FoxNews.com: Bush Courts NASCAR Fans With Tribute to Drivers
WASHINGTON ? Some of the top names in NASCAR raced to the White House Tuesday to meet with President Bush, who is hoping the sport's 75 million fans will put him in the driver's seat in the 2004 presidential election.
Hot from a trip to Pittsburgh, where the president drew $850,000 toward his re-election campaign and avoided the issue of whether he will repeal steel tariffs (search), deemed critical to steel producers in the state, Bush focused on a new ? and growing ? voting bloc.
"NASCAR is one of the fastest growing sports in America today ... and it's easy to figure out why the sport is so popular ? the competition is intense, the drivers and their crews are skillful, the finishes are often times dramatic," Bush said in a crisp South Lawn ceremony in which he congratulated 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series point champion Matt Kenseth (search).
The president also greeted 10 former winners and top drivers in a forum similar to those he holds to greet champion teams in other sports. Among the stars at the event were Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Bill Elliott, Bobby Labonte and Terry Labonte.
Noting the large audience made up of his staff and lawmakers, the president, flanked by several of the colorful, high performance vehicles, joked: "I see a lot of bubbas who work in my administration have shown up. I wonder why. I've hosted champions from many sports here at the White House ? [this is] the first time, however, we ever parked stock cars in the South Lawn."
Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Reps. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., Chris Chocola, R-Ind., and Mac Collins, R-Ga., also attended the event.
"Congressman Mac Collins ? I knew he was a race car fan ? good to see you, Mac. You are a Bubba," Bush said to laughter.
The mostly male, white working-class audience that makes up NASCAR's fan base is actively being courted as the new demographic power group that candidates hope will give them the best poll position in 2004. Dubbed "NASCAR dads," the group is this year's version of the so-called "soccer moms" that former President Bill Clinton charmed in 1992 and 1996.
A look at the map shows how important NASCAR dads are. Seven of the Southern and Western states that Bush won in 2000 ? and where NASCAR has its greatest support ? have gained 11 more electoral votes.
Bush advisers say they are hoping to get more than just votes from the group; they want to see NASCAR dads hit the campaign trail and actively push for a second term for the president.
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