McCain , R-Ariz., speaks at the Baltimore County Republicans Lincoln Day dinner in Halethorpe, Md. Thursday, Feb. 7, 2008. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

ELECTIONS '08

Check out our one stop for all the information and news you need to be ready for to cast your vote.
Election Central »
Elections stories » Star endorsements »

Bush , right, and first lady Laura Bush participate in an event honoring President Abraham Lincoln's 199th birthday in the East Room of the White House, Sunday, Feb. 10, 2008, in Washington. (AP Photo/Haraz N. Ghanbari)

WASHINGTON (AP) — John McCain is a "true conservative," President Bush says, although the likely Republican presidential nominee may have to work harder to convince other conservatives that he is one of their own.

McCain "is very strong on national defense," Bush said in an interview taped for airing on "Fox News Sunday." "He is tough fiscally. He believes the tax cuts ought to be permanent. He is pro-life. His principles are sound and solid as far as I'm concerned."

But when asked about criticism of McCain by conservative commentators Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, the president said, "I think that if John is the nominee, he has got some convincing to do to convince people that he is a solid conservative, and I'll be glad to help him if he is the nominee."

Bush said some of the criticism of the Arizona senator was the result of "probably, some personal animosity toward me. You can't please all the people all the time."

Asked during the interview about GOP candidate Mike Huckabee's criticism of his foreign policy, Bush said: "I'm sure that you can find quotes from people running for office that sound like they're at odds with me. But the point — what really matters in a campaign is, what are the basic beliefs?"

Regarding attacks on his performance from Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, Bush said, "If the Democrat party feels like they can win an election by focusing on me, I think they'll be making a huge tactical mistake."

Of Obama, the president said, "I certainly don't know what he believes in." In response, an Obama campaign spokesman, Bill Burton, said: "Of course President Bush would attack the one candidate in this race who opposed his disastrous war in Iraq from the start. But Barack Obama doesn't need any foreign policy advice from the architect of the worst foreign policy decision in a generation."

Bush said he disagrees with those who have accused former President Clinton of racism for his attacks on Obama and said he can understand why his predecessor "wants to campaign hard for his wife."

The president dealt with a number of other topics during his conversation with moderator Chris Wallace. The interview was taped Saturday at the Camp David presidential retreat and Fox released a transcript in advance of the broadcast.

On the economy: "I think the experts would tell you we are not in recession. ... But I will tell you that the signs are troubling enough that we all came together and got a robust (economic stimulus) package out." Bush is scheduled to sign the legislation Wednesday.

On the legality of waterboarding and other techniques used to interrogate suspected terrorists: "Whatever we have done was legal, and whatever decision I will make will be reviewed by the Justice Department to determine whether or not the legality is there."