HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - I saw a devastating commercial this week on a cable channel.

It showed benign footage of presumptive GOP Presidential candidate John McCain, but the right hand side of the screen rolled grim statistics of the economic toll during the past seven George W. Bush years, i.e. the 140-percent increase in gas prices.

Has President Bush been mindful to stay out of the news glare?

Bushes have been making rounds, but it's the First Lady Laura and one of the daughters, i.e. on Larry King last Wednesday night.

On Friday, I groaned while watching the CBS Evening News. The lead story reported from three time zones was gas prices approaching $4 a gallon and American consumers reacting anxiously or erratically.

After the field reports, a Washington account showed the president strolling to the Rose Garden to address the latest spike. Bush said that the economic stimulus checks due in May should provide relief to citizens.

Groan. Does McCain want to be associated with such comments by the Republican he wants to succeed in the White House?

As Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama pummel each other in the battle to be their party's candidate, many pundits talk about the GOP attack machine that awaits the eventual Democratic standard bearer.

Isn't the GOP much more vulnerable to attack?

Couldn't McCain take some bruising hits if more political scribes and talking heads asked him if he is running on the existing GOP administration's record?

But someone has to ask.

Dawkins is an assistant professor at Hampton University Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications. He is also a member of the Trotter Group http://www.trottergroup.org/