Prior to September 11, 2001, President Bush hated New York because of it's liberalism and policies.....
In his first six months in office, President Bush has visited 32 states, including four trips to Florida and one to South Dakota, which has fewer people than Staten Island. New York has been nowhere on the presidential map. Today, however, Mr. Bush will at last pay a visit. It will be a quick, low-risk exercise -- he will speak about immigration on Ellis Island and honor the late Cardinal John O'Connor at St. Patrick's Cathedral in a bid to woo particular voting blocs. Nobody expects him to dally.
Mr. Bush has been heard to say privately that he cannot stand New York, and if one goes strictly by the numbers, that should come as no surprise. New York preferred Al Gore by a 59-to-35-percent margin. It has five registered Democrats to every three Republicans, and its two Democratic senators are almost certain ''no'' votes on most Bush programs. New York City, which Mr. Bush visited only once during the campaign and whose mayor clearly preferred Senator John McCain's candidacy, is statistically even more hostile. Mr. Bush got 15 percent of the city vote, against Mr. Gore's 77 percent.
https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/10/opinion/welcome-to-new-york-mr-president.htmlAfter 9/11, could have Bush won NY?
