Bush tours border fortifications

BY JEFFREY GAUTREAUX, SUN STAFF WRITER
May 18, 2006

President George W. Bush took a firsthand look at the infrastructure of the U.S. Border Patrol's Yuma sector during a tour of the border west of San Luis, Ariz., Thursday — including a few laps in a sand rail.

Bush, U.S. Border Patrol Chief David Aguilar, Gov. Janet Napolitano and Yuma Sector Border Patrol Chief Ronald Colburn were only 200 yards from the primary and secondary fencing that separates San Luis, Son. from the U.S.

Speaking later, Napolitano said that Bush and the others discussed "everything" about the border. "What we have, what we need," she said. "He's very passionate about this issue."

Border Patrol vehicles of all kinds were parked nearby, but it was a sand rail, sometimes called a dune buggy, that Bush was strapped into as a passenger. The vehicle was taken around in a large circle, kicking up a cloud of dust.

As BORSTAR agent Rocky Kittle slowed the sand rail to a stop, reporters lobbed questions at the president, but he responded only by saying "It's good to see you all."