by Bradley Parsons and J. Brooks Terry
Staff Writers
President George Bush’s visit to Florida Community College at Jacksonville’s South Campus was billed as a town hall meeting Friday, but a pep rally broke out instead.
A crowd of about 1,500 clapped their hands to a John Phillips Sousa medley prior to Bush’s arrival. Bush entered the gymnasium to a standing ovation and, for most of the hour-long roundtable discussion, the President seemed equal parts chief executive and late-night talk show host, keeping the crowd laughing with well-timed one liners.
The audience was, to say the least, friendly — almost every Republican of note was on the invitation list.