Posted on 02/06/2006 5:56:11 PM PST by wagglebee
With the 2008 presidential election less than three years away, more than a few members of President Bush's campaign team have begun to migrate to the current GOP frontrunner, Sen. John McCain.
According to Newsweek magazine, Mark McKinnon, Bush's longtime media adviser, has told the president he's ready to leap aboard McCain's "Straight Talk Express," unless brother Jeb or Condoleezza Rice change their minds and get into the race.
Among Bush fundraisers, the biggest catch, says Newsweek, is Tom Loeffler, a former congressman from San Antonio, who is a Bush-family loyalist and helped build Bush's money machine in 2000.
Ron Weiser, who was Bush's finance chairman in Michigan in 2000, has also joined McCain.
However, in a bizarre observation considering the Arizona maverick's frontrunner status, McKinnon told Newsweek: "I'd rather lose with McCain than win with somebody else."
Other presidential hopefuls scouting for campaign talent include Tennessee Sen. Bill Frist, Virginia Sen. George Allen and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.
Notably absent from the competition: former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was leading McCain in most GOP presidential preference polls last year - but has done little to advance a presidential bid lately.
If you liked Bob Dole in '96, you'll really love John McCain in '08. Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory by nominating dinosaurs.
Better McCain than the serpent Hillary.
McCain!?!?! AAARRGGGGHHH!!
McCain is the candidate, I stay home. No more Dole's, thank you.
George Allen/Mike Pence
Never the Manchurian Candidate or the left wing Rudy!
Better our serpent than their's hugh. Nah. Not this guy.
If they can't do better than McCain, they don't deserve my vote.
dinosaurs ? Did you think Reagan was one too back when he was campaigning in '79-'80 at nearly 70 years of age ?
Dole never had any chance of beating Clinton and everyone knew it. Mccain has every chance (and likely the best chance) of keeping another Clinton out of the White House, however.
>>However, in a bizarre observation considering the Arizona maverick's frontrunner status, McKinnon told Newsweek: "I'd rather lose with McCain than win with somebody else." <<
...but Mark McKinnon is a democrat.
Repubs go Dhimwit - film at 11.
:+(
I think it will definitely be George Allen in the top spot. The VP nomination may depend a lot on what states he/she can deliver. I like Pence, but it may be somebody with more name recognition.
ANy of u purists want a Shrill for a President better back any Repubby who runs against her....I think most of the nation will as well...she can't do it...she is vitril and caustic, nasty and a extremist.
Yep, and McCain will beat Hillary like a cheap drum.
Ummm...I think you posted to the wrong person.
This is a good thing.
They'll fix McCain alright, and his campaign will leak like a sieve. He will get no traction. (It's like the Clintons depositing Dean at the DNC... set him up to fail, have a plan B that makes you look really smart)
I respect McCain's service to our country, there's no argument with that.
But the man's a lunatic, no two ways about it.
Well, if the S.S. McCain sinks, they can always leave and get on board one that floats. But I must say this appears to me to be a foolish move.
There's not much to choose between hillary and mcMainiac. Electing either one of them would risk destroying the country.
McCain has a real potential to sway a huge number of conservative democrats. He may have a beef with hard line conservatives because of SC 2000, but I can definitely live with McCain. There is no way I am staying home in '08, unless I want to wake up depressed on the morning of Nov 3.
I've never voted for a third party before......a guess there's a first time for everything.
I'm not to proud to vote for McPain if that's what it takes to defeat Hitlery.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.