WASHINGTON INSIGHT

PRESIDENTIAL PREVIEW: President Bush’s trip to Dallas last Wednesday demonstrated just the sort of advantage an incumbent President seeking reelection has. Under federal election laws, presidential travel for openly political events--say, a speech at a fund-raiser--must be paid for by the political party or candidate who is the beneficiary. The costs of presidential travel for what are considered “presidential” events--a bill-signing and speech, for example--are paid by the government. So when Bush flew aboard Air Force One to Dallas to sign a $151-billion transportation bill and speak to a group of state highway officials, the costs were paid by the government, although the political aspects of the trip, during which he focused on the job-creating elements of the bill, were evident. The trip is likely to be a forerunner of his travel next year, when he can be expected to promote his formula for curing the nation’s economic ills.