Bush travels to Indiana to rally for Sodrel

SELLERSBURG, Ind. -- In a stump speech for Rep. Mike Sodrel, R-9th, President George W. Bush told several thousand Republican faithful Saturday that Democrats do not know how to deal with terrorists or win the war in Iraq.\n"We face an enemy which is brutal," he said. "There is no negotiating with these people. They do not believe in freedom. They hate America because we believe in freedom. The best way to protect America is to bring them to justice before they hurt us again."\nThe president praised Sodrel's National Guard service and commitment to the armed forces but spent most of his 40-minute speech defending the war on terror and the conflict in Iraq.\n"Five years later, Democrats just don't get it," he said. "The best way to protect the homeland is to find the enemy and defeat them overseas."\nThe crowd members cheered, stomped their feet in approval and waved fliers with occasional shouts of support like "You're the man, George!" as Bush promised that a Republican-led Congress would continue to cut taxes and aid economic growth.\nBush also criticized the New Jersey Supreme Court's recent decision to recognize same-sex marriages.\n"We believe marriage is a union between a man and a woman," he said as the crowd booed the court's ruling.\nThe president's visit was not \nwithout protest, however. While many local businesses put up signs welcoming Bush, two protestors stood several blocks away holding up signs questioning the government's involvement in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.\nAbout five minutes into Bush's speech, several women unrolled two pink banners with the words "Troops home now" while chanting "No more war."\nCampaign volunteers attempted to cover the women from the president's view with articles of clothing while the members of the crowd attempted to drown them by chanting "U-S-A."\nPolice escorted the protestors from the rally.\nHaving the president campaign for him a little more than a week before the Nov. 7 election is a potentially risky move for Sodrel. In the past few weeks, polls have put Bush's approval rating below 40 percent. John Hostettler, R-8th, who is embroiled in another close Indiana congressional race with Democrat Brad Ellsworth, told the Chicago Tribune last week that he felt a visit from the president could hurt his campaign.\nSodrel, however, seemed unconcerned with the president's popularity in introducing him Saturday.\n"Here with me is a man we Hoosiers voted for twice," he said. "It's an honor to have the president of the United States visit Indiana, and I'm proud to stand here with him today."\nThis is the third time Sodrel has faced Democrat Baron Hill for the 9th District seat. Hill served as the district's representative from 1998 until 2004, when Sodrel defeated him by fewer than 1,500 votes.\nLibertarian and IU-Southeast economics professor Eric Schansberg is also running.\nFirst lady Laura Bush also campaigned for Sodrel at a rally in Columbus, Ind., Wednesday.\nPresident Bush previously stumped for Sodrel in March at a $1,000-per-plate luncheon in Indianapolis, which earned the Congressman's re-election campaign more than $500,000, according to a March 27 Indiana Daily Student article. The president's speech Saturday was free and open to the public on a first-come, first-serve basis.\nAfter speaking to the IU College Democrats and Indiana Public Interest Research Group on Tuesday, Hill criticized the number of well-known politicians who have come to Indiana for Sodrel, which also include Vice President Dick Cheney, Cheney's wife Lynne Cheney and former first lady Barbara Bush.\n"I've only had Bill Clinton and Barack Obama speak for me," Hill said. "One's a former president, and the other's a sitting senator. I'm not beholden to either of them. He's got all these major leaders and Washington insiders coming here. He needs to make sure he's not beholden to them because they've helped him out so much"