The Invisible Man Of Campaign '08

(CBS)  By CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller

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Not once this year has President Bush appeared in public at a campaign rally for the Republican Party or any of its candidates.

And on Tuesday night, when he attends a million dollar fund-raiser for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, it will be the last political event he does before Election Day.

Tuesday's event brings to 46 the number of GOP fund-raising events Mr. Bush has done this year, but nearly all have been of the stealth variety. All but four of them have been closed to press coverage.

It's a deliberate effort on the part of the White House, the Republican National Committee and the McCain Campaign to help Mr. Bush maintain a low political profile.

Even the four fund-raising events he did for McCain were off-limits to reporters.

Aides say Mr. Bush has accepted the fact that his approval ratings are in the cellar and no Republican candidates want him campaigning for them. Even Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, who's engaged in a tough race for re-election to his U.S. seat from Kentucky, is willing to tell reporters that Mr. Bush is "deeply unpopular."

It's a point the White House does not dispute. "We're very aware of his approval rating," said Press Secretary Dana Perino, "but he's not about making decisions to be popular."

Not only is Mr. Bush invisible on the campaign trail, he is viewed as something of a political Kiss of Death. Democrats try to taint John McCain by saying his policies would amount to a third term for George Bush. And in recent days, McCain has expanded his efforts to distance himself from the incumbent by indignantly declaring: "I am not President Bush!"

Only once since McCain visited the White House on March 5 to receive the president's formal endorsement, have the two of them been seen together in a political context.

That was May 27, when Mr. Bush attended a campaign fund-raiser for McCain in Phoenix. It was closed to press coverage, but afterwards, the two men rode back to the airport together and were seen for a few seconds on the tarmac shaking hands and patting one another on the back before the president boarded Air Force One.

Since that day, Mr. Bush has been persona non grata for the McCain campaign - though he did do three more fund-raisers for his would-be Republican successor, all behind closed doors.

It makes it laughable what McCain said that day seven months ago in the Rose Garden with Mr. Bush: "I intend to have as much possible campaigning events together, as it is in keeping with the President's heavy schedule. And I look forward to that opportunity."

It might prove to be the biggest whopper McCain has uttered during his presidential campaign.

[abbe91]

Dems.
Posted by doctor--cool at 08:31 AM : Oct 23, 2008

Don''t call a dem the deregulator in chief, aka the bomber in chief, McSame.

[abbe91]

The need for the bailout was caused by Democrats tampering, requiring bank to give risky loans.

Posted by doctor--cool at 08:12 AM : Oct 23, 2008

LOL. Who was in charge ? One word : deregulation.

[abbe91]

Obams is tampering with the whole free enterprise system. INCENTIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by doctor--cool at 04:24 AM : Oct 23, 2008

How do you call Bush''s bailout of the banks ?
GOP politics: privatize profits, nationalize debts.

[slayrre007]

Let me start by saying that I voted against George W. Bush in both elections and in both elections I predicted he would lead this country to ruin.

Now I will be voting for John McCain in November for many reasons...including having the insight to recognize that our country is better off with a moderate Republican than a far left hardcore liberal like Obama (with a Democratic controlled Congress).

As for Barack Hussein Obama...once Barack, as Commander-In-Chief, is given our countries top military secrets... he will find a way to give the information to his "brothers" in the middle east. For anyone that doesn''''t think this is possible...think again.

How soon Americans everywhere forget how unprepared we were for 9/11. Intellectually we could not accept the real danger of such an attack. Now we are unprepared to accept the real threat that the next attack to destroy America will come from within....that threat is Barack Obama.

This country has sold out common sense and intelligence in their efforts to prove that a black man can become elected President. Not measuring Barack Obama''s character and political allegiance by his association with people like Rev. Wright, Louis Farrakhan, Tony Rezko, and William Ayers or organizations as corrupt as ACORN... is unforgivable.

Obama will finish the job of ruining this country started by George W. Bush...but Barack will prove to be the catalyst to the final fall of America and the ending of the American way of life.

[simplemind2]

"Posted by TheMasses1 at 05:15 PM : Oct 22, 2008"

TheMasses1,
Das ist genug.
This is a civilized forum.
There is no need to call McCain "ein Schweins"!

[artestfan]

Did Sarah have an extra-martial affair with a Black Man while she was a Mayor? This person is supposed to go public sometime before the election.

[liberal4sure]

Mccain was endorsed by Al Queda today, it is on Huffington Post front page and CNN is carrying it also. That only confirms his connections with the deadly group PNAC which he is a signer of their original charter to continue war throughout the world. Google PNAC and mccain. It is chilling.

[liberal4sure]

Mccain was endorsed by Al Queda today, it is on Huffington Post front page and CNN is carrying it also. That only confirms his connections with the deadly group PNAC which he is a signer of their original charter to continue war throughout the world. Google PNAC and mccain. It is chilling.

[liberal4sure]

Palin is a clueless, pathological liar who should be no where near the White House. She has lied repeatedly including lying that she wasn''t found guilty of ethics violations when indeed she was. She should be in jail not running for VP.

[newslink]

MCcain should become invisible with him. This is the first time Bush has really looked good. After hearing MCcain/Palin.