Very few of the Republican candidates want the President to campaign by their side this year. He's stuck at the White House which is why he's doing yet another press conference today. CNN says he'll be making a "substantial statement" about Iraq. The White House must have a new slogan to replace "stay the course."
Today's NY Times recounts the litany of Republicans who don't want Bush:
One Republican strategist close to the White House, granted anonymity to speak candidly about campaign strategy, said some Republicans — among them Senate candidates in tight races in Missouri, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee — simply do not want their final campaign images to include Mr. Bush, and have spurned White House offers for help.Who does want Bush?
According to the Times, one category is "those facing ethical questions or struggling to recover from gaffes." That includes scandal tainted Republicans like Don "The Choker" Sherwood and Florida's Vern Buchanan "a wealthy car dealer dogged by accusations of business improprieties, [who] is lagging behind his Democratic opponent."
If ethical questions is the standard for a Bush visit, the GOP should immediately schedule trips to Arizona for Rick Renzi now that Renzi is under federal investigation. And, Bush will definitely have to head to Nevada for Jim Gibbons. He's a two-fer between the illegal immigrant he hid in the cellar and the alleged assault on an intoxicated woman who Gibbons was escorting to her car.
