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

[Burningspear]

McBush is Mcsane in Mcsame Mcpolicies. Is this the Mcright way of Mcusing Mcrubbish Mcnothings?

[findingthetruth]

Anyone at this point who don't realize that McCain and Bush are joined at the hips -------- seriously DO NOT need to go to a polling booth.

[buckygreen]

I can hardly wait for the ads with "The Hug".

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Only ad needed during the campaign.

Caption and voice-over: "Had enough?"

[GingerB]

Mind if I steal that? I'd like to paint my own yard sign with that pic and that caption.

[SCG]

Move On has a TV ad out now, using the theme to "The Patty Duke Show", I just heard it in the backround, I missed most of the ad.

[lornejl]

Mc Bush will ride that maverick horse into the sunset, so long pard, adios amigos, goodnight NOW !

[juangault]

More like a private jet, loaded with gold, over to Paraguay, where he can live worry-free that any subpoena can reach him.

[disgusted48]

Every time I see George Bush, or hear him speak, or hear about him, I am kind of in shock that this guy is the President of the United States. How did that happen?

[Ariesjill]

EXACTLY. the complex answer is available....we all need to own all the data so we can makes sure it NEVER, EVER HAPPENS AGAIN.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

We have become a tabloid nation. In 40 years, we have gone from wanting the White House to be occupied by the Best and the Brightest to wanting the President to be someone we'd like to have a beer with.

[forpeace]

*

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

Bravo!

*

[maxdenn]

It boggles the mind.

[ChristianEcon.com]

"How did that happen?"

It was a nightmare; a historical nightmare. I never thought it could happen here in America.

Especially the 2004 election, when the neocon disaster was already well underway.

[BigMike75]

The diabolical, and sinister mad hatter himself...Karl Rove.

[Wilburrr]

The Power of the Presidency....

If this fundraiser has to be held in a private residence due to low participation, how does the President raise enough money even to pay for fuel for Air Force One?

Oh yeah... we pay that through tax dollars.... so I am supporting the candidacy of John (the man with no brain) McCain.

Thank you, Chimpie!

[williamg]

The John McCain School for Lobbyists

"The records show that since the Keating Five scandal, which by McCain's own account turned the Arizona senator into a crusader for reform, at least 20 McCain staffers—working for McCain's personal Senate office or for one of the committees he has chaired—either came to McCain's employ from a lobby shop or joined one after leaving the congressional payroll.

It is common practice for congressional aides from both parties to head to lucrative lobbying positions after working on Capitol Hill. And often lawmakers themselves leave Congress and return to lobby their former colleagues. But McCain has a special lobbyist problem. It's not just that his presidential campaign has been managed by former lobbyists for corporations and foreign governments. (Though several lobbyists have recently left his campaign, McCain's two closest aides—Charlie Black and Rick Davis—used to be top-tier lobbyists.) McCain has surrounded himself with lobbyists and lobbyists-to-be, all while positioning himself as the revolving door's top critic. McCain vows that if he's elected he'll change the revolving door culture of Washington. But if he can't do so in his own outfit, how can he do so for the entire town?"

http://www.motherjones.com/washington_dispatch/2008/05/john-mccain-revolving-door.html

[JoeSacramento]

Vote for McCain if you want 4 more years of Bush. Obama all the way for me. My newly coined phrase for the day:

GObama 08

Joe
http://joesacramento.com

[williamg]

"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."

That is what you call a smackdown.

[TiffanyHusseinBanned]

Look for McSensitive to get all offended and whiney and personally attack Obama for not serving in the military.

That guy is loose canon. If I were Obama, I would keep using the words "emotional, sensitive, and angry" to describe McSensitive's responses to any policy disagreement.

[williamg]

Exactly. Obama is going to make this guy lose his cool on camera, it's only a matter of time.

[rsg5354]

MCCAIN AND BUSH SUCKS REALLY BAD

[SouthpawSass]

McNasty doing the McSneaky with McDopey for want the McGrand... Mctypical.

[swooge]

McHeh...

[swamijo]

Mcbwahahahahaha....

[dawn2dusk]

mcFunny

sorry.

[Ariesjill]

OOOO! Props from one Southpaw to another!!!! You now Barack is one of us, right?

[GingerB]

Who WOULD want to be seen with Bush?

[AdLib]

Saudi royalty...holding his leash?

[VolvoBirkenstock]

The Saudis think he has a purdy mouth.

[Ariesjill]

DEEP!!!!!! And pithy!

[kay]

Off topic, I apologize, but it's funny.

THE 1992 CAMPAIGN: Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania Governor Criticizes Process That's Turning to Clinton

By MICHAEL DECOURCY HINDS,
Published: April 24, 1992

With Pennsylvania's primary only days away, the state's Democratic Governor today criticized his party's Presidential primary process -- and its likely nominee, Bill Clinton -- saying the process had produced a front-runner who could not win. He urged the party's uncommitted delegates to remain neutral so that a stronger nominee could be selected at the convention this summer.

"We have to recognize reality," Gov. Robert P. Casey said in an interview today. "The primary process is not producing someone who has a good crack at winning in November." Pennsylvania Democrats hold their primary next Tuesday.

Referring to low turnouts in earlier primaries, Governor Casey said, "We've got a tiny minority of Democrats voting for Bill Clinton, and he's winning every race without generating any sparks, any enthusiasm, any momentum."

Mr. Casey spoke highly of the Arkansas Governor's resilience and intelligence, but added: "People have a tremendous unease about him. He's got a tiny, fly speck of support."

He said the Democratic Party should consider a strategy of having all uncommitted delegates to the convention in New York in July remain uncommitted so that they could consider nominating another candidate should Mr. Clinton fail to win more support."

It's JUST so RICH in IRONY, on so many levels :)

Where's Mayhill Fowler? We need a 'thoughtful piece" on this.

[HumeSkeptic]

Loved it.

[kay]

Clinton put together an electoral map, and it never worked for any candidate.

All who came after lost with the Clinton Map.

Maybe you have to make your own map :)

Maybe Democrats have been getting it wrong because they were looking for a candidate who fit Bill Clinton's map.

[juangault]

This time of year, Mayhill is sailing between the islands of Greece. She sends her regards.

[AdLib]

"Where's Mayhill Fowler? We need a 'thoughtful piece" on this."

Laboring over a piece on the sexism of metrics.

[kay]

All I can do is shout "IRONY!" and I'm not all that clear on what "IRONY!" is.

Mayhill could do this up right.

[lornejl]

They think we're stoopid.

[kay]

The Clintons must hate the Google.

[Ariesjill]

And with cloven hooves, floppy ears and woolly coats. We got close....but that, is now OVAH.

[mike53]

Arianna is a godess..liberals are always right. Lets see if this get posted.

[kasinca]

A vote for McSame is four more years of Dubya and appointing judges who will over turn Roe vs. Wade. All you Clintonistas need to take heed.

[Ariesjill]

Thank U. And those are just for openers. Now, anyone still infantile enuff to be in the grip of this Yo Mama in November.....employ your WRITE IN VOTE OPTION. That would be SAD....BUT AT LEAST DO NOT FOSTER SELF HATRED DOWN the road more than necessary.

[HumeSkeptic]

Fundraiser for Hillary Clinton!

Friday Night!

DePauw, Kentucky.

Open to ALL WORKING CLASS WHITE AMERICANS

(You know what we mean! Bring your own cross. Wink. Wnink)

[juangault]

Cheney surprised everyone today with an invitation to Obama to join him for some duck hunting.

Obama was polite, refusing, saying he likes big game, like elephants.

[HumeSkeptic]

I heard it was the Secret Service who told Obama not to accept the invitation.

[Marlyn]

"Cheney surprised everyone today with an invitation to Obama to join him for some duck hunting."

Similarly, McCane invited Obama to go shopping with him in Iraq, in order to show Obama reality because Obama is naive and McCane has been there. Carpets, only $5.

[Ariesjill]

OOOOOO! Email Mr. Stewart, hurrrry!!!!! Amazing.

[AMJordan]

Too cheap to buy crosses for the party, huh?