
a modern record for presidential absence from the White House — held by
Richard Nixon at 30 days. Ronald Reagan took trips as long as 28 days.
McClellan said repeatedly that Bush considers this a "working vacation,"
during which he will speak out about values and focus on issues such as
education, character development in young people and community efforts to
help the less fortunate. That begins Wednesday, when Bush takes his
motorcade about 30 minutes down the road to Waco, where he plans to help
build a Habitat for Humanity house for a needy family.
Over the course of the month, Bush will leave Texas for several one- and
two-day trips as part of what aides are calling his "Home to the Heartland
Tour." The events are designed to show Bush's compassionate side. Although
his approval ratings remain relatively high in opinion polls, aides are concerned
that Americans might believe Bush doesn't care about the issues that affect
them and is beholden to corporate interests.
Aides attribute that perception, in part, to the president's sometimes awkward
public performances, so they are planning appearances that won't have him
reading a speech behind a lectern. Among the events scheduled before Bush
heads back to Washington on Labor Day: a session with families in Estes
Park, Colo.; a back-to-school event in Albuquerque; a speech to the
Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Milwaukee and one to the American
Legion convention in San Antonio; and a stop at the Little League World
Series in Williamsport, Pa.
The events will take place in "a lot more informal settings," McClellan said,
"where he can discuss issues that are important to the American people."
McClellan said Bush believes it is important to "get outside of Washington,
D.C., where those values are not easily recognizable."
Admittedly, the president will spend some time relaxing. Monday morning,
before the mercury rose over 100 degrees, Bush went for a 4-mile jog. He
then got his daily intelligence briefings and spoke by phone to national security
adviser Condoleezza Rice and chief of staff Andy Card. In the afternoon,
Bush headed out into the wilting heat — he loves it — to work on a nature
trail he is building in a canyon.
During his stay, Bush also plans to entertain visiting family and friends and will
probably man the barbecue, grilling up his specialty: hamburgers.
"This is after they've stopped talking to him?" one reporter joked, referring to
Bush's recent playful comment that he was looking forward to communing
with the cows in Crawford.
"That's right," McClellan responded.
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