Bush Still Raising Money for Rethug Candidates, But No Pictures Please

[NNN0LHI]

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/10/16/bush_still_raising_money_for_c.html

The Republican presidential candidates may not be cozying up to him, but President Bush remains a draw on the party fundraising circuit. Bush made stops on the way to and from a weekend trip to his ranch near Crawford, Tex., to pull in big bucks from moneyed Republicans who are sticking with him despite bad poll numbers.

The two events brought his total for the year to 22 fundraisers for a grand take of $59,855,000, according to the invaluable Mark Knoller of CBS News, unofficial archivist of the White House, not counting the take from a National Republican Senatorial Committee event in July that the committee will not reveal. But if the Republican candidates are eager for the cash Bush can raise, they are not all that excited about being too public about it; so far, 14 of the Bush fundraisers this year have been closed to the press.

Still, the White House wanted to emphasize that Republicans are still willing to pony up big bucks to see the president, even if he has the support of just 33 percent of the public in the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. Bush plans to hit the trail a lot as the congressional campaigns for 2008 begin to heat up and will eventually help whoever emerges as the party's nominee for president, assuming he is asked. "I think you can expect to see him doing a lot more," said deputy White House press secretary Tony Fratto. "People want to see him speak, and he's the leader of the party, and I think you'll see him out there helping to raise money for our candidates and for the parties so that they can be competitive in elections next year."

For all of Bush's political liabilities, incumbency still offers a powerful tool for fundraising. The trappings of the presidency - flying into the local airport aboard Air Force One, closing down streets for the three-dozen-vehicle motorcade, bringing along the entourage of Secret Service agents, staff aides and journalists - are hard to resist for the party faithful. Even during his worst moments of scandal, President Bill Clinton remained a powerful fundraising attraction and Bush too continues to help the bank accounts of his party even if not as much as he might have been able to if times were better.

[bryant69]

1. I wonder if the Republican candidate is going to try to run away from Bush next year

I'm starting to doubt - I would have said totally at one time, but now, maybe they are going to use his legacy? or try to?

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[opihimoimoi]

2. As Donald Trump recently said... BUSH is the Kiss of Death to the Republicans connected to him