But this being a holiday, he walked. Gov. George W. Bush and several other Republican presidential hopefuls campaigned on foot in Fourth of July parades in two New England towns filled with white clapboard houses and trees so green they make money envious. Clad in dark gray slacks and a long-sleeved blue shirt, Mr. Bush plunged into the crowd time and again to shake hands, kiss babies and ask for votes. Parents knelt next to their children and pointed through gaps in the clump of TV cameras and boom microphones following Mr. Bush, hoping to glimpse the man whose name appeared on more placards than any other candidate. This is a big Republican town.
People vote here and they have a lot of money.
It was the first time all of the candidates appeared at a single event, and each made a point of shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries with the Texas governor. Cool under fire Mr. Bush, the leader in the polls and along the parade routes, appeared to sweat more from the hot weather than when he answered questions about whether he received preferential treatment to get into the Texas Air National Guard in 1968. I'm proud of my service. Mr. Bush's unit in Texas had a waiting list for many spots. With such questioning out of the way, Mr. Bush began a milelong trek through this town of 12,000 people, leading a parade in which he outshone the floats as the star attraction.