President Bush visited the Iowa State Fair this afternoon, delivering a speech that focused on trade and other economic issues. Bush’s economic theme coincides with today’s deadline for corporate executives who must swear under oath that their companies’ financial reports are accurate. Bush and his economic team are putting on a full court press to convince the public Bush is a caring steward of the U-S economy. Bush will host a roundtable discussion about the economy tomorrow in South Dakota, a smaller version of the summit staged yesterday in Texas. Bush got his loudest and most sustained applause, though, when he praised the country’s military andsaid he’ll ask for the largest military appropriations bill since Ronald Reagan was President. He said history has “called us to action” and this country will show the world what we’re made of. The President also criticized Congress for not supporting all his homeland-security proposals. He says the Senate wants to micro-manage the issue, which he calls protecting their turf. Bush will speak tonight at a fundraiser for the Republican candidate for Governor, then stay overnight in Des Moines before heading to South Dakota. Most fans didn’t get to see president Bush today, even Bonnie Swalwell-Eilert of Newton, who was decked out in all-American duds — patriotic shoes and earrings, a sequined red-white-and-blue hat, a jacket emblazed with a flag motif and striped pants. She was one of many visitors for Older Iowans Day at the fair, but didn’t want to give her age. But Bonnie had a message for President Bush: do something about adding a prescription-drug benefit to Medicare. A woman from Waukee who gave her name as “Carol” said it wasn’t worth the effort to wait in the long line to see President Bush.
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