Bush visit inspires crew to complete renovations

Work on Mark and Margie Hauser's house had begun a year and a half ago.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- A suburban Cincinnati couple found a way to speed up their home renovations. They told workers the president was coming.
A construction crew had been at Mark and Margie Hauser's house in Indian Hill for a year and a half, building an addition and renovating.
The job still hadn't been finished as final preparations were being made for a political fund-raiser featuring President Bush at the couple's home Thursday. About 150 people are expected in an event for Republican Sen. Mike DeWine's re-election campaign.
'Lit the fire'
Needing the renovations finished, the couple told workers about the president's upcoming visit.
"We lit the fire," said Margie Hauser, 43, a composer and lyricist.
The contractor finished replacing the black-and-white tiles in the foyer, landscaping and other small chores late last week.
"This is a great way to get the contractor to finish the job," said Mark Hauser, 45, the chief executive of his Cincinnati insurance company, the Hauser Group.
The Hausers' six-bedroom home sits on three acres with trees, a sports court and swimming pool in the back, and two glass-enclosed wine cellars that hold 4,000 bottles.
This is the first fund-raiser hosted by the couple, who contributed $28,320 to the Republican Party in 2003 and 2004, including $2,000 to the Bush campaign, according to Federal Election Commission records.
They met Bush while attending two earlier fund-raisers in Cincinnati.
Mark Hauser won't say who chose the couple as hosts. He is a friend and business associate of Mercer Reynolds, a longtime Bush ally in charge of raising $270 million for the president's re-election in 2004.