BUSH IN HIGH GEAR

摘要

It was a gathering of eagles, but they were eating like good ole boys. On Monday night last week, after George W. Bush had given his first real campaign speech of the season to Republican Governors, he invited five of them back to the White House for dinner and a chance to spend the night in the presidential mansion. Over a batter-dipped feast in his private dining room that would have given Dick Cheney's cardiologist the bends-fried shrimp, fried onion rings, corn on the cob, French fries, cole slaw and cheesecake-Bush was jovial, confident. He told the group-George Pataki of New York, Dirk Kempthorne of Idaho, Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, Jim Douglas of Vermont and his Floridian brother Jeb-that the presidential race would be close but that he would win. Bush's legendary self-confidence was on full display. "You guys have the best job in government." He smiled, leaning back. "Actually, you have the second best job in government."