As the 2008 US elections for the White House and Congress nears, US President George W. Bush has said that he is ready to campaign for the GOP. Bush has already said that he would help raise funds for presumed GOP presidential nominee Senator John McCain of Arizona.
However, this places McCain in a very tight spot. This could be considered a third balancing act that McCain must juggle.
The first balancing act for McCain is between the Latino voting bloc and the conservative Republicans. So far, McCain has yet to get the support from the conservative bloc of the GOP. McCain has said that he needed the support from that bloc if he is to win the US presidency. GOP strategists have said that McCain would need to be in good standing with the Latino community.
So far, McCain’s stance on immigration is appealing to the Latino community. However, the same stance alienates McCain from the GOP’s conservative bloc.
The second balancing act is in regards to climate change. McCain has addressed the issue of the environment as a means to appeal to other Independent voters. At the same time, McCain alienates himself from the rest of the GOP constituency.
The issue of Bush’s support is a third balancing act. While many within the GOP want to distance themselves from Bush, they need him for his ability to raise major funds. McCain has split from Bush on climate change. However, McCain sides with Bush on Iraq and opposition to the expansion to the G.I. Bill.
Last week, the approval rating of Bush is now at twenty-three according to a poll by Reuters/Zogby. The approval rating of Congress is at eleven percent.
In short, McCain and the GOP face a difficult uphill battle. House Republicans have launched the “Change You Deserve” message after many have felt that the party’s reputation has been flushed down the toilet.
Also, House Republicans have lost seats in primarily Republican districts to Democrats.
While Bush is crucial to raising funds for the GOP, it comes with heavy baggage. According to Larry Sabato, the director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, Bush is hurting the GOP candidates for the House and the Senate.
Sabato adds that McCain’s fate may rest upon Bush’s approval rating. As the GOP itself faces a tough battle against Democrats, McCain faces a difficult battle for the US Presidency.
At the same time, one must not forget about the Ron Paul Revolution started by Republican Representative Ron Paul of Texas. The Ron Paul Revolution is another thing that the GOP should not overlook as well.