MERRIMACK, N.H., Jan. 29 -- The Democrats were gone after months of trashing President Bush, and he stormed into New Hampshire on Thursday to try to sweeten the aftertaste and reclaim the independents in a state that he barely won in 2000.
Even so, Bush's economic pep talk at the Fidelity Investments campus here was technically not a political event. Bush held a $1.1 million campaign fundraiser Thursday night in Old Greenwich, in his native Connecticut, but the "Conversation on the Economy" held earlier was an official government event.
Bush used the word "optimism" or "optimistic" seven times during the 42-minute event, which was staged in a talk-show format.
"See, I'm really optimistic about the future," he said. "I think after you hear this discussion, I think you'll be optimistic." Then he added, to laughter: "At least if you pay attention to what you hear."
Bush has to cope with statistics showing that 2.3 million jobs have been lost on his watch, and the fact that employment has been one of the most sluggish aspects of the recovery. The Democratic presidential candidates contend that Bush's tax cuts -- including the capital gains tax cut touted in a Fidelity poster that says "Investing Just Got a Lot Less Taxing" -- benefited mostly the wealthy.
Gene Sperling, national economic adviser to President Bill Clinton and now with the Center for American Progress, said economic indicators are clearly pointing up but it is not yet clear the country will see the broad job creation and wage increases that will be needed for working families to feel more secure. "You would think part of the great political science course 'Don't Repeat Bush Mistakes 101' would be to not appear to be out of touch," he said.
GOP strategists said they hope many of the independents who voted in the Democratic primary will vote Republican in the fall.
White House press secretary Scott McClellan was asked if it was coincidence that Bush came to New Hampshire just after Tuesday's primary, with the opportunity to send a positive message to voters after being attacked 30 times in one debate. McClellan said Bush will continue to take his economic message around the country, calling it "one of the highest priorities for the American people" and "a high priority for people in New Hampshire."
Bush, who until recently has rarely made impromptu stops when he was on the road, added a barnstorming touch on his way out of town by dropping in on Swan Chocolates, an eight-month-old family-owned business where he sprinkled peanut shavings on the tops of truffles.
"They started their business last year, had a dream, living their dream, and they're making good product," the president said. "And I expect people in the national press corps to leave some cash behind."
Bush ignored questions about Sen. John F. Kerry (Mass.), the surging Democrat, and about the increasing evidence that Iraq did not possess the weapons of mass destruction the White House had thought it had.
Bush took 85 percent of the vote in Tuesday's GOP primary, which was held even though he had no major opposition.
Four years ago, Bush's team was shaken by an 18-point loss to Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.). The president went on to win New Hampshire in November by less than 1 percentage point, the only New England state he denied to Vice President Al Gore.
The Bush-Cheney campaign already has an aggressive operation underway in New Hampshire and has set up a New Hampshire Veterans Leadership Team to court former members of the military.
Also on Thursday, the White House marked the second anniversary of USA Freedom Corps, the council Bush announced during his 2002 State of the Union address to coordinate the federal service programs -- the Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, Senior Corps and Citizen Corps, which he created to encourage community safety. Bush's "call to service" asks every American to do volunteer work for two years, or 4,000 hours.
Meanwhile, congressional officials said the president's budget blueprint will project a federal deficit this year of about $520 billion, compared with $375 billion for 2003.
