JUPITER -- Former Marine George Andres got air support Friday from Gov. Jeb Bush, who flew in to give Andres $100 toward his legal fight and help him raise a new American flag on the white flag pole he has been ordered to take down.

Outside of the Indian Creek Phase IIIB Homeowners Association, the ongoing battle over Andres' 12 foot flag pole may seem a little silly, but for Bush, in the middle of a reelection campaign, it was a photo opportunity not to be missed.

Wearing a green tie adorned with American flags and bombs bursting in air, Bush handed Andres a flag that had flown over the state Capitol. Then the two marched over to the flagpole and hoisted the flag the short distance up the pole.

"This is the death of common sense," Bush told a swarm of reporters and photographers. Television stations did live reports in front of Andres' home while a score of supporters munched on American flag cake, deviled eggs and tiny chicken-salad sandwiches.

It is a classic homeowners dispute. Andres wants to fly his flag from a pole planted in the left front corner of his yard. The association insists that flags must be flown from a pole attached to the wall.

Andres will have none of it.

"The U.S. Supreme Court has said that I can fly my flag," he said.

State courts have disagreed. They say he is willfully violating the rules of the homeowner association. His defiance has cost him $30,000. The association says it has spent $21,000 in legal fees and court costs fighting Andres and they want him to pay it. 

No one is budging.

After hearing about the flag fight, Bush signed legislation in April that says homeowners can fly the flag in a "respectful way" regardless of association rules. But the court ordered Andres to take down his flag nearly two years ago and the association argues that Andres must pay for his defiance prior to the new law.

In June 2001, the court said Andres must pay $100 for every day the pole stays up.

"You still paying those fines?" Bush asked.

"I sure am," said Andres.

"Well here's one day," said Bush handing him a check for $100.

Andres, wearing a snug "America the Beautiful" T-shirt, was thrilled. "I'm not going to cash this check," he said when Bush was out of earshot. "I'm going to frame it with the letter I received from him."

Minutes later, Andres spotted Steven Selz on his lawn and ordered the attorney for the homeowners association to "get off my property."

"We're a country of laws and rules and a court has ordered him to take that pole down," said Selz. "I'm sure the governor's intention is not to encourage people to defy the courts."

Selz pointed to other flags flying from nearby homes in compliance with association rules and said: "Why should Mr. Andres be the only one allowed to ignore the rules of the association? He was on the association board. He was part of the architectural committee. He knew exactly what the rules are."

Andres, who has pictures of Bush, President George W. Bush and former President George H.W. Bush on the wall in his small living room, said he is more determined than ever to continue his fight.

"How many times have you seen the governor come to somebody's house to do something like this?" said the retired electrical worker, who served in the Marine Corps from 1956-62.

Just before getting into his car to leave, Bush pulled off his American Flag tie and gave it to Andres, who draped it around his neck, showing it to everyone.

As Selz started walking down the street to his car, Andres yelled, "What goes around comes around, Selz."

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush today celebrated Flag Day with a man fined nearly $30,000 by his Jupiter homeowners association for flying an American flag from a 12-foot pole in his own yard. 

Accompanied by the national anthem, Bush gave George Andres a flag from the state Capitol and helped raise it amid applause from neighbors. 

"Rather than just say it's unacceptable, people ought to put aside their differences and their obsession with rules and regulations and use common sense to make decisions," observed Bush, who in polls is trouncing Janet Reno and other Democrats in his bid for re-election. 

Andres, a former Marine, vowed to keep flying Old Glory, especially now that he has the governor's support. "I think it's absolutely fabulous," he said. 

More Nonsense in Pea Brain County

The Orwellian-sounding Indian Creek Phase 3B Homeowners Association in Pea Brain County claims that flags may be flown only from brackets attached to house walls. Andres objects because a flag flown from brackets would touch his shrubbery. 

"Bush signed legislation in April making it clear that people can fly American flags regardless of homeowners' association rules," the Associated Press reported.