Robert Shaffer
BURBANK -- George W. Bush, speaking in Burbank the night he was beaten
in the Michigan and Arizona primaries, sure didn't sound like a loser.
Surrounded by cheering supporters in an airplane hangar at
Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport late Tuesday, Bush said it was he, not
John McCain, who won the vote Tuesday among Republicans in Michigan.
"When you counted the Republican vote, you're lookin' at the man that
got 68% of the vote," he said.
Surrounded by children and standing next to a giant "Reformer with
Results" campaign sign, Bush said he is looking forward to campaigning in
California and decried the fact McCain's support among Democrats in
Michigan is what pushed the Arizona senator to victory. California, a
state in which Democratic crossover votes won't count toward the GOP
convention delegate race, will be different, he said.
"It's gonna be Republicans and like-minded independents that are gonna
make the decision of who the next president's gonna be," he said.
Bush landed in Burbank on Tuesday night before two scheduled campaign
appearances in Los Angeles on Wednesday. He was to fly home to Austin,
Texas last night.
"It's the end of the Clinton era in Washington, D.C.," Bush said
during his Burbank airport appearance.
Bush also laid out a plan for the country that included returning
federal budget surpluses to the people, rebuilding the military and
giving more local control to school districts to educate students.
"I don't want to be the federal superintendent of schools. I don't
want to be the national principal," he said.
Bush spoke to a distinctly Los Angeles crowd, filled with fansfrom
Palos Verdes Estates and Pasadena to downtown Los Angeles. Afterwards,
many supporters spoke less of tax cuts, education or health care and more
of a moral renewal in America.
"We need a man who will bring honor to the office," said Mary Toman,
who brought with her an instant camera, her daughter and granddaughter.
"We need a good role model to show the youngsters of our country what is
right. Everything else is less important."
Some of the few dectrators at the airport Tuesday came from the Hoover
High School jazz band that played before and after Bush spoke. Drummer
Johnny Di Gregorio said he would prefer a more socially progressive
candidate.
Still, it was an honor to play for Bush, he said. And, at least in
this instance, the Texas governor got lucky.
"I'm 17," he said. "I can't vote yet."
