Bush rallies party troops

WITHOUT naming John McCain, US President George W Bush marshalled the conservative wing of the Republican Party yesterday to back the presumed presidential nominee for the upcoming battle against the Democratic Party.

“The stakes in November are high. This is an important election. Prosperity and peace are in the balance,” Mr Bush told about 2,000 people attending the Conservative Political Action Conference. “So with confidence in our vision and faith in our values, let us go forward, fight for victory and keep the White House in 2008.”

The ballroom erupted in cheers when someone shouted “Are there Conservatives in the house?” When the president walked on stage, they clapped and chanted, “Four more years! Four more years!”

Mr Bush is not ready to weigh in formally on the election, even though Mitt Romney announced on Thursday that he was suspending his campaign, virtually sealing the nomination for Mr McCain.