POLITICS: Bush to "Start Your Engines" with NASCAR

NASCAR's season-opening race, the Daytona 500, which will broadcast on NBC on February 15, will have a special guest involved in the opening ceremony this year, President Bush.

USAToday.com

The Texas native hosted the top NASCAR drivers this December at the White House quipping "I see a lot of the 'Bubbas' who work on my administration showed up... I wonder why."

The Daytona 500 drew a record 35 million viewers on NBC's last broadcast in 2002. It is expected to offer Bush the largest TV audience since the State of the Union address, in the all important campaign to replace the support of war weary "soccer moms" with more resilient "NASCAR dads."

Perhaps a more strategic Bush will appear this Sunday avoiding the labeling of his voter base "Bubbas." Perhaps not.

Related ATSNN Links:
Public's Trust in Bush Dips to New Low

[Edited on 13-2-2004 by RANT]

I remember when Clinton was invited to Charlotte at the race, and made an election speech from the booth to the crowd,....he was about blasted out of there with massive Booo's.

Even more than Jeff Gordon normally receives during driver introductions.

[Edited on 13-2-2004 by smirkley]

Reagen and Bush 41 were both warmly received by NASCAR fans. Clinton (the one the CALL Bubba) was not.

I think there's an indentity crisis. I still can't believe Bush called NASCAR fans "Bubbas." Actually, I can.

[Edited on 13-2-2004 by RANT]