By:Nick Buglione
The fund-raiser, which figures to be the largest presidential event in Nassau County since a 1972 rally for President Richard Nixon at Nassau Coliseum, has a $2,000-a-head buy-in and should attract an elite corps of Long Island Republicans. "The president has lots of friends out there who are willing to show their support for him," said Kevin Madden, a campaign spokesman.
Although Democrats have seized control of the county in the past several years, taking both the county executive's seat and the majority in the Legislature, it's no secret that Nassau is still home to some very influential -- not to mention wealthy -- Republicans.
"We're very excited; it's great to have the president coming down here," said Hempstead Town Councilman Anthony Santino (R-East Rockaway), spokesman for the Nassau County Republican Party.
Though Santino had no idea how much the Bush campaign was planning on pulling in, he said, "We just hope it's as much as possible." A published report indicated that the fund-raiser could generate about $1 million for the president's re-election bid.
News of the president's trip to East Meadow has local elected officials and Republicans buzzing. "I'm so happy that he's coming here," said Nassau County Legislator Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow), who added that the price tag is a little too rich for her blood. "I would have liked to have the opportunity to meet him and shake his hand."
Former Nassau County Republican committeeman and East Meadow businessman Richard Bivone said he plans on being there. "It's a good thing to have the president here," Bivone said, noting that he met Bush's father at a Hofstra University event during the elder Bush's presidency.
Anthony Capetola, owner of the Carltun, in Eisenhower Park, declined to comment on the event, stating that he has not been authorized to discuss the preparations. He did say, however, that his staff is up to the task. "We're always ready; we're like the Marines," Capetola said.
Others eagerly await the Bush fete as well, though for far different reasons. Angry over what they believe was an unjust war in Iraq and fueled by the military's inability to locate weapons of mass destruction there, anti-Bush protesters are likely to rally outside the fund-raiser.
"We're thinking about it, but we don't have any firm plans as of this moment," said Megan O'Handley, director of the Long Island Alliance for Peaceful Alternatives. Founded in 1985, the alliance is a coalition of peace and justice groups that offers educational programs on peace and national-security issues. The alliance has been a vocal opponent of the war in Iraq, protesting numerous times in the months leading up to the conflict last year.
Any demonstration should be well attended, considering that Bush will appear at the fund-raiser, O'Handley said. The day before the event, the group plans to protest at former Secretary of State James Baker's lecture on pre-emptive war at Molloy College in Rockville Centre.
Although this will be Bush's first fund-raiser in Nassau County, he did make an appearance at MacArthur Airport during the 2000 presidential campaign.
