It's pretty amazing when a sitting President and your ties to his failed policies are the number one liability to your run for the Oval Office. Despite any real attempt to define McCain as Bush44, the public already sees the connection loud and clear. I've seen conservative after conservative go on TV today to talk about how mavericky John McCain really is. Nonsense. On the two most important issues this country faces -- Iraq and the economy -- John McCain is on the same exact page as George W. Bush.

MSNBC:

Sen. Barack Obama’s ties to the Rev. Jeremiah Wright could hurt his presidential hopes. So could his comment about “bitter” small-town America clinging to guns and religion. And Americans might question Sen. Hillary Clinton’s honesty and trustworthiness. But according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, the bigger problem appears to be John McCain's ties to President Bush. In the survey, 43 percent of registered voters say they have major concerns that McCain is too closely aligned with the current administration.

Wow.