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Bush seizing spotlight briefly to support McCain

(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-08-31 09:45

WASHINGTON - The Democrats had the awkwardness of the Clintons at their convention. Republicans now have their version of a precarious guest: President George W. Bush.

US President George W. Bush (seen here August 28) has assured the US public that he shares their economic worries and urged lawmakers to respond by approving his trade, energy, and tax-cut agenda. [Agencies]

Bush is scheduled to command the stage at the Republican National Convention on Monday. It is in a moment of consequence and opportunity - for both parties.

The president's challenge is to sell the party's faithful, and perhaps even the not-so-faithful, about why John McCain should succeed him. The trick for Bush is avoiding linking his unpopularity too closely to the Arizona senator, who has spent months trying to carve out a niche as his own man.

There was never a doubt Bush would be on the convention schedule. He is the leader of his party, a two-term president. Yet his stay will be brief.

The president speaks on the first night of the convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, which neighbors Minneapolis, though not until the sleepy time of 10:40 pm EDT. Not even staying for the night, he intends to retreat to the hills of the Camp David presidential compound in Maryland for the rest of the week.

Then again, the whole orchestrated affair could be thrown off course if Gustav sticks to its projected track and possibly hits Louisiana, perhaps as a major hurricane, by Tuesday. Bush may need to adjust his schedule to respond, though that decision will be tough to make until the last minute.

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If not, Democrats aching for more chances to say "Bush-McCain" in a single breath will be paying close attention. They are hoping for mileage from portraying a November victory by McCain as a third Bush term, even though McCain over the years has both backed and bucked the president.

"It's tricky," said Bruce Buchanan, a University of Texas political scientist who has tracked the president's career. "Bush's job is to figure out a way to pass the torch in a way that does the least damage."

He can certainly help in one way. Conventions tend to be great motivators for party activists and Bush is sure to get a warm embrace inside the hall. Yet this year's talk, as Bush knows, is about change, and it's not just Democrats who say some is needed.

McCain's campaign is the one that put out an ad saying, "We're worse off than we were four years ago." In other words, at the start of Bush's second term.

The two men have become political allies, and Bush is raising money for McCain. But they have not been seen together since a fleeting handshake three months ago. There are no plans for a reunion at the convention.

In public, Bush displays no frustration about having to do a departing president's dance: stand close when needed, but not too close. Asked this year if showing up for McCain could hurt the candidate more than help him, Bush joked that he would do whatever - endorse McCain, be against him - as long as the Republican beat Democrat Barack Obama.

Aides say Bush feels the same privately. He does not take offense at being distanced. He knows it is just politics.

It so happens that the Democratic convention had its own delicate balance to manage.

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