George Bush -- The tax and spend candidate

I had to rub my eyes a few times after reading this one. Bush & Co. is truly shameless and the GOP in Congress gutless.

The White House helped to block a Republican-brokered deal on Wednesday to extend several middle-class tax cuts, fearful of a bill that could draw Democratic votes and dilute a Republican campaign theme, Republican negotiators said.

The impasse was the latest sign of deep rifts among Republicans about budget issues. House and Senate Republicans had badly wanted to pass a popular tax-cutting bill before the Democratic convention next week.

But in an improbable series of machinations, White House officials opposed the tentative deal worked out between House and Senate Republican leaders that would have extended the tax cuts for two years at a cost of about $80 billion.

Heaven forbid that they do something -- bipartisanly -- to extend the middle-class's buying power if it's going to "dilute" the preznit's campaign theme.

Nick Confessore wonders just how nimble the Kerry campaign will be in telegraphing this killing of a middle-class tax cut extension.