David Plouffe, Obama's campaign manager, just sent out this fundraising pitch to supporters:

Friend --

Behind closed doors this week, George W. Bush quietly hosted a fundraiser for John McCain that raised $3.5 million from about 500 Republican donors.

No cameras were allowed into the event, and the two were only captured on film together at the airport -- even then for just 27 seconds as they got into a car to be whisked to the exclusive event.

A pattern is emerging. McCain is going to extraordinary lengths to conceal the fact that at the very foundation of his campaign -- its policy positions and now the money driving it -- is George W. Bush.

Our campaign has a different approach. ...