http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0508/10599.html
Bush scales back McCain events
By MIKE ALLEN
President Bush is scaling back next week’s fundraising swings for Sen.
John McCain (R-Ariz.) at the request of the campaign, which wants the
events closed to the press, POLITICO has learned.
The change — in both Arizona and Utah — is part of McCain’s delicate
effort to find the balance between embracing an unpopular president and
taking advantage of his huge continuing draw with well-heeled
Republicans.
The Arizona event, which was to be at the Phoenix Convention Center, was
the first time Bush was to have appeared with McCain since their White
House meeting in March.
A McCain aide said: “The McCain campaign has a policy that fundraising
events are closed press. In keeping with that policy, the campaign
requested the event be moved to a private home.”
On Tuesday, the president was to appear with McCain at the Phoenix
Convention Center at a McCain for President and Republican National
Committee Victory Reception.
And on Wednesday, Bush was to appear at Salt Lake City’s Grand America
Hotel with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at a McCain for
President and Republican National Committee Victory Reception (followed
by a more exclusive dinner at the Romneys’ Park City home).
Now, both of the public events will be at private residences.
As recently as Wednesday, Salt Lake media were saying the event would be
at the Grand America.
A White House official gave the same explanation as the McCain campaign:
“As you know, we have a practice of having fundraisers in public venues
as open to press and fundraisers in private residences closed to press to
preserve the hosts' privacy. The [McCain campaign’s] practice has been to
have all fundraisers be closed. And so a decision was made to move the
location to comply with the practices.”
The Phoenix Business Journal re****ts that other factors also played a
part: “Sources familiar with the situation said the Bush-McCain event was
not selling enough tickets to fill the Convention Center space, and that
there were concerns about more anti-war protesters showing up outside the
venue than attending the fundraiser inside.”
A private reception at the Phoenix Convention Center event was going to
cost $25,000, while a larger reception was $1,000, or $2,300 with a lapel
pin.
At the Salt Lake hotel, a host-committee luncheon was open to those who
raised or contributed $10,000 per person, while the larger reception was
$500 per person.
The Park City dinner is open to those who raise or contribute $70,100 per
couple, or $30,800 per person.
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What a waste of time.... but it is funny watching McBush try to run away
from the toxic little snot-rag ...
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AW
<small but dangerous>
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