McCain Keeps Bush Fundraiser Under Wraps

UPDATE: Sen. Barack Obama hit McCain over the fundraiser at an event today in Nevada:

"I just had the privilege of visiting with Felicitas Rosel and Francisco Cano at their home here in Las Vegas.

Today, John McCain is having a different kind of meeting. He's holding a fundraiser with George Bush behind closed doors in Arizona. No cameras. No reporters. And we all know why. Senator McCain doesn't want to be seen, hat-in-hand, with the President whose failed policies he promises to continue for another four years."

EARLIER:

President Bush is lending his massively unpopular hand to help fundraise for GOP nominee John McCain tonight. The fundraiser will be behind closed doors. Bloomberg explains the dance that McCain is aiming to pull off, taking money from Bush while trying to distance himself from his policies.

John McCain's challenge in winning the presidency isn't unique. George H.W. Bush in 1988 and Al Gore in 2000 also struggled to chisel an identity separate from a two- term incumbent president of their party.

There's one big difference: in 1988, Ronald Reagan had a 51 percent approval rating, according to Gallup surveys, and in 2000 Bill Clinton's was 57 percent. Today, President George W. Bush's rating is 28 percent and the leading House Republican political analyst, Virginia Representative Tom Davis, said the president is "absolutely radioactive" for party candidates, including McCain, the presumptive presidential nominee.

Reuters also delves into McCain's contradictory relationship with the President:

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain has said he wants help from Bush, who can haul in enormous campaign cash. But McCain has walked a fine line with the unpopular Bush, backing the president on the Iraq war while bucking him on how to address climate change.

Bush will kick off raising money for McCain on Tuesday and Wednesday at three events in Arizona and Utah, but they will only be together at one and it will be out of the public eye. That has raised questions about whether Bush helps or hurts the Arizona senator.

Comments

[BigLib]

You guys know where this is going, right?

Yeah, Barry's being a hypocrite. That's not the only private event he's attended, either. And those "bitter" comments? They were also made at a private fundraiser. I guess Obama doesn't want to be seen, hat in hand, with billionaires. Given the stupid remarks he made about guns and religion, "we all know why."

[ProfessorDuh]

Poor McCain. He doesn't want to be seen with the chimpanzee, but he does want the bananas.

[TimmySlagle]

You shouldn't refer to Obama as a chimpanzee.

[springsm]

That is very true. Chimpanzee's are quite smart and they are accomplished primates.

[ProfessorDuh]

As you know, I'm referring to your simian savior in the White House, Mr. Bush, the man who has destroyed your Republican Party for you. It's the one good thing he's done. Tell us again about his "great leadership," Timmy boy.

[JerryTheAngel]

Any man who would cozy up to someone that did nothing in 2000 to stop the in-the-gutter tactics of spreading filth in South Carolina about his wife being a drug addict and he fathering a black child is NOT A MAN.

Just as Hillary Clinton now claims to be a very close friend of McCain who told a tasteless and crude joke about her daughter Chelsea. If anyone told an ugly joke about my 16 year old daughter in front of an audience, I would knock his teeth down his throat.

Hillary Clinton not only looked the other way regarding this obscene joke, she and her husband the sex addict, had the audacity to say that only she and McCain had reached the threshold of being the commander in chief and that only she and McCain were patriots to this country.

McCain knows that Bush still has a 65 percent approval rating amongst Republicans. Instead of redefining the Republican party he has elected to embrace the Neo Cons by recruiting the most unpopular president in modern history to raise money for his campaign. He needs that Texas Oilmen money, because without it, he doesn't stand a chance to compete with Obama on the money playing field.

[raw915]

What you do when the rich guy has BO...

[republiscum]

MCsame is delusional just like Bush. Republicans are ANTI MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS...check this link out>
http://therealmccain.com/?utm_source=rgemail

[Nyla785]

The Republicans have a penchant for thinking that 'if it's happening in a back room, it isn't happening'. Thus all the need for secrecy. Thus all the need for executive privilege to cover their many questionable acts. Thus the complete stonewalling of the citizens from their own government.
Anyone who doesn't think McCain will govern this way too is out of their minds.

[Boboday555]

MCCAIN AIN'T MCABLE!!!

[Boboday555]

Bend over Mr. McCain; here comes President AWOL.

[VOTER]

McCain has been "crowned the most absent Senator in 2008" yet when

present, he voted "YES" 100% for Bush's policies.

In 2007, McCain only voted with Bush, 95% of the time. Duh! Huh?

MCCAIN,BUSH =McSame!

VOTE FOR OBAMA!

[BigMike75]

Mccain has to do quite a few things that might go against his well crafted "straight talk, maverick" persona. Like, let me try to secure my eroding conservative base by going after the Christian right, and let me do that by seeking out the endorsements of two whacko pastors with huge followings...oh, not so fast, the heat is just too much from that one. Damn, Obama was busy trying to run from his pastor, and he was busy chasing his own. As an aside, doesn't this show just how out of touch the religious extreme is with the rest of the world? Back to Mccsame, now he's gotta appeal to Bush and his fundraising vaccum, because his fundraising is paltry, and it again shows that even having months to do so, even with no attention or spotlight on him, the widespread conservative base is still not coalescing around Mccain. The same conservative base that gives Bush a 65% approval rating, while the rest of the world actually has an idea about something called "REALITY"!

[Shozen]

Hat in hand, begging for money.... Bad!
Caught in loving embrace with his hero....Good!

[filo]

I can't quit you Georgie !!

[rich3324]

Hat in hand, begging for money.... Bad!
Caught in loving embrace with his hero....Good!

Losing in November.... Priceless!

[layman]

Eight years, almost, ago, McShame stooped and bent over as the Bushes wished;
so that a not-so-qualified and stupid, but rich kid can become president of the USA,
as his rich and powerful parent wished.

Today, McShame is still stooping and bending over much the same, as in spineless
and being rogue.

His apparant hunger for a taste of the fame and glory of the presidency of the USA is obvious, knowing, however, that this may be his last chance due to his age.

A stupid, as it has taken eight years to prove, but rich kid can become president of the USA; it's a success story for the stupid rich kid.

It's a different and sad story for a much more intelligent and qualified old, but not so rich and
powerful man.

In terms of raising campaing dough, McShame's no Obama. His has to enlist the help of the
Bushy power base. He just has to stoop his way again and again to leverage the power, in
addition to flipping and flopping, to a may-be or may-be-not presidency he so longing for..

It's an old and sad story. Welcome to the now America.

[lornejl]

McCain is the monkey boys uncle.

[swamijo]

VolvoBirkenstock: Only ad needed during the campaign. Caption and voice-over: "Had enough?"

I'll buy a T-shirt with that and photo of Bush-McCain hug!

[realpolitic]

Great idea!! Even Newt Gingrich suggested that as a Democratic slogan and we all have certainly had enough.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

mike53
Rumor is Kerry was lower. He just won't release his records.
Posted 11:30 PM on 05/27/2008

You're listening to Rush reruns again, mikey.

Kerry ran for President four years ago.