At the Finish Line

Amid all the hope and hoopla of the final day of President Bush’s reelection campaign, there was a distinct note of wistfulness, of something coming to an end.

For the president, it was the poignant knowledge that no matter which way the vote came out, this could be his last day as a presidential candidate.

Comparing the campaign to a marathon, Bush declared, “the finish line is in sight.”

“I just want to assure you I’ve got the energy, the optimism and the enthusiasm to cross the line,” he told reporters on the tarmac in Pittsburgh as he headed for the second of what would be seven political rallies in six states -- five swing states and his home state of Texas.

Aboard Air Force One, the campaign’s approaching end allowed the president and his top aides to begin to relax and indulge in a little fun -- in part to keep from thinking too much about what’s at stake on election day. In the morning, Bush started up a game of gin rummy that grew into a full-fledged tournament by afternoon.

“Everyone is ribbing and joking, trash-talking about the gin tournament,” said White House communications director Dan Bartlett. “I think people are trying to keep themselves distracted.”

For Bush’s supporters -- especially those in the battleground states that for months have been awash in fliers, yard signs, bumper stickers and TV ads -- there was a sense that even as enthusiasm was reaching its climax, it was necessary to prepare mentally, at least a little bit, for the possibility of disappointment.

Suzette Lynch, a devout Catholic from Mequon, Wis., who described herself as a stay-at-home mom, said it might take a little while for her to make her peace with a Kerry victory, but she would do it.

“I guess you continue to pray for the man and hope that he finds his rudder and learns how to do the right thing,” she said, occasionally adjusting her “cheesehead” gear -- a Texas-style 10-gallon hat made from yellow foam, emblazoned with a “Bush-Cheney ‘04” sticker.

In venues such as airport hangars and soccer stadiums, against backdrops including a fake-plywood barn at the Iowa state fairgrounds and fireworks over the high desert outside Albuquerque, Bush pressed his case for four more years as president.

Cold and rainy weather followed the president throughout the day. In Albuquerque, the audience donned ski parkas and huddled under blankets for hours in 40-degree temperatures until the president arrived.

“The American president must lead with clarity and purpose,” he said.

Bush opened the last day of his campaign in Wilmington, Ohio, putting the full grandeur of the presidency on display by landing his Marine One helicopter in front of the open door of the airport hangar where several thousand supporters huddled in the predawn chill.

Joe and Liberty Herald, too far back in the crowd to have a direct view, watched the landing on a large-screen TV and cuddled their children in the cold as music from “Top Gun” blared.

The couple from Jamestown, Ohio -- a place they described as “so small it doesn’t almost exist” -- had roused Philip, 3, and Blair, 4, at 4:30 a.m. and endured a miles-long traffic jam to attend the event, their first time to see the president.

Joe Herald said he was pro-Bush, but he said he could adjust to a Kerry victory.

“America’s going to keep going,” he said. “If it don’t go our way, it won’t be the end of the world.”

But in Albuquerque, Betty Davidson, 74, was less sanguine.

“I think he’s going to win. I don’t think it’s going to be as close as everyone is saying,” she said, bouncing a Bush-Cheney sign on her knees for warmth as her husband, Dale, huddled under a pink bedspread. But if Kerry wins? “I might move to Mexico.”