First lady Laura Bush
When President Bush wakes up on November 8, he officially becomes a lame duck as Congress looks ahead to the 2008 presidential elections.
Not only does Bush have to contend with members of his own party breaking away from him as they carve out their own identities for potential presidential bids, but he faces the very real possibility Republicans will lose either the House, Senate or both in the midterm elections. Under this scenario, Bush is no longer a lame duck. In legislative terms, he is a dead duck as Democrats will try to block his policy agenda at every turn.
But in the months leading up to November, Bush, his wife and Vice President Cheney are trying to thwart a Democratic takeover of Congress by helping GOP candidates raise money to help fuel their campaigns. It is first lady Laura Bush who is handling most of the fundraising responsibilities this week as she attends six events in five states.
Today, she travels to Chicago, Illinois for a fundraiser for state Sen. Peter Roskam (R), who is running to replace retiring Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Illinois). Tonight, the first lady attends a Republican National Committee fundraiser in St. Louis, Missouri that is expected to raise $500,000, a GOP official tells the Grind. On Wednesday, she attends a fundraising breakfast for Rep. Geoff Davis (R-Kentucky) in Lexington, Kentucky before heading north to Kettering, Ohio for a fundraising lunch for Sen. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio). Following lunch, Bush then travels to Dayton, Ohio to visit the "Wright-Dunbar Village" with Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio). And that evening she closes out her day with a fundraiser for state Rep. Chris Wakim (R), who is challenging Rep. Allan Mollohan (D-West Virginia) for his seat.
So far this election cycle, Bush has raised over $10 million for Republican candidates and party committees, CNN's Research Director Robert Yoon estimates.
She won't be alone on the campaign trail this week. President Bush on Wednesday attends a fundraiser in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for Lynn Swann, the GOP gubernatorial nominee, and Vice President Cheney makes stops in Arizona and New Mexico on Tuesday for "Victory 2006" events.
