Protests planned for Cheney's visit

Vice President Dick Cheney was scheduled to visit Whitefish on Wednesday in a fund-raising effort for embattled Montana Sen. Conrad Burns, who is running neck-and-neck with Democratic challenger Jon Tester in recent election polls and fund-raising efforts.

Cheney was scheduled to arrive at Glacier International Airport at 11:55 a.m. and then travel by motorcade to a fund-raising luncheon at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake for Burns at 1:30 p.m. Cheney was scheduled to leave the Flathead around 2:25 p.m. for Boise, Idaho, where he had another fund-raising speech scheduled for Congressional candidate Bill Sali.

Ticket prices for the Whitefish event were $250 per person to attend a lunch reception with Cheney, $2,100 for the luncheon and a photo opportunity with the Vice President, and $5,000 to also go flyfishing with Burns.

A group of residents in Whitefish planned a protest to coincide with Cheney's visit. Spokespeople for the group said they planned to leave Depot Park at 11:30 a.m. and march to Mountain Trails Saddle Club Park on Wisconsin Avenue, arriving at noon.

The group intended to protest a wide range of issues, from American foreign policy in the Middle East to the current administration's stance on global warming.

Lyn Hendrix, 67, is planning to attend her first protest and is one of several women who say .

"I'd like to see them stop serving the interests of big business to the detriment of the middle class," Hendrix said.

Fund-raising for the election is in high gear.

First Lady Laura Bush and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tennessee, are also expected to stump for Burns in Montana during fund-raising events in August, and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, is scheduled to attend a fund-raiser for Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake on Aug. 23.