The Bush campaign is picking up energy as the Republican convention nears. John McCain would seem to be an important ally.
Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain, once courted by Democrat presidential candidate John Kerry, is emerging as a major force in the re-election campaign of President Bush, who vanquished McCain in the 2000 Republican primary.Republican officials said plans are in the works for McCain to appear with Bush on the campaign trail during the week of the Republican convention in New York that will nominate Bush for a second term. Then the plan is for them to campaign together immediately after the convention.
This comes after the veteran senator traveled with the president last week to Florida, New Mexico and Arizona and spent the night at Bush's Crawford, Texas, ranch, where they are said to have gotten along famously.
"It helps having him stand by my side," Bush said during a stop with McCain in Niceville, Florida, last week.
Rick Davis, who was McCain's 2000 campaign manager, said McCain and Bush are getting to know each other better and have spent more time together in the past month than in Bush's entire term.
NPR reported today that the campaign swing through Minnesota and Wisconsin found noticeably large and enthusiastic crowds. Good.
Posted by Alan at August 19, 2004 11:42 AM