Washington (CNN) - House Republicans are pushing back on Democratic efforts to frame the 2010 midterm elections as a referendum on Republican policies adopted when George W. Bush was President, arguing the election is about the "Obama-Pelosi agenda."
"They can spin, they can sing, they can dance naked in the streets to say it's about Bush, but he's neither in the White House nor on the ballot," said Oregon Republican Greg Walden, deputy chairman of the House GOP campaign committee, talking about Democrats, Tuesday.
But while the GOP wants to focus their message on the Democratically controlled Congress, they aren't asking for any help from former President George W. Bush on the campaign trail this year.
Texas Republican Congressman Pete Sessions, who chairs the campaign committee, said he hasn't asked the former President to stump for candidates. He told reporters Tuesday that GOP candidates already "have their footing" in their races and noted that the former President has not participated in any political activities since he left office.
"He has not been involved. He does not do fundraisers. He's said to us 'I'm not interested in doing it' and that's goes back to the day he left," Sessions said.
In contrast, the White House and Congressional Democrats have already invited President Bill Clinton on the trail and are expected to draft him to visit more districts this fall. Clinton stumped for Pennsylvania Democrat Mark Critz, who won a special election in May to fill the seat of the late Rep John Murtha, D-Pennsylvania. The former President also helped out Senator Blanche Lincoln hold off a challenge from a fellow Democrat in his home state of Arkansas last month.
From CNN Politics
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He sure is heck AIN'T on the ballot but the mess he caused is taking its toll on this country. I wish that each and every one of those republican you know what's that supported him get kicked out of congress. If the country did what they should they would be kicked out of the country. Any bunch of supposed to be grown up people that act the way they do, trying to slam the poor and middle class and sticking their heads up the butt of the rich and corporations are not American citizens. And goodness knows they should all go to the moon for all I care. They wouldn't last long where ever they go, they can't govern themselves out of a paper bag.
The damage he and the rest of the Republicans did to this country continues. They never saw a tax break for the rich they didn't like, tax breaks to their corporate buddies, wars, non-bid contracts, deregulation. The list goes on and on and on.
Republicans – You can't yell do-over. We will be paying for your foolishness for decades!
George W. Bush may not be on the ballot himself this November...but those who want to bring back his wrong-headed policies WILL be...
They are called Republicans. To vote for a Republican is to vote for the failed policies of George W. Bush.
We still operate under Bush, Cheny and Karl Rove policies most of them haven't expired yet!
Bush may not be on the ballot, but his policies are. Most of the Republicans are saying we need to return to the same policies that Bush espoused, which are the very same policies that got us into this mess.
That's funny. According to the GOP, Bill Clinton was to blame for everything bad that happened to the U.S. from 2001 to 2009. In fact, Bush definitely IS on the ballot since literally EVERYTHING he did (and which the Republican-led Congress rubberstamped) was a disaster.
... but his failed policies are. You want to go back to them , just rewind and watch Sundays's new shows.
Sorry, we won't stop reminding voters of how you almost ruined this great country
Signed,
REAL PATRIOT
As if they didn't all march in LOCK-STEP when he was in office. They're on the hook for everything he did and what's more, they don't seem to want to do ANYTHING differently. They are sheep who can only bleat "cut taxes" to ensure another big dollop of COLD HARD CASH to the campaign coffers. Their other mantra is "NO." As in no thoughts, no ideas, no plan. Can anyone really want these people running things again?
Very telling eally that the Republicans don't want any mention of Mr. Bush in the next election. Do you thing they are afraid of:
The worst terrorist attack in history on our shores?
The most vacation time by a sitting President?
The biggest economic crash since 1929?
The smallest job production (1 million) over 8 years?
From a surplus to giant deficits?
Two wars off of the books- neither planned for, or completed?
Massive deregulation that we're living with now with BP, bad pharmacueticals, bad food, bad cars, etc.?
How about those $1.3 trillion tax cuts for the wealthiest 1% of Americans?
They don't want to run on those?
I don't know...their ideas still sound the same.
His policies are, including those DUMB tax cuts for the RICHEST 2%...
Nice try GOP, but as usual, you're just a pathetic, no good, racist bunch of morons who try to fool and scare people all the time.
W is very much on the ballot this year, and will be again in '12. The demmies are going to turn "wants to bring back Bush!" into a stock accusation similar to the pubbers classic "tax and spend liberal".
The Republicans are going to have to come up with some proposals that are very different from the W administration if they want to return to power. Good luck with that, with the Tea Partiers dragging the GOP even further in the wrong direction
Of course Bush is casting shadow, it's called the "blame game". Blame Bush for all the problems the present administration has created; it's the way Washington is run and controlled. Always point the finger but never take the blame.
He doesn't need to be on the ballot since the gop insists they want to return to his policies of massive spending on tax cuts for the rich, no?
Deficits matter except when they're for these tax cuts, which is exactly how we went from surplus to deficit. so, it doesn't really matter that GWB himself isn't on the ballot, does it?
And it's a very dark shadow indeed.
OMG! Will GOP never move forward? Bush left this country in a recession and in debt! Obama should shove that message down the GOP's throat.
This congress (A Dem Congress) has controlled everthing since 2006... prior to that all was well...
Throw them out... 4 years to ruin a decade of growth...
Bye...
George Bush may not be on the 2010 ballot, but the people who supported his craziness are, and they want to take our country back to the brink of depression. They want to extend his irresponsible tax cuts for the wealthy, maintain his war with no end game, attack our constitution, throw Americans under the bus in favor of corporations, and make sure our jobs are shipped overseas.
THANK GOD G.W.BUSH IS NOT ON BALLET.but his same old worn out buddys are.tax cuts tax cuts for rich.WHAT ELSE DO THEY HAVE.COME ON AMERICA.WAKE UP
Soory republicants you can't hide from the facts on this one. You guys took us down this long dark road we are on with no headlights, now it's time to turn them on to see what you got us into.
Then let's hear them say the Bush POLICIES are not on the ballot.
Got ya.
It's not about Bush himself, its all about the Bush era GOP agendas that got us into this socialogical, economic, deregularatory, and deficit mess we are currently mired in. Additionally, the Iraqi and Afganistani wars that hold bills in the Trillions of dollars for little or no gain. Apparently, the GOP has learned little to nothing. Bush Era is just a time period when a whole lot of bad legislation occurred. It is interesting to note that President Bush is not 'crowing' loud and proud of all the good that has occurred during his Presidency. Why anyone would want to go down that path again is beyond all reasonable comprehension.
Bush's destructive policies was on the ballot and on our backs, shoulders, bank accounts, credit cards, mortgage, student loans, employment (lack of), two wars...just to name a few. His policies obviously had and continue to have a LONG LASTING affect!!!!! Try again...republi-CONS.
Don't worry, we know what you stand for GOP and it doesn't matter who does the stumpin' for you. We know who's side you're on and we're done. You're even more weighted to the right now than ever before. Bye-bye now.
Would you want GB stumping for you??? Get real. The repos have no new ideas and the old ones stink