DETROIT – Speculation that President Bush may attend the annual Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce meeting on Mackinac Island surfaced Tuesday. But the best that can be said at this point is that the president has not declined the invitation to speak at the conference that brings together the state’s top politicians and business leaders.
An official with the Detroit Chamber said that if Bush does decide to attend the White House and Bush/Cheney campaign will give the organization and Island officials two weeks notice to prepare. So far, the chamber has gotten three letters from the campaign, and not one of them has declined the invitation. The conference is scheduled for June 3-6.
Bush, as candidate for president, was scheduled to come to Mackinac Island for the 1999 Republican leadership meeting, but had to cancel following a major shooting incident in Texas.
Also invited to speak at the event is the presumptive Democratic candidate for president, Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry, who also has not declined the invitation, but Chamber officials were less certain that he might come.
The top speaker who so far has confirmed that he will attend the conference is U.S. Education Secretary Rodney Paige.
The conference always shoots for the top speakers it can draw, and so routinely invites the president to attend.
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