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BRIDGET HALL GRUMETBush's arrival today in New Port Richey marks the first by a sitting president in recent memory. Expect tight security and hordes of people.
NEW PORT RICHEY - President George W. Bush's historic visit today to Sims Park will draw thousands of supporters, scores of law enforcement officers and a crush of media to downtown New Port Richey.
If you plan to attend, come early. If you're going somewhere else in the city, expect a detour around downtown.
Today's Florida Victory 2004 rally is only open to about 6,000 people who got tickets before the supply ran out midday Monday. Bush will speak about 11:30 a.m. to fire up supporters as the tight race for the presidency heads into the final two weeks.
The rally marks the first Pasco visit by a sitting president in recent memory.
Parking will be limited: "Don't expect to park in the immediate downtown area," New Port Richey police Chief Martin Rickus said. "That's not going to happen."
People will have to go through a security checkpoint before entering the park. Screeners will inspect every bag and turn away folks with forbidden items, such as camcorders, lawn chairs and signs.
"We'll be out there to point people in the right direction," Rickus said. "We're just hoping people will be calm. It's going to take awhile to get everyone in the facility in an orderly fashion."
A slate of GOP lawmakers - including U.S. Rep. Mike Bilirakis; state Sens. Mike Fasano, Tom Lee and Victor Crist; and state Rep. David Russell - will make brief comments before the president's speech. Al Cardenas, the former state GOP chairman, will serve as master of ceremonies.
City workers gave the Sims Park amphitheater a fresh coat of sea-green paint Friday in anticipation of Bush's visit. Crews trimmed low-hanging tree branches last week. Other workers set up the sound system and rows of bleachers Monday.
City officials say a presidential visit is a tremendous honor that will bring national attention to New Port Richey's premier park. That said, a couple of City Council members are disappointed they were not included in the planning for the event.
City Council member Tom Finn said it was "a major slight" for organizers not to set aside tickets specifically for city officials.
"It's the ultimate in arrogance that you would visit a town as an elected official and not invite the local elected officials who are extending their funds" to pay for the event, Finn said.
Finn said he might make a motion at tonight's City Council meeting to send the bill for the event - which he estimates will be about $20,000 - to the state Republican Party.
Bill Bunting, head of the county's Republican Party, said Finn was welcome to request tickets at the local party headquarters, just like anyone else.
"The doors were open to anyone who wanted to get a ticket," Bunting said. "We've had officials come in and wait on line right down the line."
Another City Council member, Matthew McCaffery, did exactly that. He will attend the event today, as will Mayor Dan Tipton. McCaffery called the president's visit "an honor," but said he wished city officials were more involved in the planning.
"It is our city. We are elected officials of this city," McCaffery said. "I think for the most part we were left out of the loop."