Bush stumps for Simon, but from a safe distance

CARLA MARINUCCI & JOHN WILDERMUTH / SF Chronicle 24aug02

GOP gubernatorial candidate conspicuous by his absence

Medea Benjamin,
Green Party activist is ejected from
the Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium.
Chronicle photo by Kim Komenich

Stockton, CA -- President Bush tiptoed awkwardly around Bill Simon's troubled campaign for governor Friday, raising millions and praising the candidate at top-dollar private fund-raisers but declining to appear with Simon at the day's two major public events.

When Bush gave the Los Angeles businessman the ringing endorsement he wanted, the only voters who heard it were the ones who paid $1,000 each to attend the event.

"You need somebody in Sacramento who's . . . willing to put aside all the typical old-style politics to bring a breath of fresh air . . . into a stagnant situation," Bush said at the $1,000-a-ticket fund-raiser in a Stockton airplane hangar. "The breath of fresh air . . . is Bill Simon."

Simon's much-publicized legal problems, including a $78 million fraud judgment levied against his family investment firm last month, almost persuaded the president's top aides to cancel the two-day fund-raising swing Bush had promised to make.

While Bush made the trip, Simon's presence made for some dicey moments.

Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd at the Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium,

for example, Bush lashed out at corporate wrongdoers and suggested that jail time would be in order for executives who cook their books and mislead shareholders.

"It's an American idea to hold people responsible who betray the public's trust, and that's what we're going to do," the president said.

PRAISE FROM BUSH

That talk about zero tolerance for corporate criminals was missing from his address at the Simon fund-raiser later. Instead, Bush praised Simon's financial skills as essential in the state house.

"You also need someone who can make a budget work," the president said. "You need somebody who's willing to make tough decisions and set priorities with the people's money . . .

"Bill Simon is a proven businessman who can get that done."

The pricey fund-raisers were the only places the president was talking about Simon on Friday. The Republican challenger to Democratic Gov. Gray Davis was nowhere to be seen at a pair of public appearances on Bush's schedule. At the downtown Stockton speech, he didn't even mention Simon's name, choosing instead to point out a pair of local congressmen.

Democrats made sure everyone noticed the president's juggling act.

"Bush is like the uncle visiting his nephew in jail," said a gleeful Bob Mulholland, a political consultant for the state Democratic Party. "It's a family responsibility, but you get out of town quick."

But Simon's campaign officials said they intend for all California voters to hear the president's praise. A campaign film crew captured Bush's appearance Friday night at a tony fund-raiser in Orange County for use as a Simon campaign ad in the weeks ahead.

Bush's appearances "say more than anything" about the candidate's strengths . . . "there's not a higher compliment," said Simon strategist Sal Russo.

But earlier in the day, presidential adviser Karl Rove downplayed the idea of a Bush ad for Simon.

"While they might have a picture or something of the president, their focus is on Simon and Simon's message, and Davis and Davis' record," he said. "I don't think they have any interest in having the president be the focus point of an ad."

STUMPING FOR HIMSELF

Rove, the president's top political strategist, also suggested Bush's time in California had as much to do with the president's re-election prospects in 2004 as Simon's chances in November.

"It's a state that if you ignore, you get what you pay for -- nothing," Rove said.

Although Stockton is one of the few Central Valley cities with a majority of registered Democrats, a raucous, partisan crowd greeted Bush at the downtown auditorium.

"We are the heartland of America," said Mayor Gary Podesto as he introduced the president. "This is Bush country."

Bush's visit marked the first time a president has visited Stockton since 1952, when Harry Truman's presidential train spent a few minutes at the railroad depot during a whistle-stop tour.

The president's speech was briefly interrupted by a woman heckler who shouted "Mr. Bush: No war on Iraq." She was hustled out of the auditorium by security as the crowd chanted "U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!"

About 150 demonstrators also picketed outside the airport fund-raiser.

Inside, Bush talked politics as Simon sat beaming by.

"In order for this good man to win, he not only needs your financial support, he needs you . . . to start talking to your neighbors about why you need a change in Sacramento and why he's the man to bring that change," Bush said.

Simon flew to Southern California with Bush on Air Force One and was invited to a private discussion the president had in Santa Ana with about 20 Latino business leaders.

SIMON NOT IN SIGHT

But when Bush faced the banks of television cameras for his speech to a few hundred local business people, once again -- as in Stockton -- Simon wasn't there.

Republicans watching Friday's events expressed joy at the chance to see the popular president -- even as they admitted some concern about Simon's legal and financial troubles.

"The president is doing very well . . . but I'm very unhappy with Gray Davis," said Stockton dentist Don Collier, seated with a small American flag in the Memorial Auditorium to hear Bush's talk.

Still, Collier said, "I'm concerned about Simon. . . . We'll just have to wait and see. Hopefully, we can get past it."

Assemblyman Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria, a Simon endorser, acknowledged the candidate's troubles but said the president would continue to assist Simon - and other California Republicans.

"Simon's having tough times . . . and the donor community is a bit demoralized," he said. "(But) remember, four years ago at this point, everyone called Gray Davis roadkill."

President Bush's support of GOP governor candidate Bill Simon seemed to vary depending on where he was speaking:

-- In private: Bush helped raise millions for Simon and the GOP, and he praised the candidate as a "a breath of fresh air" and a skilled businessman. "You need somebody who's willing to make tough decisions and set priorities with the people's money," he said.

-- In public: Simon was nowhere to be seen at the two main events, and the president only rarely mentioned his name. At one campaign stop, Bush castigated corporate fraud, but he made no reference to a $78 million judgment against Simon's firm.

Chronicle news services contributed to this report. / E-mail the writers at cmarinucci@sfchronicle.com and jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com.

President Bush's support of GOP governor candidate Bill Simon seemed to vary depending on where he was speaking:

• In private: Bush helped raise millions for Simon and the GOP, and he praised the candidate as a "a breath of fresh air" and a skilled businessman. "You need somebody who's willing to make tough decisions and set priorities with the people's money," he said.

• In public: Simon was nowhere to be seen at the two main events, and the president only rarely mentioned his name. At one campaign stop, Bush castigated corporate fraud, but he made no reference to a $78 million judgment against Simon's firm.

Chronicle news services contributed to this report.

Bush stumps for Simon, but ambivalence shows

ERICA WERNER / AP 24aug02

DANA POINT, CA -- Bill Simon clasped President Bush's hand at a seaside fund-raiser and declared the moment "the highlight of this week."

But the president's demeanor during a day in the state suggested ambivalence about promoting the would-be Republican governor.

Simon's investment firm was found liable for $78 million in a civil fraud case last month. The verdict blindsided Republicans and created a delicate situation for Bush given his zero-tolerance stance on corporate corruption.

Bush didn't mention Simon's name during public speeches Friday in Stockton and Santa Ana, even as he recognized congressmen and others in the audience.

At private fund-raisers he delivered his standard campaign-trail praise, calling Simon the right man to unseat Democratic Gov. Gray Davis.

"I'm so proud to be here to embrace his candidacy," Bush enthused at a luncheon in Stockton, saying Simon would keep an eye on the state budget.

"It's your money. And you better have somebody who understands that," Bush told donors.

"Bill Simon is a proven businessman who can get that done."

Absent from Bush's comments at the fund-raisers were his standard stump-speech lines against corporate criminals who cook the books.

Bush was to make a final appearance for Simon at a breakfast Saturday morning in Los Angeles before heading to New Mexico to raise money for a congressional candidate there.

All told, the events were expected to net a much-needed $2.6 million for Simon's campaign and $750,000 for the state GOP, according to White House figures.

At a speech to Hispanic leaders in Santa Ana the president announced that California will receive nearly $133 million for a program to help schools teach kids to read.

Simon aides called reporters to assure them Simon attended the speech at the president's invitation after flying with him on Air Force One. But the candidate was nowhere in sight.

Simon was not named in the lawsuit against his firm, and has said he believes the verdict will be set aside or overturned on appeal. Bush has said he accepts Simon's word.

Nonetheless, White House organizers designed Friday's schedule so that the president appeared at Simon's side only in the private fund-raisers, with footage belatedly made available to TV networks as they raced to make evening news deadlines.

Some guests at the Dana Point fund-raiser, an evening reception at the posh St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa, said Bush handled an awkward situation gracefully.

"I have to respect Bush for honoring his commitment to be here for Bill Simon," said Linda Wylie, 50, of Mission Viejo. "He faced a real dilemma, he really did."

"Nobody would want to be in his position," added Wylie's friend Thomas Mouradick, a retired rancher from Newport Beach.

Wylie gave no comment when asked if she supported Simon, but said she was delighted to see Bush.

Even so, some tickets prices for the event were slashed from $1,000 to $250. Simon aides said that was to accommodate deserving volunteers.

Democrats did their best to make Bush and Simon uncomfortable.

The Democratic Party dubbed the visit the "Bush/Simon California 'Tour de Fraud' 2002," and protesters organized by the party wore jail suits outside Bush's stops. One sign read, "Bush and Simon, Corporate Crooks."

Davis staged a signing ceremony in Culver City, not far from Bush's Orange County evening appearance with Simon, to enact three bills stiffening state accounting laws and increasing prison terms for corporate fraud.