Bush's Awkward Embrace

There's something about passing the torch to John McCain that appears to make President Bush very uncomfortable.

At yesterday's pomp-filled endorsement of his would-be successor, Bush came off like a man overcompensating for anxiety with manic bonhomie. Even before McCain's arrival -- when Bush literally began tap-dancing for the press corps as he waited for the Republican nominee's car to pull up to the North Portico -- the president seemed unusually self-conscious and ill at ease.

Which was kind of ironic, given that yesterday's event was far more fraught with peril for McCain than it was for Bush.

When the two men finally emerged for their joint Rose Garden appearance, Bush was rambunctious and domineering. McCain, by contrast, responded to Bush's giddiness with a rigor-mortis smile and some clear indications that he would be keeping Bush at arm's length from this point forward.

McCain stiffly stated that he expected Bush's "heavy schedule" would make the president a rarity on the campaign trail. And while he generically paid his respects, McCain said nothing to indicate that he sought to emulate his host.

It fell to Bush to make the point that a McCain presidency would be four more years of the same -- at least when it comes to the defining theme of the Bush presidency. "There will be a new President, a man of character and courage," Bush said, "but he's not going to change when it comes to taking on the enemy."

Shouting It From the Rooftops

You'll never guess who was the most excited about yesterday's endorsement.

As of this writing, there's no mention of it on the home page of McCain's Web site. There's no mention of it all on the Republican National Committee's home page. In fact, I can't find any mention whatsoever of the event on either Web site at all. (It's like: Bush Who?)

But on the Democratic National Committee Web site, the lead headline blares: "Bush Endorses John McCain as His Successor."

"Since the event was held in the middle of the afternoon we fear that some Americans may miss George Bush's assurances that John McCain would continue the Bush Administrations failed economic and foreign policies," the DNC explains. "As a public service we've posted a video of the press conference for voters to see."

The Coverage

Matt Stearns writes for McClatchy Newspapers that "the event highlighted the difficulty that McCain may have in emerging from the shadow of a president who is no wallflower. Bush was aggressive, verging on bombastic, in the press conference, and he jumped in to answer questions that seemed aimed at McCain.

"'I'm not through, and I'm going to do a lot,' Bush said of his remaining time in office, as McCain smiled by his side. At another point, Bush gave a lengthy answer on the importance of steadfastness in war efforts. McCain then said: 'I don't have anything to add.'"