Snapshot

So, when the President does a nifty little stop over campaign speech on your behalf, should you be worried like the former Governor of Virginia? Just wondering, if you were to show us a snapshot of the GOP today, what would it look like?

Q Can I ask you on a different topic, on politics -- the Democrats are looking at the results on Election Night

yesterday and saying this is an indication that the President is really unpopular and is a drag on the Republican Party now, going into midterm elections.

MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sure they're going to say a lot of things like that, but I think the facts say otherwise. I don't think any thorough analysis of the election results will show that the elections were decided on anything other than local and state issues and the candidates and their agendas. That's what I think. And I think that if you look at the facts, that bears that out.

The results in the gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey, which I believe you're talking about, those are the same results that occurred in 2001, although I think they may have been smaller margins of victory for the Democratic candidates. And in Virginia, for instance, you had a candidate, Democratic candidate for governor who ran on a conservative platform, a platform that was very much out of line with the Democratic National Party.

Q Do you think that Republican candidates -- can you say now that you expect Republican candidates will embrace, will ask for, will want this President to campaign with them next year?

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, they are. The President is going to be campaigning for Lieutenant Governor Steele here in just a short amount of time. And he looks forward to campaigning for those who share his compassionate conservative agenda for the American people, and who share his commitment to keeping America strong and safe and prosperous. And that's what he will do.

Q So he will help Republicans next year, he won't hurt them?

MR. McCLELLAN: He looks forward to helping Republicans, and helping Republicans who are running for office, and talking about our hopeful agenda for the American people. We are a party that is a party of ideas and solutions.

Q You're not in denial here? I mean, the President has got his lowest job approval ratings in his presidency. Do you not acknowledge that that's not, as Secretary Rumsfeld would say, not exactly helpful to Republicans?

MR. McCLELLAN: We have a proud record of accomplishment and a positive agenda for the future. And we look forward to continuing to talk about it.

Q -- the public doesn't agree with --

MR. McCLELLAN: I mean, you can get caught up in polls; we don't. Polls are snapshots in time. The President is someone who is --

Q It's quite a snapshot --