FARMINGTON – A Temple man has organized a “Run Against Bush” event Saturday in which people may run and walk to register their opposition to President George Bush.

Michael Romanyshyn, who admits he is not a supporter of the president, said he thought he would organize the event in Franklin County to coincide with national Run Against Bush Day.

Romanyshyn said his cousin in Houston had been organizing weekly runs against Bush. He’s hoping to get 50 people to meet at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the gazebo in Meetinghouse Park in downtown Farmington, to push strollers, walk, bike and run in the event.

“We’re not any kind of organized group,” Romanyshyn said. Organizers have been calling around to inform people about the event.

“There’s quite a response,” he said.

In dozens of cities and towns across the United States, he said, thousands of walkers, bikers and runners will be exercising their rights – and muscles – and registering their opposition to the president.

“I think he’s the worst president we’ve ever had,” Romanyshyn said. “I think he’s failed in every category.”

He claims the country is much less safe. “I think he failed before 9/11 and after 9/11,” he said. “I think the war in Iraq is a disaster. … I can’t think of anything he hasn’t failed at.”

“Because of the political war in Iraq, the political use of fear, the erosion of civil liberties, and the redistribution of wealth by tax breaks to the richest Americans,” he said, “many people whom have never been involved in politics before have been inspired to participate in events like Run Against Bush.”

Maine is a battleground state and the 1st District could be pivotal to the outcome of the election, Romanyshyn said.

Participants in Saturday’s walk will make a loop from the park on Main Street to Broadway to High Street and down South Street, then back up Main Street to the gazebo.

Romanyshyn said it will be a sidewalk event and it won’t disrupt traffic.

“It’s going to be very civil,” he said.