City ready for Bush win

AUSTIN, Texas -- Red and blue striped half-circle banners flying from every balcony, people hurrying down the street gripping leather binders, numerous laminated badges hanging from their necks.\nAustin is abuzz with preparations for today's presidential election. Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush will greet the incoming masses tonight just outside the lawn gate at the capitol building, on a crimson-carpet-lined stage. The Texas governor's campaign workers and a grassroots contingency have busied themselves to greet what they hope will be a victory.\n"We are expecting victory (tonight)," said Gail Suttle, vice president of the Texas federation of Republican women. Suttle was one of 35 volunteers working yesterday at tents set up around the stage to handle the press credentials and public requests for access to the event.\nWorkers have already passed out 1,500 passes to enter the center stage area. The stage is fenced off for two blocks on either side. Besides the visitors and local residents who tune in to see Bush, media from all over the world, including Great Britain, the Ukraine and Japan have come to cover election night.\nLast night, Bush was greeted by friends and supporters to welcome him back to Texas and officially end his campaign.\nToday, Bush has a fairly clear schedule besides his trip to the polls, said Brad Blakeman, project coordinator for tonight's festivities.\n"Right now, we are setting up the stages, getting the entertainment in order, timing the performances and really taking care of last minute details," Blakeman said.\nThe evening will be a mix of checkups on incoming votes displayed on the several JumboTrons and musical performances. Musical acts include Texas native Jimmy Vaughn, country singer Pat Green, as well as an Austin gospel choir. Republicans from other state offices will join the Bush family on the stage. Fireworks are scheduled to follow a speech by Bush.\nVolunteers for Victory 2000, an arm of the Texas Republican Party concerned with the effort to elect Republicans, will be calling voters up to the minute the polls close.\n"We are extremely optimistic," said Ted Royer, Deputy Press Secretary Victory 2000. "Texans strongly support Governor Bush." \nRoyer interned for Bush when he was still in college. Royer said he is proud to stand behind Bush because he shares similar principles with him. Other grassroots efforts to get out the vote are based more in the individual counties, Royer said.\nSuttle would like nothing more than to see her efforts during the past two years lead to Bush's victory. \n"It is the most wonderful thing that could happen to us," Suttle said. "He believes in what we believe in."\nBlakeman expects tonight to end on a happy note for Republicans. "I expect it will start the beginning of a new administration, and I hope it's a Bush (administration)"