Bob Dole tried to run on a message of integrity and honor in the White House and lost. Newt Gingrich lost several budget battles with the White House and was eventually driven from office. Congressional Republicans, in the meantime, gained a reputation for being obstructionist and vindictive. It is in Clinton's best interests to make this election personal. For one thing, if Bush responds, it ever so briefly knocks Bush off message.
Elections are about the future.
Bush must emphasize that he is more interested in leading the nation than in just replaying the '92 campaign with a slightly different cast. Like it or not, Americans explicitly preferred Bill Clinton and Al Gore in 1992. A lot has happened in the eight years since then, much of it deplorable. He might not like the result. Never look back, they may be gaining on you.