JEFFERSON CITY - President George W. Bush’s approval ratings are at their lowest level in his five years in office, but you’d never know it by the rousing welcome he received here yesterday.

Don Shrubshell photo

A group of people, including from left, businessman Scott Atkins, Columbia banker Steve Erdel, farmer Jim McRoberts, U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof and Senators Jim Talent and Kit Bond wait yesterday to greet Bush at Columbia Regional Airport.  • Slide Show: President Bush visits Mid-Missouri

Billed as an educational program on Medicare, Bush’s stage performance had all the earmarks of a political rally as he played to a house packed with partisan supporters. Given that the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce made up the guest list, there was little opportunity for a discouraging word from the crowd.

"This is by and large a solidly conservative-oriented area," said Tony Feather, a Republican political consultant on hand for Bush’s appearance. "Naturally he’d be well-received here."

About 600 people packed the Miller Performing Arts Center about 2½ hours before ATT-Missouri President Cindy Brinkley introduced Bush to the enthusiastic crowd. He got a standing ovation, cheers and whistles, and one man waved a Texas-style ten-gallon hat.

The reception was in sharp contrast to a recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll that said Bush has hit new lows in public opinion on his handling of Iraq and his overall job performance. In the poll of 1,003 adults conducted earlier this month, just 36 percent of respondents approved of Bush’s job performance.

Cole County Treasurer Al Mueller was one of the few Democrats in the crowd. He gained entry because he’s an elected county official.

"He’s out on the road trying to prop up an administration that is not going well," Mueller said. "The Medicare program nobody can figure it out, and the cost of it is going to be thrown on our children."

State Republican Party Chairman Doug Russell, who got his ticket through the office of U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, R-Mo., said the president has a way of boosting his ratings while on the road.

"I think getting out and getting his message is a very positive step and is something that it seems every time the president is out like that, his poll numbers do come back up," said Russell, who also is a University of Missouri curator.

Although Bush seemed folksy and empathetic during yesterday’s appearance, the program was carefully scripted and rehearsed. Linda Detring, vice president for operations for Lutheran Senior Services, was one of six people who participated on the stage during the give-and-take with the president.

Detring said she had several meetings and telephone conversations with White House representatives about her role. After that, she said, there were two rehearsals, one the night before the event and the second yesterday morning.

"There was a White House representative there who pretended to be the president, and we told our story," Detring said.

But if the performance was scripted and if Bush was preaching to the choir, it didn’t take away from the credibility of the actors. In the end, most people were there just to see the president.

That was clear when the event ended and the crowed pressed forward. People tried to shake his hand or get his autograph.

One of them was Gary Hennigh of Columbia. He has been a member of the Boone County Republican Committee, and his wife, Donna, is the senior coordinator for U.S. Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo., a candidate for re-election this year.

"I think he did very well," Hennigh said of Bush. "He was very informal and is easy to empathize with. It’s easy to get a feeling for what he’s like."

As for Bush’s standing in the polls, Hennigh said Bush has had more to deal with than most presidents, perhaps as many problems as Franklin Roosevelt or Abraham Lincoln.

"It’s amazing the number of things he’s had to deal with in his presidency," Hennigh said. As for the polls, Hennigh said he isn’t terribly worried about them.