RECAP
With virtually no advanced notice, about 75 people gathered at the St.Petersburg/Clearwater Airport to protest a visit from George W. Bush on Friday, October 12. Bush was in town to attend a $25,000/person Republican Party fundraiser at the home of Brent Sembler in Pinellas Park. As is consistent with the sentiment of the U.S. population, more people showed up to protest Bush's appearance than those who attended Bush's fundraiser.
Bush's cameo attracted concerned citizens, politicians and activists from a variety of grass roots organizations who came from Hernando, Pasco, Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. A full contingent of secret service, police, sheriff’s officers and other personnel were on hand, at taxpayers expense, to help Bush fill the Republican Party war chest. Though law enforcement were directed to keep protesters out of the President's sight, the impact of the demonstration was not minimized.
