Ex-President Bush says attacks on McCain "unfair"

By Jason Szep

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Former U.S. President George H.W. Bush urged disgruntled conservatives on Monday to rally around John McCain, calling their criticism of the Republican presidential front-runner "grossly unfair."

The father of President George W. Bush said he was annoyed by attacks within the conservative wing of the Republican Party against the Arizona senator, the all-but-certain Republican nominee to face Democrats in November's presidential election.

Many conservatives distrust McCain because of his moderate views on illegal immigration and campaign finance reform and for having originally voted against President Bush's tax cuts. Persuading them all to vote for McCain in November will be a central challenge.

"His character was forged in the crucible of war. His commitment to America is beyond any doubt," the 41st U.S. president, joined by his wife Barbara, told a joint news conference with McCain in a Houston airport hangar.

"You know, if you've been around the track you hear these criticisms and I think they are grossly unfair. He's got a ... sound conservative record but he's not above reaching out to the other side," he said.

"So I hear these criticisms and Barbara knows I get a little bit annoyed about them frankly," he said, later dismissing them as "absurd."

Later, aboard his campaign plane, McCain said he would be glad to have President George W. Bush campaign on his behalf "under any circumstance" and said key fundraisers who worked on Bush's presidential campaigns are now joining his campaign.

McCain faces a delicate balancing act in dealing with Bush, whose job approval rating languishes near record lows of around 30 percent but is more than double that among conservative Republicans whose votes McCain needs in November.