Bush endorses McCain for presidency

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - 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.

"He's going to be the president who will bring determination to defeat an enemy and a heart big enough to love those who hurt," Bush said in a Rose Garden ceremony at which McCain sometimes had trouble getting a word in edgewise.

Bush gave McCain the red-carpet treatment at the White House, a day after McCain sealed the Republican presidential nomination with victories in four states. The two men had a bitter battle for the nomination in 2000 and have disagreed famously on several fronts over the years since then.

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.

But the endorsement also gave Democrats ammunition to use against McCain, since Bush is unpopular among many Americans because of the Iraq war and the ailing U.S. economy. Experts doubt the two men will appear together often.

The Democratic National Committee said McCain "offers a third term of George W. Bush" and put up on the democrats.org Web site a video of the entire Bush-McCain ceremony, saying "we couldn't say it better ourselves."

McCain, an Arizona senator who at 71 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.

"I hope that the president will find time from his busy schedule to be out on the campaign trail with me," he said.