Opinion: Separate checks for this dinner, please

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President Bush’s slumping public popularity and the fact that Republicans are now in the congressional minority seem to be combining to hurt their fundraising. Not surprisingly, lobbyists who buy most of the tickets do love the folks in power more.

As we reported here earlier today, Bush remains the GOP’s fundraiser-in-chief. But an annual fundraising dinner for congressional Republicans in Washington this evening with the chief executive as the big draw generated only $15.4 million. Still a sizeable chunk of change, but nothing like the $27 million raised at last year’s event. In 2004 and 2005 the dinners with Bush raked in $23 million each.

Despite an opening speech miscue detailed in an earlier Top of the Ticket item this evening, the crowd heard an optimistic Bush speak for 20 minutes. He noted that if Republican candidates took ‘the hopeful message of helping others realize the blessings of liberty, that we will retake the House and retake the Senate and hold the White House in 2008.’

At a similar national Republican party gala last month (boy, they seem to have a lot of those in D.C., don’t they?), Bush helped draw in $10.5 million, versus $17 million last year and a record $38.5 million in 2004 when he was running for reelection.

This is, apparently, an off-year for elections in more ways than one.

--Andrew Malcolm