GOP Is Fleeing From Bush But Not His Money.

Source: AP via Yahoo News

Now pay attention, class! Take heed!

Many worried Republicans on the ballot in November have been pushing away from the White House, not wanting to be dragged under by President Bush's sinking approval ratings and growing anxiety over Iraq. That doesn't mean they're also fleeing his cash offerings, however.

Anything to get re-elected, huh, guys?

Despite approval ratings in the mid-to-upper 30s, Bush remains the nation's most successful fundraiser. Vice President Dick Cheney, whose poll numbers are even lower than Bush's, is not far behind. Both have raised tens of millions of dollars for GOP congressional and gubernatorial candidates running in this year's midterm elections.

Now don't forget that most of their funding is coming from big businesses (like the oil industry) and any other person who stands to gain from Bush being in office. The real Republican base is holding onto their money.

Even as some Republicans are becoming increasingly defiant on a range of issues, they're still lining up dutifully for the president's campaign dollars.

"I would be shocked if a legitimate Republican candidate, not just a fringe candidate, who got word that the president was coming to do a fundraiser said, `no, don't come to my district,'" said GOP consultant Rich Galen.

That said, Republican candidates don't want to be forced off message by such a visit and "have to spend the next two or three days talking about the president's policies ... or what happened yesterday in Ramadi (Iraq)," Galen said.

It has resulted in some fancy GOP footwork as candidates in tight races step away from Bush and Cheney on divisive issues but dance toward them when the subject is money.

As I said, they'll do anything to get re-elected. They're just like pigs who would eat people if they were hungry enough.

And here's the laugh of the day:

At a local GOP gathering in Nevada last weekend, Republican Sen. John Ensign tied himself to Ronald Reagan rather than Bush, saying spending under the Bush administration "has upset me."

Tags: [Bush], [Cheney], [Republicans], [worried Republicans on the ballot in November have been pushing away from the White House], [they're not fleeing from Bush's money, however], [Ronald Reagan saved more money than Bush?]