“Four more years!” rumbled through the enthusiastic crowd of 23,000 that greeted the radiant President George W. Bush, as he made his 43rd appearance in PA in a compelling effort to win his re-election to a second term.
It was not by chance that beautiful Broadmeadow farm in Lower Makefield was chosen as the site of the Oct. 29 evening rally, one of the last to be held before the election just five days away.
General consensus agrees that Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania are the most crucial swing states and that Bucks County is one of the most important counties. Analysts have called Bucks and surrounding areas must-wins for the president as he tries to carry Pennsylvania’s electoral votes, elevating Bucks into the heart of the battle, the heart of victory.
It was outgoing Congressman Jim Greenwood, R-8, who scouted out the 84-acre farm, located at the intersection of Lindenhurst Road and the Newtown bypass, as an ideal place to hold the rally.
80-year old Ruth Wright, the owner of the former dairy farm, had recently authorized the entire parcel of land to be preserved in perpetuity thanks to a conservation easement in exchange for $2.4 million.
Land preservation is close to the heart of many residents as open space has been dwindling dramatically over the last few years, making way for office buildings, hotels and McMansion developments. “Bush is among friends who value the land as he values his ranch,” 8th district congressional candidate Michael Fitzpatrick said in his crowd warming speech prior to the president’s arrival.
“The secret service advance team, in charge of securing the site, was having a stroke upon realizing that the rally was going to be held in an open field surrounded by more fields, making Bush a potential target from a mile away,” said Captain Tom Roche of Lower Makefield Police Department.
Roche, with 141 local enforcement officers under his command for the event and less than a week’s notice, immediately began collaborating with White House staff, the secret service and police chiefs of 28 different townships in an effort to contain the site and insure the safety of Bush. Details such as traffic regulation as well as strategic positioning of stadium lighting towers and protective snipers in cat suits were laid out in a master game plan.
Police called in artificial barriers – trailers, farm trailers, PennDOT trucks and 45 school buses from Pennsbury school district – to build a protective wall around the entire rally grounds, a recently mowed cornfield, and eliminate any long-range threats. Planes en route to area airports were diverted to eliminate any possible threats from above.
Dozens of secret service agents, dressed in plain clothing yet looking decisively out of place on a farm, were keeping a watchful eye as crowds were herded through metal detectors on their way to the artificial arena hours prior to Bush’s scheduled arrival.
Special agent in charge James Borasi would not comment on the number of agents involved in an event such as this one, but did mention that “there were enough agents brought in from all over the country to keep the president out of harms way and embarrassing situations.”
About 100 volunteers, organized by the Bucks Republican Party Committee, played an intricate part in the overall success of the rally. Divided into teams, they participated in assigning parking spots, checking tickets, handing out republican props and directing people.
Surprisingly, volunteers were also involved as additional drivers in Bush’s motorcade between Willow Grove National Air Station, where Air Force One had landed, and Lower Makefield. “The event was a total team effort and it worked beautifully,” commented Hank Miiller, chairman of the Lower Makefield – Yardley GOP committee.
The day of the rally was picture perfect and the crowd enjoyed a magnificent orange and magenta sunset. Country Western music blasting from speakers, a short live performance by the band Racy Grace as well as speeches by local Republican politicians kept people dancing and cheering.
The wait for many was as long as six hours and at times restless fans shouted “We want Bush!” Strain became visible on the faces of many parents who had brought their now wailing young children.
Neither coolers nor water bottles were allowed to be brought into the rally area. Many people preferred going thirsty and hungry over leaving their claimed spot in the crowd in order to buy supplies. Spectators became extremely protective of “their space” and angry looks were exchanged with anyone trying to gain a more favorable position close to the stage.
The event was catered by McCaffrey’s of Yardley. A number of different booths had been set up where spectators could purchase food and drinks from a staff of 32, many of whom had been hired just for the day. “This was the biggest event we ever participated in,” stated catering manager Karen DiVirgilio, “and it was extremely difficult to judge how much to order.”
According to DiVirgilio, they brought in 8,000 hot dogs, 6,000 donuts and 8,000 pretzels but water was the only item they ran out of on this warmer than anticipated fall day. The crowd did not spend nearly as much as expected, costing McCaffrey’s a great deal of money – much to their surprise.
A state police helicopter did a final sweep of the area at 6:30 p.m. as the crowd screamed wildly, waving placards at the evening sky in anticipation of the president’s arrival. The dramatic entrance of the motorcade was awe-inspiring.
Headlights of at least a dozen vehicles, a mixture of police cruisers and black Suburbans, shone into the eyes of thousands of adoring fans as the President veered off a little-used dirt road. He quickly appeared on the lit stage festively decorated with rows of stacked straw and carved pumpkins displaying a large “W”. A view of a barn draped in old glory next to a silo served as a backdrop.
A charismatic Bush came across as warm and approachable; a trustworthy family man whose main objective is to keep our great country safe. The crowd quickly forgot the long lines and the hours spent waiting, and even the different political opinions as sincerity and honesty crossed party lines.
It was no longer about politics but rather about human beings and human nature in general. “I really like the guy and I am democrat,” said Eileen McAllister from Yardley who, along with a daughter and two nieces, were hoping for the chance to shake his hand from a prime spot in the front row.
The 30 minute speech was well received. Amidst an impressive fireworks display, Bush descended from the stage to hug a surprised and glowing Wright. Surrounded by friends and family, she had observed the entire event from a special section to the immediate right of the stage.
A few more VIP hands were shaken and the motorcade drove off leaving nothing but a cloud of dust and the memory of having participated in this once-in-a-lifetime event. Wright’s sister-in-law Elsie Wright, who has lived on the farm next door for the past 56 years, beamed, “when do you ever have the President of the United States in your back yard? This was the most exciting event of my life and I will never forget it!”
When asked what this affair could possibly have cost, Roche answered, “God only knows!” He maintained that no price is too high to pay for the safety of the most powerful man in the world. The use of the school buses alone came with a price tag of over $4,200 as stated in a bill submitted to the secret service.
When asked about his most memorable moment, Roche did not hesitate for long. “The moment I got word that Air Force One had taken off from Willow Grove with the President safely on board. We do not want to go down in history as the county which lost the President!”
Bucks County is no longer farm country and, when it comes to presidential elections, not reliably Republican. Past president George H. Bush was the last Republican candidate to win Bucks and coincidentally all of PA in 1988.
Despite an undeniably strong effort to win over Pennsylvanians in this head-to-head presidential election, Bush was once again unable to secure electoral votes in the Keystone state. While the president may not have won Pennsylvania, he managed to secure victory, and the rally participants’ wish for “four more years” was granted.