With only two months until the 2004 presidential election, President George W. Bush visited Albuquerque Thursday in hopes of making New Mexico "Bush country" this November.
The president spoke to more than 11,000 of his supporters in an afternoon rally at the Albuquerque Convention Center, said Danny Diaz, regional spokesperson for the Bush-Cheney campaign.
John DeVaney and his seven-year-old son Hunter came from Edgewood, N.M., to see Bush and said they were proud to be Republicans.
UNM student Jessica Daniels also attended the rally armed with a "Viva Bush" sign.
"I wanted to show my support and to show that college students do care," Daniels said. "A lot of students at UNM are Democrats, but there are Republicans out there."
Daniels, who is from Texas, said she was looking forward to getting to see her former governor.
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Before Bush took the floor, other New Mexican politicians expressed their support for the commander in chief.
Darren White, Bernalillo county sheriff and former member of the 82nd Airborne Division, said he understood America's need for a strong national defense, and that Bush felt the same way.
"We can sit back and wait for the terrorists to plan an attack on us," White said. "Or we can bring the fight to the terrorists. America needs a president who means what he says and says what he means. And if you don't believe it, just ask Saddam Hussein."
Republican Congresswoman Heather Wilson also put in a few words and said she was "sick of politicians with big egos and even bigger entourages."
The country duo Brooks and Dunn showed their support at the rally with a concert that surprised many in attendance. The group proceeded to entertain the crowd with some of its most popular songs.
The president and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani walked to the podium as the crowd was transformed into a sea of red, white and blue campaign signs waving in the air.
After an introduction by Giuliani, Bush gave the crowd what they wanted to hear - a speech on why he should have four more years.
"I am here asking for your vote, and I am here asking for your help," Bush said.
"In four more years, America will be a safer, stronger and better country. The only reason to look back is to see who should lead us forward."
Bush spoke about education, health care, taxes and the war on terrorism.
Bush also responded to allegations made by opponent John Kerry about taxes and the lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.
"Even though we didn't find what we thought we would, Saddam Hussein had the ability to make them, and he could have passed them on to terrorists," Bush said. "That was not a chance I was not willing to take."
Outside the convention center, protesters and Kerry supporters lined the streets.
Ben Nathanson of America Coming Together was one of them.
"What is funny is that the working man is out here showing support, but Bush doesn't care anything about the working man," Nathanson said.
Nathanson, who is leaving for the Peace Corps in January, said Bush in office has been an "atrocity" for the American public.
"No one in the world loves (America) anymore," he said. "We used to be the country that all the other countries wanted to be."
Election Candidates Cross New Mexico
President George W. Bush and Democratic candidate John Edwards made stops near Las Cruces on Thursday.
The president's visit to the Albuquerque Convention Center was his third stop in New Mexico after an earlier visit to Farmington.
John Edwards delivered a 25-minute speech at the Mesilla Plaza and spoke on America's division between the rich and poor.
Independent Ralph Nader is scheduled to be at the Albuquerque Sunport at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. He will also be at the SUB that night. Doors open at 7 p.m.
