Big Bush donors not giving to McCain

WASHINGTON, July 1 (UPI) -- U.S. President George Bush's major contributors have yet to sign on with U.S. Sen. John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate to succeed Bush.

Only 43 percent of Bush's major contributors in 2004 had donated to McCain by May 31, The Boston Globe reports. About 25 percent had made contributions to another Republican primary candidate or even to a Democrat, and about one-third had made no contributions at all.

The Globe examined the contributions of the Bush Rangers and Pioneers. In addition to donating money themselves, Rangers took in at least $200,000 in contributions from others and Pioneers $100,000. Well less than half the group have been involved in actively raising money for McCain, the newspaper said.

Bush has appeared at a number of fundraisers. Given Bush's low poll numbers, however, he and McCain have avoided joint public appearances. In at least one case, an event was moved from a public venue to a private house.

McCain spokesman Brian Rogers suggested that the low turnout of Bush loyalists is a good sign, referring to one of the Democrats' major claims about the Republican candidate.

"It appears you've proved that John McCain isn't Bush's third term after all," Rogers told the Globe.