Enthusiastic delegates hope to register more GOP voters

Suzanne Struglinski

Friday, Sept. 3, 2004 | 9:29 a.m.

NEW YORK -- President Bush laid out his specific plan for a "more hopeful America" as he accepted his party's nomination at the 2004 Republican National Convention Thursday.

Nevada's delegation will take his words back to the state and make a push to recruit voters and help Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney win the state.

"I will go home and tell (people) more about how wonderful he was," said delegate Toni Valdez of Henderson. "We'll be more enthusiastic."

State Republican Party Chairwoman Earlene Forsythe said the delegates plan to split up topics from the party's platform and the president's speech and talk to groups about Bush's vision.

"You're motivating the base," Forsythe said. "The people here are so dedicated to the philosophy they want to recruit others to get behind them. They are the cheerleaders."

Forsythe said the Republicans need to improve their get-out-the-vote efforts going to place to get people to register Republican.

"You have to go fishing where the fish are," Forsythe said, but added that she would not turn anyone away from registering if he or she did not register with the party.

The message Thursday and throughout the convention was Bush's ability to keep promises and follow through on his agenda.

"He said he'd do it, and he did," New York Gov. George Pataki repeated during his address before the president's speech. "George W. Bush says what he means and means what he says. You can trust him."

"This fall, we are going to win one for the Gipper, but our opponents, they are going to lose one with the flipper," Pataki said, paying respect to the late former President Ronald Reagan and the Bush campaign's criticism of Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry as a "flip-flopper."

Bush said he would restrain federal spending, make the tax relief permanent, simplify the tax code, increase funding for community colleges, pass medical liability reform, make the country less dependent on foreign sources of energy and a host of other goals focusing on fighting the war on terrorism.

"I am running for president with a clear and positive plan to build a safer world, and a more hopeful America," Bush said from the center of Madison Square Garden. "I am running with a compassionate conservative philosophy: that government should help people improve their lives, not try to run their lives. I believe this nation wants steady, consistent, principled leadership -- and that is why, with your help, we will win this election."

Las Vegas delegate Ulli Miyashiro said the president expressed her thoughts perfectly and the speech will help people who have not decided for whom to vote yet.

"I honestly do believe this is a critical juncture in our nation's history," Miyashiro said. "I can't think of anything I like about (John Kerry)."

For Nevadans, Miyashiro said the promise of fixing medical liability and affordable health care are important.

Attorney General Brian Sandoval, who watched the speech from the convention floor, said the speech was "incredibly refreshing" since it was so specific and medical malpractice reform could help the OB/GYN crisis in the state. Sandoval was named an escort to the president but learned Thursday this was a symbolic recognition so he did not actually walk with Bush on stage.

"Nevadans deserved straight talk and they got it tonight," Sandoval said. "He has courage and conviction and a plan but he knows people are going to disagree with him."

Sandoval said the speech did not mention anything on the Yucca Mountain project or nuclear energy but Bush knows he does not see eye-to-eye with him on that.

During the speech, Nevada sat just behind Texas, where Bush formerly served as governor, an indication of its importance in the election. Nevada's delegation received some special attention during the week, with key Republican National Committee and Bush campaign officials coming to encourage them to use what they have learned at this convention in their efforts within the state.

"We have a saying that 'What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas,' but what happens in New York can't say in New York," said state Treasurer Brian Krolicki at the delegation's breakfast Thursday with the Wyoming delegation.