George Bush keeps a low profile
on election day
Spends election day in the White House
By Alex Spillius
Daily Telegraph, November 4, 2008
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See Article III.1 Manipulating
Intelligence and Lying to Justify War
| |
George W Bush spent election day
in the White House, after playing an all but
invisible role in the campaign of fellow Republican
Senator John McCain.
Source: Reuters
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The US president transferred to Washington after
a long weekend at his Camp David retreat in Maryland,
and was said by officials to planning watch the election
on television and celebrate his wife Laura's 62nd
birthday.
He had no public events on Monday or Tuesday, not
even an Election Day photo opportunity. He sent his
postal vote to Texas last week.
With a mere 26 per cent approval rating, Mr Bush
was expected to keep a low profile in John McCain's
campaign. When Mr McCain visited the White House to
receive the president's endorsement on March 5, the
president said: "If he wants me to show up, I
will."
Since then the two politicians have appeared in public
together for a total of 12 minutes.
Though Mr Bush has participated in fund-raisers for
84 Congressional candidates, from which the public
and media are routinely excluded, he has only been
seen in the campaign in Democratic television ads
that regularly tie him to Republican candidates. Congressional
Republicans, however, rarely – if ever –
mention his name on the stump.
Asked if Mr Bush feels unloved by his party, White
House deputy press secretary Tony Fratto said: "I
haven't had this kind of conversation with him, but
I don't believe he takes it personally. He's been
in politics his entire life – he's been around
it his entire life – and he knows that it's
a rough-and-tumble business."
Mr Bush, who is standing down after the maximum two
terms, is not the first problematic incumbent.
In 2000 Democratic presidential contender Al Gore
kept President Bill Clinton, scarred by a sex scandal
and impeachment, at arm's length too.
But Clinton did campaign for the Democrats on his
own right up to Election Day, speaking at rallies
coast to coast, making calls to radio stations and
doing interviews.
