Bush will campaign during visit here

By Gordon Y.K. Pang
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

President Bush will make a brief stop in Honolulu in late October, his first trip to Hawai'i since taking office in 2001.

Details of President Bush's Hawai'i visit were not disclosed. Associated Press library photo

Gov. Linda Lingle said she expects to spend some time with the president during the stopover. Lingle said she wants to talk to Bush about Hawai'i's role in international relations as "a bridge" between the United States and the Asia-Pacific region, as well as discuss the bill for Native Hawaiian recognition stalled in Congress.

The governor said Bush is expected to attend a fund-raiser for his campaign committee that evening.

Tracey Schmitt, a spokeswoman for the campaign, said from Washington, D.C., last night that the fund-raiser will be held at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Oct. 23, but could not provide other details of his visit.

Brennon Morioka, local chairman of the Hawai'i Republican Party, said he was told yesterday that Bush would be arriving on the morning of Oct. 23 and flying out of Honolulu that night.

A spokeswoman at the White House said the president's schedule typically is not announced more than a week in advance because of security reasons.

According to the White House Web site, Bush is scheduled to visit several Asian countries centered around his attendance at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit of world leaders Oct. 20-21 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The president is slated to visit the Philippines on Oct. 18, Singapore on Oct. 21-22, Indonesia on Oct. 22 and Australia on Oct. 22-23.

Bush has been holding a series of campaign-related events in the past month or so.

Reach Gordon Y.K. Pang at gpang@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.