Many Frown on Bush's 30-day Leave

by Mimi Hall
USA Today
August 7, 2001



CRAWFORD, Texas -- Taking a 30-day working vacation at his ranch after six months in office, President Bush is spending too much time away from the White House, according to a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll.

In the poll, which was released Monday, 55% said Bush is taking too much time off. Not that this is a full-fledged vacation, Bush aides insist. "The president is enjoying being back home," spokesman Scott McClellan told reporters Monday morning. "He plans to work as well as take a little bit of time off."
Bush's advisers are sensitive to the perception that he doesn't work as hard as some of his predecessors. If Bush returns as scheduled on Labor Day, he'll tie a modern record for presidential absence from the White House -- held by Richard Nixon at 30 days. Ronald Reagan took trips as long as 28 days.

McClellan said repeatedly that Bush considers this a "working vacation," during which he will speak out about values and focus on issues such as education, character development in young people and community efforts to help the less fortunate. That begins Wednesday, when Bush takes his motorcade about 30 minutes down the road to Waco, where he plans to help build a Habitat for Humanity house for a needy family.

Over the course of the month, Bush will leave Texas for several one- and two-day trips as part of what aides are calling his "Home to the Heartland Tour." The events are designed to show Bush's compassionate side. Although his approval ratings remain relatively high in opinion polls, aides are concerned that Americans might believe Bush doesn't care about the issues that affect them and is beholden to corporate interests.

Aides attribute that perception, in part, to the president's sometimes awkward public performances, so they are planning appearances that won't have him reading a speech behind a lectern. Among the events scheduled before Bush heads back to Washington on Labor Day: a session with families in Estes Park, Colo.; a back-to-school event in Albuquerque; a speech to the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Milwaukee and one to the American Legion convention in San Antonio; and a stop at the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

The events will take place in "a lot more informal settings," McClellan said, "where he can discuss issues that are important to the American people."

McClellan said Bush believes it is important to "get outside of Washington, D.C., where those values are not easily recognizable."

Admittedly, the president will spend some time relaxing. Monday morning, before the mercury rose over 100 degrees, Bush went for a 4-mile jog. He then got his daily intelligence briefings and spoke by phone to national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and chief of staff Andy Card. In the afternoon, Bush headed out into the wilting heat -- he loves it -- to work on a nature trail he is building in a canyon.

During his stay, Bush also plans to entertain visiting family and friends and will probably man the barbecue, grilling up his specialty: hamburgers.

"This is after they've stopped talking to him?" one reporter joked, referring to Bush's recent playful comment that he was looking forward to communing with the cows in Crawford.

"That's right," McClellan responded.

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Most say president's vacation is too long

USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll

Results of a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll looking at the job performance of President Bush and his amount of vacation time; the job performance of Congress and the debate on stem-cell research:

Presidential vacaction

Do you think 30 days is too long for President Bush to be away from the White House?

Yes: 55%

No: 42%

How many weeks of vacation should a president take each year?

Five weeks or more: 17%

Four weeks: 31%

Three weeks: 18%

Two weeks: 22%

One week or less: 5%

None: 3%

No opinion: 4%

Job rating

Do you approve of the job George W. Bush is doing as president?

Six months ago

Yes: 57%

No: 25%

Now

Yes: 55%

No: 35%

Do you approve of the way Congress is handling its job?

Six months ago

Yes: 53%

No: 32%

Now

Yes: 47%

No: 32%

Would the country be better off if Republicans or Democrats controlled Congress?

January

Democrats: 41%

Republicans: 39%

Now

Democrats: 43%

Republicans: 34%

Stem-cell debate

How closely have you followed the debate on stem-cell research?

Very closely: 18%

Somewhat closely: 37%

Not too closely: 22%

Not closely at all: 23%

Should the federal government fund stem-cell research?

Yes: 55%

No: 29%

No opinion: 13%

How important to you is stem-cell research?

Very important: 25%

Somewhat important: 37%

Not too important: 21%

Not at all important: 12%

No opinion: 5%

Source: USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll of 1, 017 adults Friday-Sunday. Margin of error: +/- 3 percentage points. (BAR GRAPHS and PIE CHARTS); PHOTO, B/W, Eric Draper, White House, via Agence France-Presse; On vacation: President Bush talks to senior staffers Monday at his ranch in Crawford, Texas.

 

Copyright 2001 Gannett Company, Inc.

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