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

[highlyamused]

Finally something I have in common with McSame. I don't want to be seen with Bush either!

[Burningspear]

Okey, if you had to cast Bush and McCain as Dumb and Dumber, who would you cast as Dumberer?

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Laura and Cindy

[Burningspear]

lol

[Ajita]

I applaud HuffPo for sticking with this. Not again, republicans.

[maxdenn]

Goerge W. Bush has spent most of a life time of being an embarrassment and a failure. McCain is fast becoming an embarrassment, and after November he will be a failure. Mr. McCain. The American people have reject you buddy Bush by 73%. And you John McCain support the policies of this witless president.

[ChiGuy]

How's that big ole Bush-sized stone feel around your neck John?
Get used to it. Decorate it any way you want.
It will be your downfall.

[Ariesjill]

Is My Pet Rock related to My Pet Goat?

[ObserverinVancouver]

Dumbstruck with admiration!

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Too funny. Shortbus made a comment about the dumbing down of America.

Every time I have pointed out his factual errors, he has gotten upset.

[kay]

I like shortbus. Disgruntled Republicans turn into Libertarians, and I usually like Libertarians.

Shortbus is now a Libertarian.

I read Bob Barr's platform. It's really short, which is part and parcel of libertarianism, I guess.

[ThunderclapNewman]

Don't forget wild impracticality.
You can't be a libertarian without it.

[Ariesjill]

Except they have no roads to drive on....caus­e there is not enuff tax money to build or maintain them. And that's just for openers. Most neo Libertarians make Emerson turn over in his grave. Also Thoreau.

[humuhumunukunukuapuaa]

The paradox of libertarianism is that a good libertarian would refuse to be elected.

Aloha.

[Centaur]

What's that saying.." You can run but you can't hide!" There are "pictures" , you know.

[forpeace]

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McCain Removes Calls For More U.S. Troops In Iraq From Website

On Tuesday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) altered his campaign website to deemphasize his repeated calls for sending more troops to Iraq......­..........­....

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/05/27/mccain-bush-website/

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[SCG]

He's trying to change his positions in midsteam. He'll call anyone who points out his earlier words as liars....a­nd so goes "the double talk express"

[lizr]

Hope somebody printed out the website before it was purged.

It's gonna be FUN catching him in his LIes!!

[ChewyToy22]

I've never seen someone change his stance on issues so fast. This is like a trial and error campaign.

[humuhumunukunukuapuaa]

McCain has changed position on the issues so much that he could be his own opponent. Mitt Romney's flip-flopping thinks McCain is messed up.

[forpeace]

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Perino: Even Bush ‘doesn’t wish for a third term’ of Bush.

When asked today about the attempts of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) to distance himself from President Bush, White House Press Secretary inadvertently admitted that even the President sees the value in moving away from the policies of the past seven years.....­....

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/05/27/perino-even-bush-doesnt-wish-for-a-third-term-of-bush/

[williamg]

I am willing to bet that Bush will not be holding a single rally for any Republicans running for office this year. These Republicans are running as fast as possible from this guy.

[forpeace]

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Taxpayers pay for Bush to attend McCain fundraiser.

http://thinkprogress.org/2008/05/27/taxpayers-pay-for-mccain-bush-fundraiser/

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[the964kid]

I love the general election Obama. I hope (and Im sure he will) keep hitting McShame hard. This is much different and better then the Kerry/Gore style attacks on Bush in their respective campaigns. Obama hit McShame hard today on the economy and Obama's ammo against McShame's foreign policy is just as powerful. And we know McShame doesn't want to be seen with Bush - and its great whenever thats pointed out. If Bush's policies were such a travesty McShame wouldnt have to hide his appearences with the permenant american embarrassment Bush.

[AxelDC]

Obama has been a gentleman in the primaries to try not to alienate Democratic voters. He's not going to play softball with McCain, and he can only win support and admiration by going-to-toe with Mr. Lame Duck.

[Ariesjill]

You are not getting that being a gentleman in his case is not some adopted posture or strategy..­.THIS IS WHO HE IS.. Again, REAl STRENGTH is the OPPOSITE of the archaic version..

Did you not learn...al­l about this from Hillary manifesting the latter???????

His WALKING SOFTLY, WITH FOCUS AND CLARITY AND HUMILITY..­...is the ULTIMATE health....­the best any of us could hope for. It is an actual miracle and meant to change paradigms of ALL KINDS.

[lizr]

So funny to watch the trolls try and intimidate us.

Like they have anything in their hand besides a failed presidency and a ruinous war, a wrecked economy.

As usual the Dems have to clean up the monumental MESS the Reps made of our world.

[Ariesjill]

But this one in it's depth, mass and breadth...­.is unprecedented and will require the ongoing work of all of us.

I fear for him....I really do. I mean the challenges on an hour to hour basis.

[Rendon76]

You have been banned Mr. Media!

[Ariesjill]

Who is Mr. Media?

[nativeeyes]

MCwar wants to stay in Iraq to do what, something that they obvously don't want, PEACE..


The Sunni's want some Oil rights, while the Shia's want to keep it all for themselves­...


The RICH over the poor..

How you going to win that war when it is tribal?

You can't!!

We should take the steps to get out and let all the Arab Nations help protect them..


Since they have more of a stake in this Tribal for OIL WAR..


McWAR should suit up and go to Iraq and fight.. Why not, He's told OLD, RIIIIIIGHT~~~~

[Big0725]

That's right, the Sunni's do want oil profits, like they enjoyed while Saddam was in charge. Well ain't it interesting when the worm turns. Screw the 20% of Iraqis that ruled that county will an iron fist for so many years. Take a great big suckle off the teet of dissatisfaction and taste the sour milk. Then go whine to someone that has that taste in their mounth for decades.

[forpeace]

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VolvoBirkenstock
..........­. wanting the President to be someone we'd like to have a beer with.
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Bravo!

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