President Calls for 1,001 ‘Points of Shade’ : Politics: Bush plants a tree on the California Lutheran University campus. About 1,400 students and visitors hear him praise Republican candidates.

President George Bush looked out over clusters of trees on the California Lutheran University campus in Thousand Oaks on Saturday and called for the creation of “a thousand points of shade.” More precisely, he added, “It’s going to be 1,001.”

Bush’s comments came as he planted another oak tree on the campus in a visit designed to highlight his environmental programs and give Republican gubernatorial candidate Pete Wilson a last-minute boost before Tuesday’s election.

Caught up in the excitement of the presidential visit, dozens of students camped in front of the gymnasium Friday night so they could claim spots in the front row of the rally for Wilson and other Republicans running for statewide office.

About 900 students and visitors were allowed into the gymnasium, and more than 500 were directed to an adjacent stadium to listen to Bush’s remarks over loudspeakers.

“We froze last night, but the President is worth it,” said Jon Duncan, 25, a senior at the university.

Catrina Wagner, another student camper, agreed. “We are in the front row, aren’t we? This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”

Not everyone had to wait for a place in the front row. Wilson’s gubernatorial campaign, a co-sponsor of the event, brought in busloads of supporters from a variety of ethnic groups, said Liucija Mazekeika, chairwoman of California Republican Heritage Groups Council in Glendale.

Waving signs such as “Germans for Wilson,” “Bulgarians for Wilson” and “American Hungarians for Wilson,” many supporters came dressed in colorful costumes of their native countries.

“We wanted to come here because Wilson has supported the issue of redress,” said kimono-clad Beth Fujishige, president of Japanese-American Republicans based in Orange County.

Wilson told the audience that the ethnic diversity of supporters had impressed the President. Wilson said Californians are proud of their mixed heritage and cultural variety. “Where else can you order a kosher burrito with a side order of sushi?” he asked.

Many of the Eastern Europeans came out of gratitude for the changes that have taken place in the Eastern bloc. “He has helped the Hungarian people very much,” said Elizabeth Pusztai, one of several Hungarian-Americans at the rally.

Others showed up in the hope that more can be done. “I shook his hand as he got off the stage and told him not to forget about Lithuania,” said Viltis Jatulis, a Lithuanian-American.

For others, it was enough to get close to the leader of the United States. “I’m here so I can tell my grandkids that I saw the President,” said Dune Ives, 19, a sophomore at California Lutheran University. “I don’t really like him,” she said.

“I got three inches from shaking his hand,” said David Block, 13, of Thousand Oaks. “And he waved at Rebecca, our 20-month-old,” said Jeffrey Block, David’s father, beaming. “He must have remembered us from last night. We were waiting for him outside the Hyatt Westlake Plaza.”

The magic of the presidency also seemed to rub off on Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley), who beamed when Bush praised him and Rep. Robert J. Lagomarsino (R-Ventura) for their help in Congress.

“I’m delighted to be in Elton’s district,” Bush told the crowd. “We need him back in Congress, and we need plenty more like him. And that goes for Bob Lagomarsino in the next district too.”

Initially, Lagomarsino said he was hesitant to go to the rally after twice voting against the President’s proposed budget agreement with Democratic leaders. “If he were here to talk about the budget, I probably wouldn’t go so as not to embarrass either one of us,” Lagomarsino said. “But the purpose is to support Pete Wilson for governor.”

Outside the gymnasium, one of Lagomarsino’s opponents protested U.S. military intervention in the Middle East. Mindy Lorenz, the nation’s first congressional candidate for the fledgling Green Party, said her party wants U.S. troops to leave the troubled region to United Nations peacekeeping forces.

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Department estimated that the event drew 150 protesters, supporting causes ranging from abortion rights to Proposition 128, the so-called Big Green initiative.

The only arrest came when fourth-grade teacher Donna Schoenkopf of Thousand Oaks refused to obey a deputy who asked her to move away from the corner of Olsen Road and Campus Drive.

Schoenkopf, carrying a “Honk for Peace” sign, was held for an hour on a police bus before being released. During the arrest, she said, deputies dislocated her shoulder.

“I’m not accusing them of police brutality,” she said. “I’m accusing them of gross ignorance of constitutional rights. We were on public property, and we have certain inalienable rights, such as freedom of assembly and freedom of speech.”

With the exception of the arrest, Saturday’s events came off without a hitch. Wilson campaign officials and the White House carefully scripted every move, right down to the particular corner of Kingsmen Park where Bush would shovel dirt for the ceremonial tree planting.

“We’ve got enough trees here,” said Gordon Randolph Jr., director of facilities on campus. “We are going to move it over to the library where more people can see it.”

Dennis Gillette, a university vice president in charge of the event, said he was relieved that the day had gone smoothly, but was unaware of his groundskeeper’s plans to relocate the oak tree.

“I’ll see about that,” he said. “That tree is staying put right where it is.”