Bush to speak at Rep. Sodrel's fundraiser

President George W. Bush will be appearing Friday at U.S. Rep. Mike Sodrel's fundraiser in Indianapolis. \nSodrel's Chief of Staff Cam Savage said the event could bring in $500,000 for the congressman's campaign through the sales of its minimum $1,000 charge per ticket.\nThe National Republican Congressional Committee and Sodrel's staff hope the president's appearance, which Savage said has been "in the works for a few weeks," will help give Sodrel, R-9th District, the edge in this fall's election. Sodrel is expected to run against former Democratic Rep. Baron Hill, who beat Sodrel in the 2002 election. Sodrel became the only Republican to beat a Democrat incumbent in 2004 when he ousted Hill from office in the tight election, and Sodrel's staff and the NRCC are expecting this year's race to be competitive.\n"The president's appearance on behalf of the congressman sends a strong signal that the congressman not only has a close working relationship with House leadership, but with the administration, and it's one of the reasons why the congressman has been such an effective representative for his constituents in the 9th District," said Ed Patru, spokesman for the NRCC. "Congressman Sodrel will have all the support from the NRCC he needs to ensure a successful campaign, and we certainly intend to remind voters in the 9th District why they threw Baron Hill out of office."\nBush is expected to speak about several national and international issues for about 40 minutes, Savage said. Sodrel is expected to speak briefly.\nWhen asked about the effectiveness of Bush's appearance in support of a candidate in a state where, according to polls, the president's popularity is declining, Savage said he thinks the president will still greatly help Sodrel's campaign.\n"Bush has won two landslide elections in Indiana, so he is still very popular here," he said.\nBut not all residents would agree with Savage. Eight community members carrying 80 letters concerning Bush's proposed budget cuts gathered Thursday at Seminary Square to begin a march to Sodrel's Bloomington office. People directly affected by Bush's proposal to cut funding for services such as Social Security, Medicare and student loans wrote the letters. The group hopes the letters will help persuade Sodrel to vote against the proposed budget cuts.\n"The budget is helping the richest 1 percent of Americans," said Liz Rosdeitcher, a rally participant. "It just seems illogical and unethical."\nWhen the protesters reached Sodrel's office, a staff member greeted them and accepted the letters, but they couldn't see Sodrel himself. The group, however, wasn't disappointed.\n"I know each of those (eight) people represents at least 50 to 100 people who feel the same way," Rosdeitcher said.\nThe Bloomington rally was one of several nationwide demonstrations Thursday encouraged by the 3.5 million-member Internet activist group MoveOn.org, said Erica Seiffert, a volunteer for the group who planned the local event. Seiffert said she planned the rally in a week and collected the letters in just two days.\nSavage said Sodrel gets thousands of letters and e-mails each day and encourages constituents to be active in their government. Savage also said that Bush's budget proposals are not binding, and that Congress will be the one to set the budget.\n"Now is a perfectly appropriate time for people to contact us about (how they feel) because (the budget) is not a decision that has already been made," he said. "It'll be made in the coming weeks when Congress tries to establish a budget resolution for the coming year."\nRegardless, Seiffert and Rosdeitcher are hopeful that Sodrel will take the letters into consideration and are confident that their rally was effective.\n"You've got eight people standing out there in the cold reading letters, holding flags and signs and walking down major streets in town to a representative's office to give him 80 letters," she said. "I think that sends a message"