Why was he here?

Three words: Southern Baptist Convention.

That'd be my guess, anyway. Demonstrating his leadership in cinching the Alito confirmation.
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If we heard mortar shells, we'd cuss more in our songs and cut down on guitar solos

Mr. Bush is demonstrating our addiction to foreign oil by his usual method - squandering it with his our Boeing SUV.  How many civilians does it take to use that much petroleum in a year?  What's worse, he's using our credit card.

Of course it never hurts to cuddle up with his friends at the Sudden Baptist Convention. 

nill illigitimi carborundum

Here's some choice coverage of the stop from the Tennessean:

Jerry Flowers of Brentwood, president of RealMarriage.org, learned of the event on Monday night — and after he got tickets, he helped friends get tickets.

"It was almost like a playoff game for the Titans," said Flowers, whose group supports a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. "There was a buzz. It was like, 'Hey, the president's coming in town. Can you get me in?' "

Of course, the Titans are maybe the only thing with a worse record this year than George W. Bush.

The Rev. William Owens, a Memphis preacher who is president of the Coalition of African-American Pastors, was also present. He liked the president's message of freedom for all people in the world.

Owens was bothered by the lack of minority representation in the crowd. He said he did a head count of about 800 people exiting the building and counted only 16 blacks.

He e-mailed Frist's office about the lack of diversity at the event and plans to e-mail the White House to state his concern.

"We have to work on it," said Owens, a Republican whose group has been involved in anti-gay-marriage amendment battles. "It is something we must address."

Hm. The prospects for Frist and Bush, working together to increase minority turnout at Republican love-ins? I'm sure they're going to scribble that in as their toppermost priority, Brother Owens.

Once word got out the president was coming to Music City, The Oak Ridge Boys' Joe Bonsall noted, "it's like the clarion call for all of country music."

Country music belongs to the Republicans. Sure. Right. Gotcha. Then again, I might be delusional myself after a solid decade of exclusive alternating tour dates between Branson and Gatlinburg too.

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If we heard mortar shells, we'd cuss more in our songs and cut down on guitar solos

"We have to work on it," said Owens, a Republican whose group has been involved in anti-gay-marriage amendment battles. "It is something we must address."

The hypocracy makes me sick.

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What was that? I can't hear you over all the flags flappin'. - David Cross

From USA Today:

Bush carried Tennessee both times he ran for president, beating Democrat John Kerry 57%-43% in 2004. However, polls and interviews before his speech show the area is not as hospitable as it once was.

A Middle Tennessee State University poll of state residents last November put Bush's job approval rating at 40%, lower than the nationwide 43% rating measured in a USA TODAY/CNN/Gallup Poll on Jan. 20-22.

"Tennessee is a boom state. A lot of people are coming in and bringing their political values with them," says Ken Blake, polling director at the university.

. . . as usual, but I just wanted to say it's great to have you back, SKB