Is President Bush Politicizing the Prospect of War?

Sept. 27 -- Everywhere President Bush goes he makes his case for an attack against Iraq and Saddam Hussein.

"There are no negotiations with Saddam Hussein," said Bush during one speech. "The United Nations must act," he said during another recent speech. "This tyrant must be dealt with."

One might think Bush was speaking at a foreign policy association, but all of those comments were made at fund raisers, where supporters pay thousands of dollars to hear the president talk about the nation's security.

Speaking at a political fund-raising event in Texas Thursday night, Bush's message was very personal. "After all, this is a guy who tried to kill my dad at one time," he said, referring to an Iraqi plot to kill former President George Bush after the 1991 Gulf War.

Talking Iraq at fund raisers is raising questions about the president's political motivations. Democrats say Bush is using the proposition of going to war with Iraq for political fund raising, since congressional elections are less than six weeks away.

"When we are facing such a decision and such potential consequences, for the person who leads us all to be in the middle of partisan campaigns all over the country," said Fred Wertheimer, president of Democracy 21, a public watch group, "this is the wrong time to do it."

'Iraq's Too Important to Be Politicized'

Bush is now the most formidable fund raiser in history. He's shattered President Clinton's record — $105 million in one year — during the 2000 presidential election. It's only September, and Bush has raised more than $126 million.

He spends enormous presidential time traveling for dollars: He has made 58 appearances across the country this year so far. He's spoken at a fund raiser every day this week.

"As the law permits you to do it, it's perfectly appropriate for the president to be out there," said David Gergen, who has worked for Democrat and Republican presidents. "What's not appropriate is to mix Iraq and fund raising," he told ABCNEWS. "Iraq's too important to be politicized."