Laura Bush Pitches For The GOP: "For Bush's birthday, a gift for the whole Party"

USA Today reports:

If it's birthday time for a politician, say it with money.

Republican Rudy Giuliani held a round of birthday fundraisers in New York last month. Bobbie Edwards promised her special pecan pie recipe to anyone who contributed $6.10 for the June 10 birthday of her son, Democrat John Edwards.

Well, someone else's birthday is coming up, and our USA TODAY colleague Kathy Kiely passes along the latest e-mail solicitation. The Republican National Committee has enlisted Laura Bush to make the pitch.

The first lady asks Republicans to sign an e-card to President Bush, who turns 61 on July 6. Also, she writes, "please consider commemorating President Bush's 61st birthday with a gift our entire Party can share." Suggested gift: $61.

Republicans have slipped in fundraising since the Democrats swept Congress last fall. Democratic party committees have seen jumps, meanwhile, and Democratic candidates for president have so far outraised their Republican counterparts.

Bush's Fundraising Dinner Raises $15.4 Million

The Washington Post reports:

President Bush says polls don't matter to him, but his slumping popularity appears to be influencing fellow Republicans in a way that hurts _ money.

Bush's yearly fundraising dinner for Republican congressional candidates on Wednesday generated $15.4 million _ no small amount, but almost half as much as the $27 million the event brought in last year. Bush raised $23 million at the same dinners in 2005 and 2004.

The take at this year's annual gala benefiting the national Republican Party also took in much less than usual.

Bush helped raise $10.5 million at the event last month, compared with $17 million last year, $15 million the year before and a record $38.5 million in 2004, when he was running for re-election.

No matter what the numbers, organizers of the President's Dinner on Wednesday were upbeat.

"We are very excited about the success of this event and the enthusiasm we are seeing from our supporters," said Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee. "Our conference and our supporters are dedicated to reinstating a Republican majority and are working hard to position Republicans for a successful 2008."

The NRCC co-sponsors the dinner with the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The dinner raised $7.9 for House candidates and $7.5 million for Senate candidates.

Democrats seized on the apparent drop in Bush's fundraising prowess.

"Republican Senate candidates have been afraid to be seen in public with the president since last year, but they could at least always count on him to raise unprecedented amounts of money for their campaigns," said Matthew Miller, spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "Now he's not even good for that."

Voters last November put Democrats in control of the House and Senate, weakening Bush's ability to push through legislation in his final two years in office. Both parties are heading into a wide-open election cycle, with control of the House and Senate in play and no incumbent president or vice president seeking office.

Public approval of the job Bush is doing now matches its all-time low, according to an AP-Ipsos poll this month. Only 32 percent said they were satisfied with how Bush is handling his job overall, the same low point AP-Ipsos polling measured last January.

Meanwhile, the Republicans campaigning for Bush's job are doing their best to distance themselves from their party leader.

Democrats Improve Fundraising While GOP Flags

USA Today reports:

This just in from the Federal Election Commission, more hard evidence that Democrats are energized.

Our colleague Fredreka Schouten passes along word that national Republican party committees raised $61.2 million in the first four months of this year while their Democratic counterparts raised $59.4 million.

The figures reflect a 25% decline in receipts for Republicans and a 26% increase for Democrats compared with the same period in 2005.

If you look back to 2003, the last presidential cycle, the trend is even more dramatic. Republicans registered a 21% decrease while Democrats showed a 126% increase.

The new numbers show a shift in where Democrats are putting their money. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee reported a 45% increase in receipts over the same period in 2005, and the Senate committee posted a 38% increase. The Democratic National Committee, by contrast, registered a 6% decrease.

Contributions to all three Republican committees declined.

The committee receipts mirror activity on the presidential front. First quarter reports to the FEC showed Democratic presidential candidates outraising Republicans by about 3-to-2. Candidates in both parties raised an aggregate $133 million during the quarter, not counting money carried over from Senate campaign committees.