President Bush hits campaign trail

Tue, May 27, 2008 - 2:47 PM

On Air Force One today, Dana Perino said her boss "thinks it's good that we have a two-term limit in the United States."

And you thought you and the president had nothing in common.

Perino continued that Bush believes: "It's good for the country to have that smooth, peaceful transition of power every four or eight years; one where you get new energy and new ideas across the board -- from the President on down, throughout the administration."

The president's spokeswoman also said Bush understands what the candidates are going through, and he likes being able to sit back and observe rather than trying to win an election.

But it is an unusual campaign for the Bush family. Perino noted that this is one of the few presidential campaigns in many years without a Bush on the ticket.

As for McCain's criticisms of Bush and his policies, all's fair in love, war and politics. Perino noted that when Bush and McCain appeared together in the Rose Garden in March, the president recalled that McCain had campaigned for Bush in 2004. They'd made up after the nasty 2000 campaign in which Bush shut down McCain's presidential bid in South Carolina.

"The President believes it's our turn to try to help him, and we'll do that in whatever way he needs," she said.

Bush remains popular with the Republican faithful, if not the overall population, which explains why he's still in demand as a rainmaker.

-- Marsha Mercer