Does Bush help or hurt McCain?
Calling it a passing of the torch - of sorts.Wednesday afternoon at the White House, President George W. Bush officially endorsed John McCain.
The announcement came less than 24 hours after McCain clinched the Republican Party's presidential nomination by getting the required number of delegates.
"John showed incredible courage, strength of character and perseverance in order to get to this moment and that's exactly what we need in a president, somebody who can handle the tough decisions, somebody who won't flinch in the face of danger," Bush told reporters gathered in the Rose Garden.
The reasons for the photo-op are obvious. Bush remains popular among many conservative Republicans, a group McCain must win over if he's to have any chance in the fall. And you can be sure the cameras were rolling as McCain walked with Bush around the White House grounds - look for these images to show up in McCain campaign ads later this year.
But will it really give McCain a boost with the general public?
New polls show more and more Americans are giving Bush credit for the improved conditions on the ground in Iraq. The change in attitude can benefit McCain too, as a steadfast supporter of the war.
But other, unforeseen events could also help McCain.
A new, international crisis would put the spotlight on experience when it comes to foreign policy, an area where McCain holds a significant edge in the voters' collective mindset when compared to Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.
If you don't think it would make a difference, ask Obama. The spotlight the Clinton campaign and the media shone on the Illinois Senator over the past week clearly lead many voters to take a second, hard look.
And from the results in both Texas and Ohio, it appears they didn't like what they saw.
The economy is another big factor. If the nation slides into a full-fledged recession, McCain will pay the price for the photo op with Bush in the form of ads from the Democrats portraying McCain as nothing more than an extension of Bush and his policies.
McCain faces a hard, tough road to make it back to the White House. You can bet Bush will be there every step of the way, for better or for worse.
Posted by on 03/05 at 04:51 PM
