Barbara and Jenna Bush, the president’s 22-year-old twin daughters, arrived like rock ’n’ roll stars at a Republican convention party Sunday, complete with red carpet, cameras and paparazzi shouting for a smile.
The young women, both dressed fashionably in jeans and heels, grinned and waved at hundreds of reporters and gawkers outside the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan, site of the convention’s first big celebrity bash.
They said nothing and disappeared inside accompanied by about a dozen well-dressed friends.
Inside, the guest list included actress Angie Harmon, formerly of NBC’s “Law and Order,” and her husband, the NFL’s Jason Sehorn.
Also inside was W.W.E. wrestler Chris Nowinski, who said that if he had the chance, he would tell the president’s daughters there are better ways they could use their position if they really want to encourage young people to vote.
The twins have only recently begun to publicly campaign for their father and have focused some efforts on youth voter turnout.
“I would tell them ’when are they going to start using their own voices and really telling young people what they think.’ Telling people, ’Vote for my dad, he’s a good guy, isn’t telling us anything we didn’t already know,”’ he said.
No formal speeches
The Bush daughters planned five days of parties and minor campaign appearances during the convention. They are not scheduled to make formal speeches from the floor of the nominating hall, as did the daughters of Democratic nominee John Kerry. They will be on the floor Wednesday, however, to introduce White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card at an event for young Republicans.
Jenna and Barbara Bush will also join their mother and other relatives at daytime events Monday and Tuesday but are not scheduled to speak.
They will be in the hall for first lady Laura Bush’s prime-time speech on Tuesday, and for their father’s acceptance speech Thursday. After the balloons drop that night, the twins head for a glitzy cocktail bash with Emma Bloomberg, daughter of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, and Emily Pataki, daughter of New York Gov. George Pataki.
The convention will provide the public’s longest look at the twins since their father became president. Aside from embarrassing revelations about underage drinking, the women remained largely out of sight during their college years. They rarely traveled with their parents and sometimes hid from news photographers.
Since graduating from Yale (Barbara) and the University of Texas (Jenna) this year, the women have made several campaign appearances with their father. They are also helping with Republican get-out-the-vote efforts.
Their more public, and grown-up, role has not dampened the women’s high spirits. Jenna was photographed sticking her tongue out at the media during a campaign stop in Missouri, and gossip pages in New York and Washington have chronicled late-night antics including a ribald table dance (Barbara) and a lengthy public makeout session (Jenna.)