BUSH EXPLOITS MARTIN LUTHER KINGS'S GRAVE FOR POLITICAL FUNDRAISER
from daily Mislead.com 1/15/04

"On last year's Martin Luther King Day, President Bush eloquently honored the
memory of Dr. King, saying "I believe [in the] power of his words, the
clarity of his vision and the courage of his leadership." This year,
however, instead of honoring the legacy of Dr. King, President Bush has
decided to use Martin Luther King Day as tool to force the federal
government to subsidize a fundraising trip for his re-election campaign.

The New York Times reports that the President "hastily planned" a visit to
Dr. King's grave, and then will immediately go to "a $2,000-a-person
fundraiser in Atlanta." Even though Bush may spend the majority of his time
hobnobbing with donors at the fundraiser, because he will briefly visit Dr.
King's grave, he is allowed to deem the entire trip "official" and then bill
taxpayers for portions of the huge cost of hotel rooms, rental cars,
security, and travel. And those are no small costs - the Washington Post
notes that Air Force One alone costs $57,000 an hour to operate."