Bush is back

With three months to spare, President George W. Bush is scheduled to finally make his first visit to his hometown as commander in chief.

An invitation-only fund-raising luncheon for the National Republican Congressional Committee is scheduled for Oct. 2 at U.S. Rep. Mike Conaway's Midland home, said Sue Brannon, Midland County Republican Party chairwoman.

The luncheon will cost $250 a plate, with pictures and private meetings with Bush going for between $10,000 and $28,500, Brannon said.

Brannon said she's hopeful that first lady Laura Bush would attend, but wasn't sure.

While he has no opponent in the Nov. 4 election, Conaway would like for the event to give other Republican Congressional candidates an edge.

"We hope to raise a significant amount of money to help with contested races around the United States," the Congressman said.

Brannon said the visit would be Bush's first since a sendoff that included a rally attended by 15,000 people in Midland's Centennial Plaza on Jan. 17, 2001, just days before he took office.

"We're thrilled to death," she said. "He's been a great president, and he's doing a great job."

While Conaway said the president's stop would be a few-hour "in-and-out" visit, he'd like to see more of Bush after he leaves office in January.

"We certainly hope so," Conaway said. "His mother-in-law lives there, and he has a lot of friends. We hope he'll want to renew those old acquaintances."