Bush’s endorsement

I have been waiting for this moment for several weeks. President Bush has finally decided to endorse Senator McCain last Wednesday. This campaign event turned into a non-event. Firstly, I found President Bush’s endorsement very formal. Indeed, President Bush waited Senator McCain on the steps of the White House, they posed inside the White House seating in front of the fire place, and then gave a short press conference in the Rose Garden. The fact that President Bush received John McCain the same way he receives statesmen gives McCain a statesman dimension, but, in the meantime, Bush’s endorsement appeared to be a little bit cold and forced. Secondly, President Bush waited Senator McCain to be sure to win the GOP nomination before receiving him. By doing so, on the one hand President Bush has clearly chosen not to take part to the presidential race, and on the other hand he has chosen not to stand aloof from it.
On John McCain’s side, the question is: will President Bush’s endorsement benefit him? It is a fact that Bush’s popularity has never been so low. However, by being received like a statesman, McCain can boast a picture that none other candidate will. Moreover, by making this endorsement a non-event, it is not an episode of the campaign that the other candidates will usefully use against Senator McCain. In order for McCain to avoid any critics regarding his endorsement, President Bush used a surprising way to endorse Senator McCain: “If my showing up and endorsing him helps him — or if I'm against him and it helps him — either way, I want him to win."