Top Republican: McCain will be "Extension" of Bush

In a widely-ridiculed speech last Tuesday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) noted that "you will hear from my opponent's campaign in every speech, every interview, every press release that I'm running for President Bush's third term."

As Thinkprogress reports, those in McCain's inner circle have no confusion that McCain will indeed represent third term of Bush:

Today on ABC's This Week, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) stated unequivocally that McCain's tax and health care policies were not only an extension of Bush's polices but also an "enhancement":

STEPHANOPOULOS: Let me bring Senator Graham back in on this because you brought up two. You said the tax policy and the health care policy were essentially, Senator Graham, John McCain is calling for an extension or maybe enhancement of the Bush policies.

GRAHAM: Yeah, absolutely.

Click Here to watch it.

As the general election campaign begins, it will be increasingly clear that John McCain is the choice for those few Americans who actually thrived under Bush and Cheney, and for Americans who want more of the same failed Republican ideas.

Republicans may tell it differently in order to persuade voters, but amongst themselves, and in their closed door fundraisers, GOP operatives are clear: they want to continue more of the same failed policies.