Also joining Gov. George W. Bush on stage with his sister and two brothers was — guess who?

Salisbury’s native daughter and one-time presidential candidate herself, Elizabeth “Liddy” Dole. Dole withdrew from the race because of the size of her competitors’ pocketbooks but shortly thereafter endorsed Bush.

An Associated Press account of a big politics-and-country music rally listed her among those on stage but didn’t indicate whether or not Dole said anything on Bush’s behalf.

Another Associated Press story out of Grand Rapids, Mich., reported that on Thursday Dole told students and teachers at an urban elementary school that her former rival has the character and experience to help Michigan families.

“You look at his family and how devoted he is,” she said, citing his promises to cut taxes and improve education by allowing more decisions to be made at the local level.

“He’s going to be thinking of every way he can help families.”

But every word wasn’t about Bush.