The problem with Clinton, according to this thinking, is that he has created a nasty atmosphere in Washington, a fatal embrace of Clintonistas and Clinton-haters that, among other things, has forced voters to think too much about Bill Clinton. But it's enough for party regulars. There is a tinderbox enthusiasm to Bush's post-convention crowds. At a Pontiac rally, Bush supporters who showed up an hour early practice their chants in anticipation of his arrival. Boy Scouts stand on the roof of a truck.
Kids clamber up the sides of idle railroad cars for a view.
It might be the most fervent GOP campaign event since John McCain's crowds in New Hampshire. The security of Bush's base makes it easier for him to reach out to independents and Democrats. Gone are the days in South Carolina when Bush disavowed even having anything to say to Democrats. In Durand, he's introduced by a member of UAW Local 659 whose father introduced JFK at a Flint, Mich., rally 40 years ago. Our message isn't just a Republican message.