Nbadan
07-03-2006, 03:12 AM
NYT: A New Partnership Binds Old Republican Rivals
By JIM RUTENBERG and ADAM NAGOURNEY
Published: July 3, 2006
Senator John McCain and President Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, during the 2004 campaign. Mr. Rove, who once disliked Mr. McCain, has told associates that they drew close in that election season.
After years of competitive and often contentious dealings, President Bush and Senator John McCain of Arizona are building a deepening if impersonal relationship that is serving the political needs of both men.
Given their history of intense rivalry and sometimes personally bitter combat, their newfound partnership is seen by some Republicans as born more of political calculation than personal evolution. Either way, it could prove valuable to Mr. McCain in his efforts to win the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 by sending a signal to Mr. Bush's conservative base and fund-raising network that, at a minimum, the White House will not stand in the Arizonan's way.
***
The president had Mr. McCain to the White House three times in one week recently to talk about how Mr. Bush should make the case for the war in Iraq and how to break the wall of conservative opposition to the immigration measures proposed by both men. Mr. McCain was back in the Oval Office again on Tuesday to talk about ways to win approval of the line-item veto....
***
"I've tried, when his numbers went down, to be more supportive and outspoken, because I'd love to pick him up," Mr. McCain said....."He calls me Johnny Mac," Mr. McCain said....(T)he president appears to have stronger ties to Mr. McCain than to the other likely presidential candidates....
***
(S)ome of Mr. McCain's supporters made it clear in interviews that the McCain camp viewed Mr. Bush's brother Jeb, the governor of Florida, as an ideal running mate for Mr. McCain....Mr. Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, was said by associates to have put aside his suspicion and dislike of Mr. McCain. The two spent time together during the 2004 campaign when, Mr. Rove told associates, they drew close. Mr. Rove gave Mr. McCain a pair of antique Theodore Roosevelt presidential cufflinks at the end of that race.
NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/03/us/03mccain.html?hp&ex=1151985600&en=4413651bd6a4b111&ei=5094&partner=homepage)
McCain knows that he can't win without the backing of the NeoCons because they control the e-votes and the money.
By JIM RUTENBERG and ADAM NAGOURNEY
Published: July 3, 2006
Senator John McCain and President Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, during the 2004 campaign. Mr. Rove, who once disliked Mr. McCain, has told associates that they drew close in that election season.
After years of competitive and often contentious dealings, President Bush and Senator John McCain of Arizona are building a deepening if impersonal relationship that is serving the political needs of both men.
Given their history of intense rivalry and sometimes personally bitter combat, their newfound partnership is seen by some Republicans as born more of political calculation than personal evolution. Either way, it could prove valuable to Mr. McCain in his efforts to win the Republican presidential nomination in 2008 by sending a signal to Mr. Bush's conservative base and fund-raising network that, at a minimum, the White House will not stand in the Arizonan's way.
***
The president had Mr. McCain to the White House three times in one week recently to talk about how Mr. Bush should make the case for the war in Iraq and how to break the wall of conservative opposition to the immigration measures proposed by both men. Mr. McCain was back in the Oval Office again on Tuesday to talk about ways to win approval of the line-item veto....
***
"I've tried, when his numbers went down, to be more supportive and outspoken, because I'd love to pick him up," Mr. McCain said....."He calls me Johnny Mac," Mr. McCain said....(T)he president appears to have stronger ties to Mr. McCain than to the other likely presidential candidates....
***
(S)ome of Mr. McCain's supporters made it clear in interviews that the McCain camp viewed Mr. Bush's brother Jeb, the governor of Florida, as an ideal running mate for Mr. McCain....Mr. Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, was said by associates to have put aside his suspicion and dislike of Mr. McCain. The two spent time together during the 2004 campaign when, Mr. Rove told associates, they drew close. Mr. Rove gave Mr. McCain a pair of antique Theodore Roosevelt presidential cufflinks at the end of that race.
NY Times (http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/03/us/03mccain.html?hp&ex=1151985600&en=4413651bd6a4b111&ei=5094&partner=homepage)
McCain knows that he can't win without the backing of the NeoCons because they control the e-votes and the money.