Not really. There’s no need. This is a whistle-stop to reach a tricky demographic group in a battleground state.

Just for fun, though, let’s say last-minute security considerations shelved Mrs. Bush’s next scheduled stop in Manchester, N.H., and she decided to spend the afternoon in Lewiston.

What would you show off?

The answer’s definitely not what it might have been four years ago. Perhaps then the first question was what you would hide.

Now, the biggest dilemma is where to start.

“It would be quite a walk, that’s for sure,” said Rachel Morin, an Auburn resident and publicist for Community Little Theater.

Walk is the operative word. Anyone who’s tried to steer their vehicle through Lewiston lately must assume the entire city is under construction.

Before, after views

Forget the inconvenience for a second. Stop and smell the progress.

Mrs. Bush is appearing at the Franco-American Heritage Center, so she’s already covered a centerpiece of Richard Willing’s hypothetical tour.

From there, he’d flaunt Lewiston’s Public Theatre on Maple Street. No surprise. Willing is the executive director of L/A Arts, after all.

His tour wouldn’t be much of a workout. Willing would lead Laura out through the theater doors to the nearby mighty brick buildings of Lewiston’s Southern Gateway, where lower Lisbon Street becomes a one-way street.

“Just because of the amazing things that have happened there,” Willing said.

Bush would witness the growth of old business (VIP Discount Auto Center), the arrival of new business (Oxford Networks) and the community’s investment in its future (Andover College).

Willing said that he’d have to supply before-and-after photographs. Four years ago, when George W. Bush first ran for president, the corner was cluttered with abandoned buildings.

Reusing the mill

Over several generations, Jimmy Simones’ family has watched Lewiston tumble from its status as a bustling mill town into economic depression.

The Chestnut Street restaurateur is thrilled with his hometown’s resurgence and said he’d steer the first lady toward one of the catalysts. And, like Morin, he’d include Auburn.

“I’d start out with the community colleges,” said Simones. “I’d show her Lewiston-Auburn College and then move on to Andover College and Central Maine Community College.”

Simones’ Hot Dog Stand is within walking distance of the gateway, so that would be a staple of his tour, also.

Then Simones would introduce Bush to friends at Peoples Heritage Bank, LiveBridge, Davinci’s Eatery and other businesses that have revitalized the once-dormant Bates Mill.

“I’d show her the renaissance of the downtown area,” Simones said. “I would want her to see what’s been done to refurbish old buildings.”

Morin would emphasize library, theater, school and hospital expansion in the Twin Cities. As a businessman, Simones would spend the afternoon crowing about development and jobs.

Don’t forget hockey

My tour? Hey, I’m a sports fanatic. We’d make the trek to the Colisee, a building that often struggled to live up to its old name, the Central Maine Civic Center.

I’d regale her with stories of a parking lot once laden with mud and ice and potholes. She’d learn about a building that, until two years ago, didn’t look like it had been painted inside or out in my lifetime.

I’d continue bragging about our Lewiston Maineiacs as we marched up the hill to the year-old B Street Community Center. Probably I’d walk her to the Androscoggin Head Start entrance in the back, just as a subtle reminder how indispensable that program is.

Maybe we’d visit Lots to Gardens on Knox Street, showing the first lady the flowers and vegetables where vacant lots and ramshackle apartments used to be.

“Starting about five years ago, Lewiston recognized that it could be a city of excellence,” Willing said, “and it started to do something about it.”

Man, I hope we remain a battleground state. Fun to think about giving a tour in 2020.

Kalle Oakes is staff columnist. He may be reached by e-mail at [email protected].