President Bush must be wondering: With friends like John McCain...

President Bush doesn't take it personally.

Sen. John McCain hit him for leaving future generations with a mountain of debt, failing to meet the cost of bigger Medicare expenses, and abusing the power of his office. He said of the Bush years and his own Republican Party: "We just let things get completely out of hand."

But White House Press Secretary Dana Perino brushed it aside today.

McCain dissed the president in an interview with the Washington Times -- not a bunch to lightly dis the prez themselves, at least not the way they go after the Democrats. He went after him again today, while campaigning in Florida, for not moving quickly enough to help homeowners in the housing and credit crisis.

But none of it could bring Perino to suggest the president was unhappy with the Republican presidential nominee.

Here's how she dismissed the matter at the daily White House news briefing:

This is all I'll say on it, is that the president stands by his policies. The president believes that a Republican Congress has got a lot more done than the current Democrat-led Congress. He supports John McCain and he still believes that he can and should win, and he'll continue to support him until election day.

Question: Follow on that, McCain said that the president had let things get completely out of hand. That's a pretty damning statement of a president who McCain supported and supports him.

Perino: I'm not going to comment on the words that our candidate chooses to use.  All I'll say is that the president stands by his policies.  He also stands by John McCain.

Question: Does Bush take it personally at all?

Perino: No, he doesn't.

Now, had Barack Obama said the same words...

-- James Gerstenzang

Photo: Stephan Savoia / Associated Press

Comments

[geek]

George Bush did not treat John McCain with any degree on honor or dignity in the 2000 campaign.

President Bush ran an inept administration and has done a total disservice to the country and the Republican Party.

President Bush is lucky that John McCain has been as restrained as he has been. The negative campaign he should have been running all along is against Bush.

[GoshDarnitSarahPalin]

As geek said President Bush has led one of the worst administrations this country has ever seen.

It is quite sad that it has gotten to this point though. That these kinds or words are coming out of the party.

[laughing all the way]

"our candidate"

hahahaha

[DropBot]

"The president believes that a Republican Congress has got a lot more done than the current Democrat-led Congress."
The only way to make an honest comparison is to have a Democrat in the White house at the same time as a Democrat-led Congress.

[Don]

If McCain wants to talk about the Bush administration's abuse of power, he might first want to tell Palin that the VP doesn't run the Senate.

[Joe the Plumber]

"All I'll say is that the president stands by his policies. He also stands by John McCain."

The rest of Dana's thought: (He also occasionally stands by the riverside to watch the salmon jump... and by the watercooler... or in front of the refrigerator with the door wide open--I hate when he does that.)

It's almost sad to see that all our President can do, in the face of damning statements from the very candidate he endorses, is to stand by (and watch as his party crumbles under the weight of his faulty administration).

[Martuni]

McSame figures that dissing Bush is working For Mr. Obama, so he'll give it a try. He hasn't had an original thought in this campaign so far, why start now.

[willie in Kansas]

Thank you, thank you to the GOP for having brought these great Nation of ours to the brink of financial collapse. Thank you for the way you managed the aftermath of Katrina, thank you for giving us enough strength to look the other way when you lied to us and led us into a war where thousands of young Americans have died for your clumsy arrogance. Thank you for opening the door for John McCain, who since September 29, 2008 finanlly realized what many of us have known for the past 6 years, were losing our jobs, our homes, and we have nowhere to turn to. Thank you, Lord for Nov 4, when ProAmerica will send the GOP packing. Before, Sept 29, 2008 McCain tried to be like Bush, after September 29, 2008 McCain is trying to be more like Obama. On Nov 4th Joe, the dog catcher, is going to be on your trail and you're going to get caught and your pitbull with lipstick, too.

[RCharles]

Obama said it best:
"Sen. McCain is running out of time, out of touch and running out of ideas."

And Sen. McCains team summarized the motivation:
"If we talk about the economy we lose the election."

McCain losing the election... couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys. But they NEED to lose so we can save this country.

RCG

[NinaK]

John McCain dissing President Bush?? My, oh, my, McCain is way past desperation!!! Early on in his campaign McCain boasted about voting 90+ in lockstep with George W. Bush' policies, and he went a step further, "I voted with him more than even the rest of the republicans"!!!

John McCain, YOU voted 90+ for JWB's policies and YOU were VERY PROUD of it!! John McCain, YOU TOO ARE RESPONSIBLE "for leaving future generations with a mountain of debt, failing to meet the cost of bigger Medicare expenses, and abusing the power of his office." "He said of the Bush years and his own Republican Party: "We just let things get completely out of hand." That is absolutely correct, John McCain, YOU, by voting 90+ % for his policies, YOU not only let things get out of hand, YOU WERE ATTACHED TO HIS HIP AND YOU HELPED HIM DO IT!!! Remember, you said, I voted 90+% for George W. Bush' policies, more than even the rest of republicans" Johnny McCain, YOU have NO right to criticize GWB when YOU were in lockstep with him the entire past eight year. John McCain = say anything, do anything to get elected. What a pathetic and untrustworthy character!! Oh, wait, he threw his first wife, Carole, under the bus too. Left her and shacked up with Cindy before even filing for divorce and then got their marriage license BEFORE the divorce was final and married Cindy a month after the divorce was finalized. John McCain, the straight talker, ummm. John McCain has NO values and NO loyalty!! I can understand his wanting to distance himself from President Bush, but dissing him like this goes beyond the pale. Well, folks, this is exactly how he would treat anyone who does not agree with him, you know, like saying the soutern "part of Pennsylvania is the most patriotic and the most God-loving part of the country" Oh, wait, he has already thrown the rest of the United States under the bus. As Sarah Palin would say, Yeah, ya betcha!!

[NinaK]

If McCain wants to talk about the Bush administration's abuse of power, he might first want to tell Palin that the VP doesn't run the Senate.
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John McCain has been away from the Senate for almost two years, showing up for only a few votes only---he missed like 69% of the votes! Perhaps he has forgotten that the veep does not run the senate and that he does "get right in there and makes policies".

[Larry linn]

So, McCain is not George Bush. He is 90% George Bush. Does that make McCain 10% better or 10% worse, than the worst President in the history of the United States?

[Richard]

Now McCain is really confused. He thinks he is still running against George Bush.