Bush Stumping For Simon Not Simple

President Bush gave a fresh push Saturday to Republican efforts to reclaim the California governor's mansion as he wrapped up a Western swing that focused on policy and political fights ahead of the fall elections.

Mr. Bush stumped a third and final time for GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon over breakfast at a private, wood-paneled Los Angeles club that, save actor Kelsey Grammer, was largely devoid of celebrities. The event brought the president's total take over two days to $2.6 million for Simon's ailing campaign.

Barely a month ago, Mr. Bush and his political team were blind-sided by a $78 million civil judgment a jury returned against the investment firm that Simon controls with his brother.

With ambivalence, the White House went ahead with the schedule rather than upset prominent California Republican donors Mr. Bush will need for his own re-election run in 2004.

Mr. Bush was greeted throughout his California visit with protesters more aggressive and numerous than usual. Scores of demonstrators, holding red octagonal signs blaring "Stop Bush," shouted chants and banged drums on the street corners outside Saturday's Los Angeles fund-raiser. "Bush you stink of corporate crime," said one banner.

On Friday, Mr. Bush, who nearly always rails against corporate crooks in his stump speeches, at first greeted Simon with a perfunctory airport handshake but left him out of his official public appearances.

At private fund-raisers, where only limited press coverage was allowed, Mr. Bush omitted his usual corporate responsibility references and even praised Simon as a "proven businessman" who would keep an eye on the state budget.

"I stand by his side because I know that you can do better in California," Mr. Bush told GOP donors on Saturday.

Corporate greed was the topic of the Democratic response to Mr. Bush's weekly radio address on saturday.

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Chellie Pingree said citizens believe corporate greed is influencing the high cost of prescription drugs and cutting into people's retirement savings.

"By introducing new criminal penalties for CEOs who act illegally, Democrats have made it clear: We're on the side of the American families, taxpayers, investors and businesses that pay their fair share and play by the rules," Pingree said.

Referring to stories describing Mr. Bush's California appearances as an arm's-length endorsement of his effort to unseat Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, Simon on Saturday said he had no complaints.

"If keeping me at arm's length really means flying several thousand miles out here to campaign for us over two days, and now you've done five events with us, could you please keep me at arm's length for the balance of the campaign?" Simon joked.

But the reality is that, "The last thing they want is to come out here and be seen side by side with Bill Simon, because Simon is the poster boy for everything George Bush is now trying to fix with regard to corporate responsibility," political analyst Dick Rosengarten told CBS News Correspondent Bill Plante.

CBS News Correspondent Mark Knoller says that with the stakes so high in the midterm elections, Mr. Bush was ending his three day fund-raising blitz in New Mexico - campaigning for a little known Republican congressional candidate - because every seat will count this fall.

After the trip to Oregon, California and New Mexico - politically important states he lost in the 2000 election - the president was returning to his Texas ranch with just over a week remaining before the traditional Labor Day campaign season kickoff and Congress' return to Washington.

The president told a crowd of 6,000 people at New Mexico State University's Pan-American Center in Las Cruces Saturday that he has three goals for the country: to win the war on terrorism, to protect the homelands and to ensure the economy is strong.

He focused most of his speech on the war on terrorism. The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have proven the strength of America, Mr. Bush told an enthusiastic crowd waving American flags.

"There is no challenge we can't overcome," he said. Calling terrorists "cold-blooded killers," Mr. Bush said. "They want to kill again because they hate what we love and we love freedom."

He said he's approved the largest defense spending increase since President Reagan because the country's soldiers deserve the best pay, training and equipment. "We're in this deal for the long haul," he said.

At that point, a man at the back of the audience shouted in protest and was quickly removed from the building.

Mr. Bush's second appearance in the Las Cruces area in a little more than two years was greeted by a group of 40 protesters outside the center where he spoke. He attended a presidential campaign rally on in August 2000 in Mesilla.

The protesters were calling for peace and an end to the government's trampling on civil rights in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks.

Michael Sauber of Silver City held a sign printed with an SOS and an upside down American flag. He called Mr. Bush "an unelected person running our country," referring to the close race for the 2000 general election.

"He's wreaking havoc with all lives regarding civil rights," Sauber said. He came out to the president know "there are patriots here willing to disagree with him."

After his speech, Mr. Bush was to head to the Las Cruces Hilton to appear at a $1,000-a-person campaign fund-raiser for Republican 2nd District candidate Steve Pearce and GOP gubernatorial nominee John Sanchez.

Earlier, in his radio address on Saturday, Mr. Bush again promoted forest initiatives he hopes will win him political points in the fire-scarred region.

His plan would make it easier for timber companies to remove flammable underbrush and trees from the most fire-prone forests. Though he aims to reduce the risk of catastrophic burns, environmentalists see the changes as an excuse to allow more logging of old-growth, commercially desirable trees.

Mr. Bush urged Congress to allow thinning plans to bypass federal safeguards. He appeared to use as a model legislation attached to an emergency spending bill by Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., that created such waivers for a Black Hills National Forest thinning program.

"We will guard against excessive red tape and endless litigation that stand in the way of sensible forest management decisions," Mr. Bush said.

On Thursday, Mr. Bush toured areas devastated by Oregon's worst wildfires and attended a fund-raiser in Portland, where anti-war protesters clashed with police near a hotel where the president he called for corporate crooks to serve "hard time" in jail.