McCain trying to distance self from Bush

WASHINGTON, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- Republican John McCain, trying to boost his numbers in the tight presidential race, has been attempting to put air between him and U.S. President George Bush.

The Arizona senator has stepped up his criticism of the Bush administration, denouncing its financial policies as he tries to position himself as a departure from, not a continuation of, the current administration, The Washington Post reported.

McCain's new stump speech focuses on the administration's handling of the financial crisis, suggesting that the Treasury Department was more interested in "bailing out the banks" rather than helping homeowners avoid foreclosure.

"I am so disturbed that this administration has not done what we have to do, and that is to go out and buy up these bad mortgages," McCain said during a weekend campaign event.

The new focus represents recognition that McCain has not distanced himself sufficiently from the Bush administration to which Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama has linked him.

"The majority of the swing voters don't believe it, but some do, and we have to convince them that we are

different from Bush," a senior McCain campaign adviser told the Post.

Among independents, a Washington Post-ABC News poll indicates 54 percent see McCain as moving in a different direction from Bush, up from 44 percent before the third presidential debate.