President Bush Returns To Peoria

It isn't uncommon for a sitting President to help campaign for other political candidates of the same party. I don't think there's anything wrong with an endorsement or some good words to say about someone from the leader of the free world. But President Bush's upcoming trip to help fundraise for Illinois representative Aaron Schock is sort of rubbing me the wrong way.

For starters, how much are the US taxpayers going to have to pay to have the President's entourage and Secret Service come out to Peoria to help out the "boy wonder?" How much alone is the jet fuel for Air Force One going to cost?

Then the Office of the President is "cheapened" by charging $500 a plate to have dinner with the President; and a mere $5,000 to have your picture taken with him (according to CJ Summers). And all this money to raise funds for Aaron Schock, the Republican candidate for the 18th Congressional District. Of course, this isn't the only time a sitting President has used the office and influence to raise money for candidates. It has been done on both sides of the aisle; remember the flack of President Bill Clinton offering sleepovers in the Lincoln bedroom. At least that didn't leave US taxpayers footing a huge travel invoice.

Maybe it's just me, but a President using his authority and title, which is given to him by the People, is used to raise money for whomever that President chooses doesn't sit right. It would be different if the President did this to raise money for a legitimate charity.

And Ray LaHood bringing in President Bush to help stump for Schock tells me that either local Republicans are fearing Colleen Callahan more than I previously thought, or local Republicans fear that many fellow Republicans have jumped ship and are leaning towards Callahan. Remember, the Republicans spent a lot of money getting Schock elected in the 92nd District, and after 4 short years, the "boy genius" has abandoned the 92nd for his next career move.

Common Sense of it All: I don't know if it's the PR you want to have to obtain the endorsement from a President with less than a 30% approval rating.