President comes to Indianapolis

With the 2004 presidential campaign already heating up, President George W. Bush is hot on the money trail as he sets his sights on party contributors in Indianapolis.\nBush will be co-hosting a fund-raiser tonight in Indianapolis at the Murat Theatre with his former budget director Mitch Daniels. Daniels, a Republican front-runner in Indiana's 2004 gubernatorial race, is expected to receive Bush's official endorsement. \nLast spring, Bush visited Indianapolis and spoke at the Pepsi Coliseum in front of approximately 7,000 people. At the event, Bush referred to Daniels as "my man, Mitch," a sign of unofficial support for Daniels' gubernatorial campaign. \n"Whenever the President visits it is a very special honor and time," National Republican Committee member Diane Adams said. "It makes people in the state feel singled out -- it is quite an honor and gives the public a feeling of importance in his program."\nExecutive Director of the Indiana Republican Party Luke Messer said the fund-raiser is expected to raise around $1 million to $1.5 million for the re-election campaign. According to a White House press release, Bush is scheduled to speak on the nation's economy, changes in his current tax policy, the job market in Indiana and his "Stand Tall in Iraq" campaign.\n"Bush's coming to Indianapolis is such a great thing for the state. It's always exciting to have a strong feeling of local and regional interest from our president," said junior Nick Pittman. \nThe evening ceremony will be preceded by a speaking engagement during the afternoon at a local Indianapolis business.\nRecently, party opponents have been vocal in criticizing the president's role in the nation's economic recession -- believing it to be a soft spot in Bush's bid for re-election. \n"Bush feels as though his two tax cuts have put life into the economy," said Republican Representative James L. Merritt Jr. "Unemployment has decreased from 6.4 percent to 6.2 percent since July and his motto has been 'One person without a job is one too many,'" Merritt added. \nJoyce Irwin, a volunteer in Indianapolis, will greet the president upon arrival today at the Indianapolis International Airport.\nThis gesture will celebrate the first anniversary of Bush's volunteer initiative, USA Freedom Corps, which recognizes outstanding and dedicated volunteers around the country. \n-- Contact staff writer Nick Schmidt at nschmidt@indiana.edu.