Solicitation seeks prayer, $1,000 plus shipping cost

By David Postman
Seattle Times chief political reporter

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A frequent theme in fund-raising letters from the College Republican National Committee is the group's claim to close connections to President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other top Republicans.

One letter this summer suggested that, for a $1,000 donation, an American flag pin prayed over by the donor would be given to Bush to wear the night he spoke to the Republican National Convention in New York City.

The letter was personalized and came in a package that included a small flag lapel pin. It came from "Republican Headquarters 2004," one of several projects of the CRNC that solicited funds on behalf of the group.

The donor was instructed to recite an enclosed "prayer of protection" over the pin and send it back with a $1,000 donation and an extra $10 to cover shipping costs.

The letter said:

"I want to have your lapel pin back at Republican headquarters within the next ten days.

"I want to prepare it for presentation to president Bush at the Republican National Convention.

"I want president Bush to be wearing this special American flag on his lapel when he addresses the Republican National Convention."

As he frequently does in public appearances, President Bush wore an American flag pin on his lapel the night he accepted his nomination in a nationally televised speech from the convention in Madison Square Garden.

Spokesmen for the White House and the re-election campaign said they could not comment on whether any pin was given to Bush by College Republicans.
 
"They are an independent organization and we don't control their activities," said Brian Jones, a Bush campaign spokesman.

The College Republican National Committee does have permission to use the logo of the Republican National Committee on its fund-raising letters, Jones said. The group appears to use the red, white and blue elephant only on solicitations directly naming the college group, and not the various "projects" referred to in most of the fund-raising letters.

David Postman: 360-943-9882 or dpostman@seattletimes.com