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

[Ariesjill]

Ah yes, banned. Thank you you to the same people who actually managed to essentially delete habeus corpus. Which I still cannot believe I am not hallucinating.

Not which which this is, Alien or the Pod People movie. Whicheve,r.let us all remember THIS IS NOT A MOVIE. this is REALLY HAPPENING.

[BlueStateMan]

What's the difference any more?

[Ariesjill]

It was a nuanced, free associative analogy. One of the great privileges of communication between and among living beings, and widely celebrated.

DANCE. If you get excommunicated from somewhere.....go somewhere else. Dancing is part of life.

[jpshotwheels]

I heard these private behind the scene fund raisers, aren't doing to well raising funds. The event had such low turnout they had to move it to a smaller facility. Maybe its not just because McCain doesn't want to be seen with Bush, but they don't want the public to see HOW FEW SHOWED UP.

[Marlyn]

Bingo!

[SaulGood]

don't you love how they used anti-war protesters as the excuse for moving the location? if that wasn't rovian then i don't know what is.

[CocteausTwin]

Well it was mentioned on Olbermann that it was also moved to avoid press on a public property.

[BWonka]

What do the Mars lander and McCain have in common?

After 90 days they will both be done.

[murdertrain]

Are you sure? What is the significance of the recent Karl Rove subpoena? Can this be corrected in time?

Many say no...

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6757612420128645563&hl=en

[Ariesjill]

Yes, very, very scary. Not sure if we are up to dealing with sociopaths. And I truly think he qualifies and always has.

[cubs325]

bad example the Mars Rovers have lasted over 4 years instead of 90 days

[dartagnan]

Oh to be a fly on the wall ...

Taxpayer's money ($57,000 per hour) is being used to fly the Monkey Boy to this event so he can squeeze more bribe money out of his "base," the haves, the have-mores and the have-obsce­nely-mores­. Wouldn't it be terrific if somebody sneaks a recorder into the room and leaks a transcript?

[VolvoBirkenstock]

As it is a political event, the RNC is billed for the cost of Air Force One.

[Ariesjill]

Even at today;'s price....let em waste the jet fuel. Given what is going on in Iraq, it ain nuthin plus the boarding pass is about to get passed ON to Barack.

[Big0725]

That's correct. As least we hope the RNC will be charged. This administration has an amazing ability to forget to collect from their friends. If I'm not mistaken, Big Oil hasn't paid a royalty to the Treasury in a long time.

[skibum49]

Not true! When the President has an "official event" in conjuction with the trip you and me pay the bill. According to Whitehouse.gov "During Bush's trip to Arizona on Tuesday, he'll also be holding what's being called an official presidential event at a the Silverado cable company where he will discuss his economic policy." and then after the McCain event he will go to Colorado for the Air Force graduation.

Nice conjuction of a fundraiser with "offical" Presidential business.

[SouthpawSass]

McCain and Bush are two peas on a pod. Both intellectually, ethically and morally challenged...

As Father O'MacMahil­lilygilihy used to say, "Asinus asinum fricat."

English translation: The ass rubs the ass.

In other words, conceited people flatter each other about qualities they do not possess.

[AllenD]

I think that President Bush is a tremendous asset for John McCain and that the two of them should have as many joint campaign appearances as possible. Then again, I'm an Obama supporter :-).

[kay]

We should go. Pass around the canapes. Refill empties. Secretly videotape 'the proceedings".

[SCG]

This is Mayhill's chance to redeem herself.....

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Strawberries dipped in melted chocolate Ex-Lax?

[Ariesjill]

I agree....and including smoking them. The joints.

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Trolls name the ways McCain and Bush have policy differences in any substantial way?

[swooge]

One farts and wastes it and the other burps and tastes it?

[SouthpawSass]

roflmao

[SaulGood]

omg. lol.

[Tyme4chaing]

See America! You see this kinda stuff going on. What's McCain affraid off? I knew McCain and Bush couldn't stay away from each other. McCain called for Bush to help him out. McCain is losing his grip. The Republican party is not standing by McCain as we thought they would. The Republican are in trouble right now. The news hype about McCain beating Obama in states, polls, and popular vote.
The media even has Hillary Clinton out doing McCain in the polls and she has so much taken a swipe at McCain.

The Clintons, Bush, and McCain is cooking up something to put Obama out of business permanently. It is to obvious. Private funds raisers, unnecessary smear spin. They're trying to throw Obama off track.

Stand Strong Democrats. The Republicans, Bush/McCain, and Clintons are planning to destroy the Democratic Party.

[Ariesjill]

Not to worry...their microwave shorted out long ago and the bubble bubble toil and trouble is almost over.. Even when the MV was working....there were NO ACTUAL INGREDIENTS to put in the plastic pot. Only flailing. and flailing is not even on that reality chef show....so I know it DOES NOT EXIST AS AN INGREDIENT.. I sometimes take relish in getting how that made them feel.

Now RELISH.....IS an ingredient.

[darthdarcy]

A Fund Raiser yes, but more like a Black Mass to the Gods of Corporate Fascism and man's destructive banality it will be more like something out of Mephisto's Waltz the passing of the torch from Bush to McCain that once burned so bright at Nuremberg, so of course there will be no press because any press at this Satanic Rite of the Bilderberg Group, would be bad press...

Simple as that..

[VolvoBirkenstock]

Build-A-Burger has a new menu item. They have brought back Patty Melts.

[Ariesjill]

OOOO...THE FORCE IS WITH YOU!

[Ariesjill]

Just to say, I LIKE Rosemary's Baby. I even have it in my growing DVD collection of classics. But OK, I do wanna keep it on disk and out of LIFE..

[KQuarksSuperKollider]

Breaking News!

Bush seen on tarmac with McCain. McCain looked like he was running away from Bush.

[SCG]

You just can't keep those two apart from each other.

[borderorder]

Did you see Cindy and W steal their little kiss? I bet Laura's fuming.

[lisakaz2]

Dan Abrams just got tap of Bu$h with McSame.

[lisakaz2]

Tape.

[Ariesjill]

Edited?

[kfdan]

Without question McCain is attempting to get money with Bush's help ~ hence, the closed door fundraiser. Such affairs need to be public by the way! Make that a necessity! McCain needs to be vetted at every turn. We need to know who's giving him money!
The Bush crowd has been the most disastrous Presidency in U.S. history and McCain will follow in the childish, knee-jerk tradition of the neo-con game!
He has nothing to offer the American people except more of the same!

[lornejl]

It will be interesting to see how Obama handles the right wing attack machine, he has so much ammunition, it should be like shooting big fat filthy pigs in a barrel.

[Ariesjill]

I hope, boy. I will now confess in public forum, tho I am so not this be-atchy....cept when mortally wounded by reality....I have always called Rove, Mr. Pig Face. I know it's middle school....but I am human.

[tellinya]

If you want to be drafted to fight in Iran, vote McBush nd Rove

[MichiganJFrog]

"Imaginator See Profile I'm a Fan of Imaginator

Obama who's going 'Hat in Hand' out to all of the Super Delegates should know what i's like not wanting to be seen as doing so.
replyReply favoriteFavorite Flag as abusive Posted 08:57 PM on 05/27/2008"

You're imaginating again.

[VolvoBirkenstock]

More like hallucinating.

*HIC*

[Ariesjill]

Waaaay to much intact in Barack for any Faust stuff to ever be an option. Including, he has no need to aspire to any archaic form of Alpha anything....which is the other side of that coin.