Big Bush question: Why did he come?

There's so many aspects of President Bush's visit to Youngstown that leave me wondering, "Why in the world did he come here?"
Why would a Republican president come to one of the most Democratic cities in Ohio when GOP officials freely admit they'd be ecstatic if Bush got 40 percent of the vote in Mahoning and Trumbull counties? I somehow doubt the visit will make a difference in the November general election.
If he's trying to woo Youngstown Mayor George M. McKelvey, a Democrat who praises the president, why wouldn't he let the mayor ride with him on Air Force One back to the White House? After all, McKelvey had dinner with the president the day after Bush's visit to Youngstown.
Why would Bush choose Youngstown to showcase his community health-care center initiative, which is not a new program? Certainly the work done by Ohio North East Health Systems Inc. is admirable and seems to be working. Bush praised it as a national model of success. But McKelvey said he barely knew anything about the agency before the event.
Why would Bush spend only two hours in the Mahoning Valley, much of it in a motorcade, to hold an obviously staged event in front of a controlled and heavily partisan crowd of about 200 people? And why do it without announcing any new initiatives? The pessimist would say he has no new initiatives, and this was the easiest way for him to speak to most of the Valley's Republicans at the same time.
The visit was an official presidential trip and not a campaign stop, so the money for the trip came out of the pockets of taxpayers, most whom weren't invited. Those in attendance chanted, "Four more years," as Bush left the area. So much for the noncampaign stop.
Why would he come to the Ohio city with the highest unemployment rate in the state and not talk about economic or job development? That same pessimist would say Bush's economic plan during his first time has done little to help the Valley, so it was best for him to avoid the issue.
Why would he fly in and out of the Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna and not say a word about the facility? There are many people in the Valley concerned about the station's future because federal government is looking to close about one-quarter of American military bases. A nice word from Bush may have eased some concerns.
So what was the motive for Bush's visit? Honestly, I don't know. Bush portrayed Youngstown in a positive light, something we're not used to, but his visit was barely a blip on the national media radar screen.
Bush's visit did include several amusing moments.
While several members of the local media waited outside for Air Force One to land -- some of them had to be at the air base about four hours before the plane arrived for "security clearance" -- it began to rain heavily along with thunder and lightning.
There was no shelter because we were in an open air space, so we ran underneath a platform built to film Bush getting off the plane. When we got under the platform, which had wooden planks on top, we realized that it was completely metallic except for the planks.
It certainly wasn't the safest place to be in an electrical storm, and it only got worse. The platform leaked, and the accumulated rain flowed toward us. Thankfully, it stopped after 20 minutes, and before Air Force One landed.
A photographer covering the event for Time magazine captured this image of us squatting under the platform.
I did learn that membership has its privileges. I was the local newspaper press pool reporter. That means I got close to Air Force One when it landed and rode in the motorcade during Bush's visit. I even got a special "PL" badge for pool local, while every other reporter got "L" badge for local. As pool local, I was to share information with the other print reporters about what happened at the airport and on the way to the event site. I didn't have much to say except to relate the rain story.
The "L" might as well have stood for loser or lip-reader. I was in the motorcade and given a choice seat at Bush's speech. The other print reporters were told to sit behind a backdrop near two television sets. They were allowed to watch the speech on the TVs, but unfortunately, the sound wasn't on so they had to sneak peeks to hear what Bush had to say.
Also, when the president departed, I had to return my paper "PL" badge to a Bush staffer. What they thought I was going to do with it I'll never know. I guess they needed their stinkin' badges.