Obama: McCain "Doesn't Want to be Seen" With Bush
From CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic:
LAS VEGAS -- Barack Obama took a swipe at John McCain today for holding a closed fundraiser with President Bush, accusing him of trying to hide his ties to the current administration. "He's holding a fundraiser with George Bush behind closed doors in Arizona. No cameras. No reporters. And we all know why," Obama said at a town hall meeting here. "Sen. 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 has linked McCain to Bush and Dick Cheney for months now, arguing that McCain will continue many of their policies. "On issue after issue, John McCain is offering more of the same policies that have failed for the last eight years," Obama said. "That's the agenda that he and the president are raising money to support later today."
A McCain spokesman said Obama was trying to divert attention away from more substantial issues. "It isn't surprising that Barack Obama is trying to disguise his own lack of depth and weak leadership on economic issues with political generalizations and superficial attacks," said Tucker Bounds. He added that all of McCain's fundraisers are closed to the media.
Until recently, Obama's fundraisers have been closed to the press as well. Currently, the campaign has a print pool reporter at all public fundraisers; however, cameras are not allowed. Fundraisers held at the homes of private citizens are closed to all media.