Bush visits VA during afternoon Philadelphia tour

President Bush made a short stop at a University-sponsored drug treatment program at the Veterans Administration Hospital during his brief daytrip to Philadelphia yesterday. At the VA, like every stop during his afternoon visit to the city, he was met by well-wishers and rubber-neckers, as well as a group of protesters who tried to challenge the president on domestic policy issues. But Bush's attention seemed focused on polite smiles for the cameras and prying campaign money out of donors' pocketbooks during the VA visit and a Center City fundraiser for Republican Senate candidate Richard Thornburgh. During his three-hour tour of Philadelphia, he received a quick lesson on a joint University-VA drug treatment program, and then showered goodwill on Republican Party faithful at Thornburgh's $1000-a-plate banquet. Yet Bush likely didn't see the nearly 7,000 protesters who lined Broad Street yesterday afternoon, protesting the president's and Thornburgh's stance on issues ranging from abortion to the closing of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. Bush's motorcade was routed away from the protests as he arrived at and departed from the Hotel Atop the Bellevue, the site of the fundraiser. While the president was speaking to the GOP supporters, the protest outside turned violent, resulting in several minor injuries, eight arrests and charges that police overreacted to the protesters. During his visit, Bush was flanked almost constantly by either Philadelphia Police officers, plainclothes Secret Service agents or U.S. Marines. After flying into Murphy Field on Marine One, an armored helicopter, Bush toured the VA facilities and met with substance abuse researchers. During a short speech at the VA, Bush said he "learned a lot" about substance abuse, but that the inherent societal problems surrounding drug abuse still need to be solved. "People think the problem in our world is crack, or suicide, or babies having babies," Bush said. "Those are symptoms. The disease is moral emptiness." Bush also stressed the importance of traditional family values. "If as president I had the power to give just one thing to this country, it would be the return of an inner moral compass, nurtured by the family and valued by society," Bush said. Outside the VA, about 30 protesters carried signs criticizing Bush for his policies on AIDS, unemployment and drug abuse. After his visit to the VA, Bush went to the Bellevue, where he met privately with the Thornburgh campaign staff before speaking at the former cabinet member's fundraiser. Bush spoke for nearly 15 minutes under a blue and white "Thornburgh for Senate" canopy in the ornate, two-story ballroom to nearly 800 GOP supporters. Before Bush arrived, Republican leaders on the first floor mingled, while others on the second floor peered over the edge of the balcony as the band played "Tequilla" and "God Bless America." The president opened his remarks by praising Judge Clarence Thomas's performance in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee, saying he was "choked up" by the Supreme Court nominee's opening presentation in front of the committee. "I called Barbara [to remind her to watch the hearings] and she said 'Quiet, I'm watching Judge Thomas,' " he said. Bush also showered praise on Thornburgh's tenure both in Harrisburg as governor and in Washington as attorney general, and spoke personally about his friendship and trust of the Republican Senate candidate. "Dick came in and took action -- cut bureaucratic bloat, cut taxes on individuals and business to spark growth, and restored integrity to a state government that had been plagued by corruption and scandal," Bush said. Bush also attributed to Thornburgh a 75-percent increase in the number of federal prosecutors and the doubling of the number of federal prison beds. Because of his experiences, Thornburgh is ready "to take on Capitol Hill -- without danger pay," and that Thornburgh would be a "key member . . . of the GOP shock force." "Boy, do we ever need him in the Senate," he said. The president was joined at the head table of the banquet by Republican mayoral candidate Joseph Egan -- "I hope to see him win" -- as well as several national and local Republican committee members. Former district attorney and mayoral candidate Ron Castille also attended the banquet as did Frank Rizzo, Jr. -- son of the late Republican mayoral candidate Frank Rizzo -- and Delaware Governor Mike Cassel. Bush left the room shortly after he finished his remarks, joking that the crowd would "probably have broccoli later" and that he "didn't know how good dinner would be." Just as Bush began speaking to the GOP crowd, the mostly-peaceful demonstration turned violent after members of the AIDS activist group ACT-UP overturned three police barricades in front of the Bellevue while carrying a wooden coffin with ashes in it. Police, many of whom were wearing latex gloves, began restricting the protesters, hitting them and bystanders with nightsticks. Police Commissioner Willie Williams said last night that two of the protesters who were taken away by police would be charged. Eventually a total of eight were arrested. Two police officers were also hurt in the fray. Williams said that he had not completed an investigation of the demonstration. Staff writer Roxanne Patel contributed to this report.

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