McCain Faces Balancing Act With Bush

President Offers Proven Fundraising Ability But Rock Bottom Approval Rating

(CBS/AP)  John McCain's complex relationship with President Bush can be summed up with a simple saying: can't live with him, can't live without him.

The president's own popularity is bottom-of-the-barrel low. Even allies privately fret that he's an albatross for the Republican looking to succeed him. Voters are crying out for change amid a prolonged Iraq war and a weakened economy.

But Bush also is beloved among GOP loyalists. He's a proven campaigner who can raise serious money. Those are huge assets as Arizona Sen. McCain works to rally the Republican base and fill his coffers while facing the Democrats' unrivaled enthusiasm and record-breaking fundraising.

The president and his would-be successor were appearing together Tuesday for the first time in nearly three months at an event that epitomized both elements of their tricky alliance - they were holding a fundraiser with GOP faithful at a private home, without the media to document it.

By the McCain campaign's own planning, the only time Bush and McCain would be captured on camera would be after the event - and too late to make most evening newscasts - on the Phoenix airport tarmac in the shadow of Air Force One, just before the president departs. McCain's fundraisers typically are closed to the press; the White House deferred to the campaign. No statements were expected.

Democratic opponent Barack Obama, an Illinois senator poised to become the Democratic nominee, got in a jab in advance.

"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," Obama chided while campaigning in Nevada. "But the question for the American people is: Do we want to continue George Bush's policies?"

Until recently, Obama’s fundraisers have been closed to the press as well, reports CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic. Currently, the Obama campaign has a print pool reporter at all public fundraisers; however, cameras are not allowed.

For months now, Democrats have portrayed McCain as an extension of Bush. They have argued that McCain offers the same policies, despite his willingness to break with the Republican Party on a range of issues. And, they ran ads showing footage of Bush and McCain embracing each other in 2004, including one that said: "If all he offers is more of the same, is John McCain the right choice for America's future?"

Bush and McCain last appeared together publicly the day after the Arizona senator sewed up the nomination in early March.

The president welcomed the GOP's new standard-bearer to the White House at a brief Rose Garden news conference. It was a somewhat awkward scene. McCain fidgeted and said repeatedly that he'd welcome campaigning with Bush "in keeping with the president's heavy schedule." Bush, for his part, seemed eager to hand off the reins, saying the McCain would be making the hard decisions and "I'm going to be in Crawford with my feet up."

Mindful of the risks Bush brings, McCain has been aggressive about separating himself from the president. He has been laying out his own vision for the future with speeches on a slew of high-profile issues such as the U.S. posture in the world, climate change and the response to Hurricane Katrina.

During one such address Tuesday in Denver, McCain sought to contrast what he portrayed as a bipartisan vision on nuclear nonproliferation with that of Bush, who critics contend has engaged in partisan go-it-alone cowboy diplomacy that has strained U.S. relations across the globe.

In a way, even the White House is aiding in McCain's effort to chart his own course.

"President Bush isn't on the ticket," Dana Perino, the White House press secretary, said Tuesday in what has become a familiar refrain for characterizing Bush's campaigning on behalf of McCain. "At the end of the day, any candidate who's running for office has to stand on their own two feet. They have to chart a course for themselves. Every election is about change."

Still, a prideful White House has delicately tried to deal with McCain's not-so-subtle efforts to distance himself. When the president isn't by McCain's side, the White House offers lots of reasons: Bush is busy abroad, he's the commander in chief.

McCain has struggled to break from Bush on two key issues - the Iraq war and the economy. Both men support continued military involvement in Iraq, and they both seemingly back the same free-market economic principles. And that has given Democrats plenty to talk about.

To be sure, Bush seems aware that he could be a drag on McCain. In March, the president said: "If my showing up and endorsing him helps him - or if I'm against him and it helps him - either way, I want him to win."

Earlier this month, Bush seemed - by design or not - to assume the traditional lame-duck presidential role in trying to assist the GOP nominee-in-waiting.

In a speech to Israel's Knesset, Bush spoke of the president of Iran and warned against appeasing terrorists, which some interpreted as a slap at Obama, who has said he would be willing to meet with heads of state in places like Iran. Obama used Bush's remark to lump the president and McCain together.

McCain aides insist they had no advance knowledge of the president's remarks, and the White House publicly denied the comments were directed at Obama. Still, the episode underscored the pitfalls and benefits - as well as the evolution - of the Bush-McCain association.

In 2000, the two squared off in a bruising battle for the GOP nomination. Bush won but the scars for McCain lingered for a while, and, to this day, GOP operatives can be divided into Bush and McCain loyalists. In 2004, McCain embraced Bush, figuratively and literally, and campaigned on his behalf even as he railed against the president's Iraq policy and called for more troops.

Some two years later, as McCain launched his own White House bid, he found himself on the same page with Bush on Iraq as the president adopted his push for a troop build up. The two also were in agreement on the hot-button issue of eventual citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants in the country.

The combination led some of McCain's core supporters to worry that he was carrying Bush's water, and endangering his own presidential prospects in return.

[vaidotas-2009]

http://www.turizmas.lt/konkursas/nuotrauka.php?id=191


go and vote, thank you

[gopsoccermom]

McCain is so lucky to have the most popular president of all time campaigning for him. He will surely pick up loads of votes from that.

[riptide213]

SITREP

Americas All Volunteer Force is burnt out.

High speed low drag political objectives are overdriving an unsustainable military operational tempo.

Subtle subterfuges are quietly achieving a backdoor draft by stealth.

All enlistments incur an Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) legal obligation for 8 years of service commitment.

STOP LOSS.

In Lieu of Taskings.

Army 15 month combat tours. No limit on numbers of tours incurred.

Mandated block leave. Use it or lose it.

Current CINC not backing a better pay rise for his troops.

Potential CINC talking 5 to 100 years more of the same and not backing a better GI Bill without longer commitment strings attached.

VA staffers attempting to conceal and divert PTSD diagnosis.

The Good News is BOHICA SNAFU TARFU FUBAR. Hooah.

Just another Combat Groundhog Day in the box.

Record cases of PTSD, unless covered up by backroom number crunchers.

Cause and effect.

[cattlekate]

I do not understand why McCain would want to distance himself from Bush, since his proposed policies are all the same. McCain''s web page on issues sounds just like the ones Bush had.

[omnibus66]

I just love the pics of the two of them hugging, kissing, and holding hands. They should go to California and get married. Arnold could be the best man, and Condi could be the flower girl.

[ioweign]

McCain Faces Balancing Act With Bush
#####################

As a 71 yrs old Republican, McCain is very capable at bending and grabbing his ankles...just look at their smiles.

[skyk-2009]

MCCAIN 2008- there is really no other choice.





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Posted by jack3213 at 07:36 AM : May 28, 2008
+ report abuse

LOL I ask you the same question I''ve asked all the others who seem to be implying that turning in a different direction is the WRONG thing to do. EXACTLY what is it that McBush proposing that''s different than Bush?? You can''t just vote for someone because you are afraid of change or because you can''t get over Joe McCarthy!!

[skyk-2009]

Bush will be gone, outta there...and the country would be very well off with a liberal republican and a democratic congress.

A whole lot better off than with a total left wing nut swilled in Chicago corruptness who''''ll try to give the country away as his prostitutes himself to whatever group is the flavor of the day.

Going from a total right wing whack job administration to a total left wing whack job administration is already proven failed strategy. We need both our parties working together to straighten this mess out.


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Posted by RowdyWicca at 07:40 AM : May 28, 2008
+ report abuse

Please tell all of us WHAT exactly does McBush propose to change from the failed policies of Bush? I haven''t seen ONE THING he is planning on doing different. Same FAILED economic Policies... Same Unfair Trade Agreements... Same Position on Health Care... Same position on Social Security... Same position on Bin Laden and those who attacked us... Same LIES on Iraq.... Honestly you people are scary...truly SCARY!!

[nbrdknkldgr]

Obama 2008...RIP Hillary and the GOP!

[rowdywicca]

Bush will be gone, outta there...and the country would be very well off with a liberal republican and a democratic congress.

A whole lot better off than with a total left wing nut swilled in Chicago corruptness who''ll try to give the country away as his prostitutes himself to whatever group is the flavor of the day.

Going from a total right wing whack job administration to a total left wing whack job administration is already proven failed strategy. We need both our parties working together to straighten this mess out.

[tapsettle]

Is McCain balancing whether to use McLellan-style propaganda spokespersons like Bush, or maybe whether he should put oil-resistant or Sadr-proof covers on the strategic Iraq-US ''sofa''?

[jack3213]

Obama makes Dan Quail look like some college professor. When a script writer has not given him some slick pargraphs to read from and Obama has to speak off the cuff, he shows again and again how little knowledge and intelligence he has. SCARY that this human has the utter gall to think that he is qualified to be chief executive of the greatest country on earth. Clinton is not qualifed or experianced just becasue her husband was President- an impeached President no less.
MCCAIN 2008- there is really no other choice.

[bluestardad]

SAME OH SAME OH!

BUSHIT AND MCSHAME!

BOUGHT BY MIDDLE EASTERN LOBBIEST!

MCSHAME HAS SURRENDERED HIS MORALS AND CREDIBILITY TO THE MIDDLE EASTERN LOBBIEST!


AMERICA STAND UP OR SHUT UP!

[formrusmcsgt]

McCain is in the same straights as is a prostitute.

He wants the bucks but doesn''t want anyone to know where they came from.......

[floydzeppl]

Coming from someone who likened WRIGHT to an ''uncle'' you couldn''t just disown on Sunday, and then DISOWNING him on Tuesday, this is hypocrisy.
--------

Tell it to John Hagee moron. John McPander Bear was all lovey dovey with Mr. "The Nazis did the Jews a fovor" until Hagee''s dirty little secret came out. Then Mr. "McPander Bear to the Freakvannies" disowns Hagee on Tuesday after playing snuggle bunnies with him on Sunday.

Hypocrite.

[sleepyric]

Look at the grinning baboons in the pic above. Is John McCain really so stupid as to buddy up with Bush?? Does he think that''s gonna help him? We just dealt with 8 years of a stupid man in the whitehouse, we don''t need another stupid man in there that has blinders on as to what the American people want and deserve. Doesn''t John McCain know that by appearing with Bush, he is guilty of stupidity by association? Oh yeah, I''d want a guy with a 23% approval rating campaingning for me! He should be called the "Idiot Candidate"!

[davide73-2009]

John McCain needs to explain how his policies will differ from those of George Bush without renouncing fundamental Republican philosophy. He is off to a good start with the announcement to decrease the nuclear weapon arsenal.

[mcvet]

Coming from someone who likened WRIGHT to an ''''uncle'''' you couldn''''t just disown on Sunday, and then DISOWNING him on Tuesday, this is hypocrisy. They teach you that word in Harvard Law? Your supporters accuse many of fear-mongering. ''''McCain will be just more of the same''''. His politics in the SENATE is evident for scrutiny. You on the other hand ...... You got a crystal ball, or are we suppose to believe this because YOU SAID SO?


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Posted by TiredoftheBS at 01:28 AM : May 28, 2008
+ report abuse

Well TELL us what McSame will do ANY different than BUSH? I have YET to see anything! He seems unable to admit that IRAQ WAS based on LIES and was a Mistake. He seems unable to understand that those who attacked us are in PAKISTAN in a SAFE HAVEN created by Bush. He seems unable to accept that TRICKLE DOWN does not nor has it EVER Worked. He seems perfectly content to keep Trade Policies in place that are EXTREMELY unfair to American Workers. He seems to have the same attitude that has resulted in DECADES of failure in Health Care. She seems content to just let Social Security sink because the American People will NOT agree to privatize it. I mean the list goes on and on without ANY difference from Bush! Sieg Heil McBush!!

[ahrats]

If you 4 more years of failed republican policy then vote for McCain. When Mr doom and gloom wants to keep gas prices above $4.00 a gallon, spend exzorbinate money on Iraq even though they have windfall from the Oil they have,just make the rich richer and poor poorer and have the middle class pay for it all just vote for McCain.

[ahrats]

If you 4 more years of failed republican policy then vote for McCain. When Mr doom and gloom wants to keep gas prices above $4.00 a gallon, spend exzorbinate money on Iraq even though they have windfall from the Oil they have,just make the rich richer and poor poorer and have the middle class pay for it all just vote for McCain.