So, Chimpy's poll numbers are in the mid-30's, yet McCain embraces him even tighter than before. (Ewwwww.) Is McCain just monumentally stupid, or does he know that Diebold already has this thing wrapped up for him? Does anyone else find these moves on his part strange, even for a Republican?
McCain continues to deepen ties to Bush camp
Arizona Sen. John McCain continues to deepen his ties to the Bush wing of the Republican Party as he mulls a presidential run in 2008. Those moves are also sparking more criticism of McCain from Democrats bracing for the 2008 White House contest.
McCain's national political action committee, Straight Talk America, earlier this month hired Terry Nelson as a senior adviser. Nelson served as national political director to the Bush-Cheney campaign in 2004. McCain previously brought on board one of Bush's top campaign media consultants, Mark McKinnon.
McCain's push to secure GOP partisans for a 2008 run and his support for Bush has sparked criticism from the Democratic National Committee.
The DNC hit McCain earlier this year for not opposing Bush's preliminary approval of a deal letting a state-owned company from the United Arab Emirates to take over operations at some major U.S. seaports.
The DNC is also criticizing McCain for hiring Nelson. Democrats point to the fact that Nelson served as deputy chief of staff at the Republican National Committee at the same time former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay is accused of illegally funneling money through various GOP organs.
http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2006/03/20/daily37.html