Thursday, August 03, 2000
No beating the Bushes for support
By Kalpana Srinivasan
The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — It's a Bush league convention, by George. There's photogenic nephew George P. Bush leading a group of priests and nuns across the convention floor. The dad and former president, George Bush, waving from the stand.
Plus, a sister, assorted nieces, nephews and spouses, all drawn to the family business of putting George W. Bush in the White House
“I love him so much that I'll do anything for him,” said sister Doro Bush Koch, at 41 the youngest of the Bush siblings.
Jeb Bush, Florida's governor, is toeing a careful line. While active in his brother's campaign, he does not want to divert attention from the convention's main attraction.
He's particularly intent on making sure his brother can carry Florida. “I don't want to live the rest of my life with the humiliation of not having it be that way,” he said.
“We've grown up with pol itics in our family,” said Delaware delegate Elizabeth Walker Field, a cousin to the Texas governor. “I think of it as really a privilege to get involved.”
The youngest brother, venture capitalist Marvin Bush, 43, was arriving Wednesday evening.
Perhaps the most ubiquitous member of the clan this week has been Jeb's 24-year-old son, George P. Bush, a major attraction among women at the convention.
Even his uncle George calls him “the hot member of the family.”
The campaign is counting on George P. to stir up the youth vote and, because he's half Mexican, the Hispanic vote, too.
“I don't have to sell you guys on the reason why my uncle should be the next president of the United States,” he tells young GOP crowds. He pledges his uncle will “change the Republican Party so that it starts to represent the emerging diversity of our society.”
Back to convention page
Delegates like ticket's balance
WILKINSON: Blackwell part of attempt to 'reach out'
PULFER: Brushes with the GOP A-list
CROWLEY: GOP's traits remain the same
Ky. delegation gets marching orders
Bush to stay low-key on foreign policy
Convention Notebook
No beating the Bushes for support
Nader appeals for young voters
Tensions ease between police and protesters
