MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) – As demonstrations go, it was pretty routine – noisy, peaceful, lot of signs and T-shirts displaying the cause. Except for the rat.
It was easily the most visible prop Thursday as almost 400 supporters and critics of President Bush were lumped together on a sidewalk across the street from the hotel where he spoke to business people.
The 16-foot-high inflated rat towered over the gathering, sporting a big cigar in its mouth and a sign that read: “Hello, my name is George W. Bush.”
It was brought in by the New Hampshire AFL-CIO and other unions to show their disgust with the president.
Mark MacKenzie, president of the state AFL-CIO, said the rat is symbolic of an “administration of rats gnawing away at our jobs and overtime, health care, and a whole host of issues for working people.”
“It’s also chewing away at our jobs. George Bush is the mouthpiece for corporate America,” he said. “He’s corporate America’s president.”
While a majority of often chanting, shouting groups wanted Bush out of office, he also had plenty of supporters, and when one man stopped his car to shout, “He’s the best president we ever had and ever will have,” he drew a loud cheer.
“He’s the only one who’s going to protect us from the terrorists,” said Diana O’Keefe of Merrimack, who stood with her husband, Jon.
Her husband also praised Bush’s tax cuts, and wanted more.
“Nobody is getting enough money back in taxes,” he said.
Others sported signs: “We love Bush,” and “Welcome, Mr. President.”
During his speech at the National Guard headquarters at Pease International Tradeport in Portsmouth, about 14 people protested his policies, including six veterans. Two were unhappy with the administration’s treatment of disabled veterans.
Joey DeBoise of Somersworth, who was in a wheelchair, said he supports Bush as commander in chief, “but he lied to us. He promised he would get rid of the disability tax.”
Tony Woody, 46, of Exeter, who served in the Navy for 22 years and has back injuries, said, “We are forced to give up our pension, dollar-for-dollar, to pay for our own disability compensation.”
Anne McGee, 52, of Portsmouth, was protesting the Patriot Act and free trade.
“Treat people like terrorists and they become terrorists,” read a sign she carried.
On free trade, she said “we shouldn’t be allowing corporations to profit at the expense of workers.”
But inside, National Guardsmen talked of their support for Bush.
Lt. Steve Greco, squadron commander of the 133rd Air Refueling Wing, which flew missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, said he doesn’t need to be convinced Bush is going in the right direction.
“We are the ones who lived it,” he said.
Army National Guard Maj. Angela Maxner said Bush’s speech was “absolutely reinvigorating in the sense of service and pride.” She said she believes he is “100 percent on the right track.”
“America has a responsibility as a leader in the world to do the right thing at the right time, and we are doing it,” she said.
At the Manchester demonstration, the Bush opponents included supporters of Democratic presidential hopefuls John Kerry, Howard Dean, Dennis Kucinich, Joe Lieberman and Richard Gephardt.
Two environmental groups, the Sierra Club and the America Land Alliance, protested Bush’s environmental policies that John Demon, northeast coordinator of the alliance, called “one of the worst in modern times.”
Arnie Alpert of the America Friends Service Committee said the administration “clearly has its attention more on global war-making than the needs of the people in the United States.”
David Nassar of New Hampshire for Health Care said his nonpartisan group is not supporting any candidate, nor does it oppose Bush. It only wants every candidate to present a health care plan, and while many of the Democrats have, Bush has offered some principles, but not a detailed plan, he said.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
