Rep. J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz., told a national cable television morning show on Wednesday that he would not want President Bush to campaign for him in Arizona “at this time.”
“In a word, no. Not at this time,” said Hayworth.
News of Hayworth’s comment to Don Imus, during the Imus in the Morning show on MSNBC, quickly spread as show even highlighted the quote on its Web site.
By afternoon, Hayworth’s office issued a statement from the congressman clarifying that, “I’m going to do all I can to help the president turn things around” by next year’s mid-term elections.