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Local social studies teacher to attend Republican National Convention
Thursday, August 28, 2008 12:13 AM EDT
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| Millie Bush of Bracken County will be attending the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis, Minn., next week. She is a social studies teacher at St. Augustine School in Augusta. -- Terry Prather/Staff |
On Monday, in a way, her quest to represent her state in a national forum will be granted.
“It is such an honor to be asked to do it,” Bush said.
On Sunday, Bush and her husband, Earl will be leaving Bracken County for a trip to St. Paul, Minn., where she will be representing Kentucky as a delegate to the Republican National Convention.
“It came as a surprise to be selected,” Bush said.
Bush, no relation to the George W. Bush family, found the process of becoming a delegate an educational experience. She had never been a delegate before, she said.
“Kevin Sell, the Fourth District chairman, asked me if I would like to be a delegate,” she said. “There are a certain number from each congressional district.”
From there Bush sent a letter and application to the Kentucky Republican Party chairman to explain why she wanted to be a delegate.
“Then you wait,” she said.
According to Andi Johnson, Kentucky G.O.P. spokesperson, there were 45 delegates chosen from across the state.
Raised in a predominantly Democratic Party family, Bush joined the Republican Party about 10 years ago.
‘I was always interested in history and politics,” said Bush, who retired from teaching at Augusta Independent School only to take a position teaching language arts and social studies at St. Augustine School in Augusta.
Time changed the face of politics in the Democratic Party and Bush found herself taking another path.
“As time went by I discovered we were not a fit anymore,” she said. "The Republican Party was taking a direction I wanted to go.”
After years of putting political aspirations on a back burner, being selected as a delegate was kismet, Bush said.
“I think maybe I have found the direction I was meant to take all along,” she said. “I would like to bring more people into the process. The process is actually made up of real people. It is real people who make it work.”
Being a Republican in a Democratic majority county can be frustrating and Bush has seen her share of Republicans change party affiliations for the sake of making their vote appear to count more.
“There is a misconception of, ‘I can’t get elected if I don’t register as a Democrat,.’” Bush said. “I would like to change that perception of politics. In reality, there are probably a lot of Republicans who are registered Democrats.”
As for a choice of vice president for John McCain, Bush has no preference.
“I have a lot of confidence in his thought process … I am excited to see who he chooses on Friday. He knows the direction he wants to go and what’s best,” Bush said.
Bush, a conservative person in her daily life, is being encouraged to enjoy the experience by her family. But no elephant hats or celebratory costumes are planned.
“I don’t have any outrageous plans, just coordinate what I will wear,” she said.
She does hope the media giants will occasionally feature the Kentucky delegation.
“We may be small but, as in November, every vote counts,” she said.
Jokes about Bush’s name roll off her back, she said.
“For those too young to remember, former President George Bush had a dog named Millie in the White House,” laughed Bush. The same name as the presidential pooch provided a bit of humor for Bush and a fellow Republican. During a book signing in Cincinnati, Bush hoped for an autograph from former Vice President Dan Quayle.
“He was signing everyone’s book; each of us in line had filled out a card with our name on it so he could keep on signing, but when he got to mine he stopped and looked up,” Bush said.
"You have to be kidding." he said. Of course I wasn’t kidding, but he got a laugh out of it.”
In another incident, Bush’s students waited for her to realize a newspaper clipping had been added to the bulletin board.
“It said ‘Millie Bush has nine puppies.’ We all got a laugh from that,” she said.
For more on the GOP convention go to http://www.gopconvention.com.
To contact Wendy Mitchell call 606-564-9091, ext. 276 or e-mail wendy.mitchell@lee.net.
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