President George W Bush formally endorsed Republican John McCain for president on Wednesday, calling him a man of character who is “not going to change” when it comes to taking on Islamic extremists. Bush gave McCain — whom Bush defeated in a bitter 2000 battle for the Republican presidential nomination — the red-carpet treatment at the White House. He welcomed him at an entrance normally reserved for heads of state and treated him to a West Wing lunch. The endorsement will likely help McCain rally disenchanted conservatives behind his candidacy, and with Bush helping him raise much-needed campaign cash, it will give him a significant boost headed into the campaign for the November election. McCain, an Arizona senator who is 71 and would be the oldest person ever elected to a first U.S. presidential term, said he has “great admiration, respect and affection” for Bush and wants him to campaign for him as much as possible.
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