President Bush has harnessed the broad resources of the federal government to promote Republicans in next month's elections. From housing grants in South Dakota and research contracts in Florida to Air Force One rides and photos in the White House driveway, Bush has made Republican success on Nov. 5 a government-wide project.
More than 330 administration appointees, some of whom were told by White House officials that they needed to show their Republican credentials, have taken vacation time and are being flown by the party to House and Senate campaigns in states where control of Congress will be decided. The appointees will organize volunteers, work the phones and go door to door.
Republicans see defeating Sen. Jean Carnahan (D-Mo.) as one of their best chances for retaking control of the Senate, and the White House has lavished aid on her challenger, former representative James M. Talent, including visits by Bush, his secretaries of commerce, education, housing and urban development, interior, and labor, and Small Business Administration chief Hector V. Barreto (twice).
Scholars called Bush's partisan use of the government unprecedented for a midterm election, and said the aggressiveness and thoroughness of his politicking approached that of a presidential reelection campaign. The broad orchestration of executive branch activity to benefit campaigns was moved up to the midterm elections this year because of a confluence of history: a hairsbreadth margin of control in both chambers of Congress, the huge repercussions of tiny swings in a closely divided electorate, and the dawn of new campaign finance restrictions the day after the election.
"This full-court press by the whole administration has a very different feel from most midterms," said Stephen Hess, a Brookings Institution senior fellow in governmental studies. "This is a very political presidency, and I didn't expect that. When one seat can make the difference between divided and unified government, that's a big incentive."
A recent e-mail to the 6,100 full-time headquarters employees of the Environmental Protection Agency reminded them of the provisions of the Hatch Act, which was designed to protect federal employees from political pressure. But some employees said they were surprised by its emphasis on participating in, not abstaining from, campaign activities. The memo said they "are permitted to take an active part in partisan political management and campaigns," subject to limitations, and reminded them they are free to "express support for the president and his program" when they are off-duty.
Bobby L. Harnage Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal workers, said he has been hearing increasing complaints about what his members consider politicization of their work, and said the effect is dampened morale. He asserted that Republicans' use of the federal government is the most aggressive he has seen in 34 years as a union official. "Bush and his administration are making no attempt to cover up what they're doing," Harnage said.
Election-year politicking has been honed through many presidencies. In 1992, top aides to Bush's father held "funnel meetings" to dispatch federal largess to states with upcoming primaries.
But longtime activists in both parties said this administration was setting a new standard. NASA has traditionally stayed out of campaigns because of the need for bipartisan support for its multibillion-dollar projects. But the space agency's administrator, Sean O'Keefe, has plunged into home-stretch Republican politics. He toured a technology center this week with Bob Riley, the GOP challenger for Alabama governor, and is heading to Florida to hold a town meeting on Monday with a Republican House candidate.
O'Keefe is taking the day off for that visit, but many of Bush's Cabinet members have been appearing with Republican candidates in their official capacities. Commerce Secretary Donald L. Evans presented an "Export Achievement Award" in Iowa yesterday at a food-processing plant, where he was introduced by Rep. Greg Ganske, a Republican challenging Sen. Tom Harkin (D). Ganske said the message was Bush's trade agenda, not Republican politics.
"No mention was made of my opponent," Ganske said. "This was not campaigning." Evans will make a similar appearance today at a trash-compactor manufacturing plant with Sen. Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.), who is in a tough reelection race.
Nearly every Cabinet department has played a part in the campaign. Education Secretary Roderick R. Paige held a government-sponsored "No Child Left Behind" rally with Rep. C. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), who then promoted the event on the Web site of his Senate campaign. Chambliss is challenging Sen. Max Cleland (D).
Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson, Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta and Veterans Affairs Secretary Anthony J. Principi have been traveling the country to announce millions of dollars in grants, program expansions and construction plans with GOP candidates at their sides. And the first regional White House Event on Increasing Minority Homeownership will be held today in the district of embattled Rep. Jim Leach (R-Iowa), who will appear with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Mel R. Martinez.
Bush expanded the White House political apparatus beyond the usual Office of Political Affairs, which has a staff of 11, by adding a seven-person Office of Strategic Initiatives, overseen by Bush senior adviser Karl C. Rove. The office is working with political affairs director Kenneth Mehlman to promote candidates and recently sent White House employees a polling digest with the heading, "Republicans Lead in Competitive House Districts."
Another new extension of White House political activity is the 10-person Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives, which has been sponsoring seminars on federal grants that have heavy attendance by black ministers. The office's director, James Towey, has appeared with endangered House Republicans and promising GOP Senate candidates, including joining Hutchinson to tour a Little Rock shelter for abused women and children.
Back in January, Bush declared himself "a proud party man," and he followed through by raising a record amount of party money for a midterm election, more than $144 million, at 67 receptions in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Vice President Cheney collected more than $22 million with 74 appearances, and Democratic officials counted 200 other fundraising events by top aides and relatives to Bush and Cheney.
Undeterred by preparations for possible war with Iraq, Bush embarks today on 12 days of barnstorming in battleground states and districts, with a break Friday and Saturday for meetings with world leaders in Texas and Mexico.
White House communications director Dan Bartlett said the administration is paying close attention to the law and is following the tradition of past administrations. "The president is the leader of the Republican Party and he's doing everything he can to help elect people who share his agenda," he said. "It's totally appropriate to allow people to participate in the political process."
