Bush: “I support Norm Coleman!” Coleman: “But no photos of me with Bush, please—“

Well, if you go by what a handful of plutocrats think, Bush is still a fine president and Norm Coleman should be re-elected:

President Remains A Skilled Fundraiser
But Low Ratings Have Had an Effect
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/04/AR2008070402411_pf.html

LITTLE ROCK --

...His popularity rating in national polls is dismally low, and the presumptive Republican nominee, John McCain, is doing his best to avoid him, but Bush remains a formidable force on the GOP fundraising circuit during his final months in office...

But Bush's fundraising prowess is not without its limits, in large part because of his stubbornly low approval ratings. All but four of Bush's fundraising events this year have been held inside closed dinners or behind the tall fences and manicured gardens of wealthy private homes, such as the ones in Jackson and Little Rock...

The limos pull up, they sneak in with the checkbooks..."no, don't worry, there's no press here, Mr. President. No, you won't have to pose for a picture with him, Mr. GOP candidate, don't worry--"

Most notably, Bush the fundraiser has crossed paths only once with McCain, a senator from Arizona, when the president appeared at three closed-door events in Arizona and Utah in late May. The two men emerged for a single public photo opportunity on the tarmac at the Phoenix airport; their appearance together lasted less than 30 seconds.

"I have to stand next to him for thirty seconds? Is that really necessary?"
"We don't want it to look like you're avoiding him, Senator McCain, and it only takes about three seconds to get a photo--"
"PHOTO? Of ME, with HIM?"
"You don't have to look like you're talking to him, just stand next to him. If anybody asks us about it later, we can say you didn't know he was standing there--"

In addition, Sens. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) and John Cornyn (R-Tex.) had the president in their states last year for private fundraisers without photographs, Democrats said. This is a particularly stark contrast for the class of Republican incumbents elected in 2002, such as Coleman and Chambliss, for whom Bush stumped in large public settings in the final weeks of that campaign season.

Private fundraisers, as in: "no media allowed," "no photographs, just checks please." For Republicans like Norm Coleman, getting your photo taken with George W. Bush cancels out the positive effect of any checks made out to your campaign.

"Almost without exception, the Republican candidate sneaks Bush in, wants no cameras, no pictures," said Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "When you have to hide the president, you know you're in trouble."

Bush: Hey, Norm, I never did thank you properly for chairing my re-election campaign in Minnesota--
Coleman: SHH! For Christ's sake, keep your voice down, there's people here--
Bush: But I--
Coleman: Look--until after November--I don't know you, you don't know me. Glad you could make it tonight, here's your hat, coat, use the back door on your way out, okay?
Bush: But I raised--
Coleman: (hustling Bush out of room) So long...stranger. (turning to person next to him) Never saw him before in my life. (gathering up the money) I'm not even really here, as a matter of fact. You never saw me.

One of Bush's few public fundraisers came last month in suburban Detroit, garnering $750,000 for the Michigan Republican Party. "We love you!" one woman yelled from a crowd estimated at 325 people.

Wow. Three hundred and twenty five people gave $750,000 at one event! How many of those folks do you think work at a WalMart? How many of them do you think have kids currently serving in Iraq or Afghanistan? The millionaire's club survives and thrives, during the worst presidency ever. But no pictures with him. Please.