Elephant walk

George W. is MIA

by Seth Gitell

What ever happened to George W. Bush's post-New Hampshire-humiliation pledge to campaign in all 50 states? His campaign hasn't aired a political advertisement in Massachusetts since February 1. In fact, you'd never know from local television that Bush is in the political fight of his life right now.

Maybe the silence from the Bush camp has something to do with the latest Massachusetts poll numbers. One poll shows McCain leading Bush, 59 points to 32 points. Another has McCain ahead 62 points to 27 points. So much for Governor Paul Cellucci's efforts to deliver the Bay State to Bush. Of course, that's not to say there's nothing he can do for Bush: Cellucci's a Roman Catholic with an Italian name who can defend Bush from charges of anti-Catholic bigotry.

Nevertheless, it seems that Bush is concentrating on the Big Four -- Texas, Florida, California, and New York -- and conceding Massachusetts (and the rest of New England) to McCain. Such a decision does make sense. Massachusetts voters got a firsthand glimpse at both candidates during the New Hampshire campaign, and look how that primary turned out for Bush.

But if many in the Bush camp have written off Massachusetts, they're not saying. "I'm not going to get into what we may or may not do," says Bush campaign spokesman Scott McClellan, speaking from Austin. "Governor Bush is campaigning to win in each and every state. We're confident that we're on our way to winning the nomination."

It's fair to point out, as does Rob Gray, the executive director of Bush's campaign effort in Massachusetts, that the state hasn't seen ads from McCain or Gore yet either.

But Bush is the one who needs the state now.