Research done by Public Campaign Action Fund's Campaign Money Watch project has revealed that though the candidates in this year's presidential race may be different than in years past, the big donors sure aren't -- at least when it comes to the migration of President Bush's best bundlers to the donor rolls of Sen. John McCain's campaign. One hundred and twenty-four bundlers for Bush's campaign are now bundling for McCain, and have brought in just shy of $26 million.

President Bush found time to meet with some run-of-the-mill constituents in between fundraising events this week according to the Los Angeles Times and this article marveling at the President's enduring fundraising prowess.

The Republican presidential primary of 2000 featured a particularly vicious contest between Sen. John McCain and George W. Bush but when it comes to big money, all is forgiven. President Bush has sent his biggest donors and bundlers McCain's way now that McCain is the presumptive frontrunner for the GOP nomination. Good to know the same small group of incredibly wealthy and well-connected people will continue to enjoy special access to candidates for our nation's highest office.

Our President and CEO Nick Nyhart writes about the New York Times article we pointed to on Monday in this piece at the Huffington Post. Nick goes into further depth about the specific industries looking for last favors -- harmful to consumer and the environment -- from the Bush administration.  A chart is included which shows the history of campaign contributions to Bush from the industries in question.

Sunday's New York Times features a front page story on the frantic lobbying push by several big business interests for last minute favors from the Bush administration before he leaves office. Speculation that a different party will be in power after the '08 elections has the manufacturing, trucking, and coal industries (among many others) looking for a return on their previous campaign donation investments.

This cycle's presidential candidates might learn a thing or two from George W. Bush on the subject of disclosure: namely, to do more of it. Alexander Bolton at The Hill points to a discrepancy between candidates this time around talking more about disclosure of contributions, but doing less of it than Bush did with his list of Rangers and Pioneers bundlers.