WurfWhile

It wasn’t late at night. It wasn’t an undisclosed location (and with a day or so of public notice ahead - it was actually well-publicized by the standards of the secretive Bush Administration). Today President George W. Bush raised $1.2 million for gubernatorial candidate Judy Baar Topinka despite a George Will Chicago Sun-Times column in April that said,

“Topinka says Karl Rove urged her to run, hoping to offset in Illinois a probable gubernatorial loss in New York. Would she like President Bush to campaign for her? An aide says, not exactly: ”We just want him to raise money.’ Topinka does not demur as the aide adds: ‘Late at night.’ Pause. ‘In an undisclosed location.’”

While Governor Rod Blagojevich’s troubles make things easier for Judy, it will be harder for Judy to run away from the president’s embrace now that it’s seen the light of day. It wouldn’t surprise me if this is the very calculation that led Judy to take the much needed money given Bush’s low approval ratings - Rod provided the opening.

John Lasch, Democratic candidate for the 14th Congressional District has pictures from Bush’s Aurora visit - and a link to Lynn Sweet’s coverage. Lynn also blogs Bush’s speech in Chicago at the Judy Baar Topinka fundraiser. It’s understandable at these things that introductions of minor characters may be ‘less than perfect’ - my favorite here is after a series of statewide candidates are introduced by Bush he turns his sights to recent gubernatorial candidate Senator Bill Brady and says, “Senator Bill Brady. He’s not running for anything statewide, but he’s here.” Very distinguished. I’m sure Bill was smiling - I can guess what he was thinking.