For some reason, the media seems to have bought the idea coming from GOP candidates that if Bush comes to their states, helps them raise money and rally the GOP faithful, it's not campaigning. That's the very essence of campaigning:
In Michigan, Mike Bouchard, the Republican challenger to Senator Debbie Stabenow, said he was campaigning on economic issues, not security. Although Mr. Bush will visit Michigan on Friday to raise money for Mr. Bouchard at the end of what the White House sees as a successful week, the two men will not campaign together, Mr. Bouchard said.By showing up in Michigan and Missouri, Bush IS campaigning for the Jim Talents and Mike Bouchards of the Republican party.
“I appreciate his support, and he’s going to help me raise valuable resources,” he said. “But the focus of my campaign is Michigan: I’m on the ballot.”
Similarly, Mr. Bush will appear at a fund-raiser on the same day for Senator Jim Talent of Missouri, another endangered Republican. Mr. Talent’s aides said that the president and Mr. Talent would not campaign together, continuing a pattern in which Republican candidates in tough races have distanced themselves from Mr. Bush even as they have taken advantage of his ability to raise money for them.
It is particularly incredulous for Jim Talent to pretend that he and Bush aren't totally in synch. Fired Up Missouri busts Talent's for trying to rewrite the history of 2002 when Bush campaigned for him five times and appeared in Talent's t.v. ads.
Just because GOP candidates say that Bush isn't campaigning for them, doesn't make it true -- especially when Bush is coming to their states for events. The idea that doing a campaign event that raises money is somehow not a campaign event is a distinction without a difference.
