Monday, April 14, 2014

The establishment Republicans and MSM are all atwitter over the idea of Jeb Bush becoming the 2016 candidate, but first he has to get past the primary. And that doesn't look very promising.

Courtesy of Business Insider:  

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has started, over the past few weeks, to ratchet up talk of a potential presidential run in 2016. If that's the case, the reaction he received this weekend at a gathering of conservatives in the first-in-the-nation primary state of New Hampshire was not what he was looking for. 

Bush served as a punch line for — of all people — Donald Trump. 

"You know, I heard Jeb Bush the other day," Trump said during his speech at the Freedom Summit, hosted by the conservative groups Citizens United and Americans for Prosperity. 

 The crowd immediately started to boo and groan upon hearing Bush's name. Trump then referenced comments Bush had made on immigration on April 6, when he said most people who cross the border illegally do so out of "love." 

"He was talking about people that come into this country illegally. They do it for love," Trump said as the boos got louder. 

"And I said, say it again. I didn't get — that's one I've never heard of before," Trump said. "I've heard money, I've heard this, I've heard sex, I've heard everything! The one thing I never heard of was love. I understand what he's saying, but, you know, it's out there, I'll tell you." 

The crowd laughed. 

Jeb's name has been popping up with increasing frequency these days, and I agree that he has the best chance imaginable against Hillary.

However this is no longer the Republican party that the Bush family knows so well.

THIS is a party that is split into at least two distinct and adversarial sides.

In order for the next GOP presidential candidate to win the nomination he would have to either unite both sides, or get enough support to shut one side down, as Romney did in 2012.

I seriously doubt that Jeb Bush has what it takes to do either.

For one he has the stink of George W. all over him. Second he is nowhere near ideologically pure enough for the Teabaggers, and third he is too connected with programs like NCLB, Common Core, and Immigration Reform, which are divisive topics that will not help him with certain demographics.

And putting all of that aside, the real problem with his candidacy is that he cannot win, and that his presence on the national stage will open up the topic of his brother's presidency which will lead to more attacks on the Republican legacy in the White House and their history of warmongering.

Ultimately his failed run will further damage the Republican party, and invigorate the civil war within.

22 comments:

  1. Anonymous4:34 PM

    Republicans have nothing. They're gonna go the way of the dodo bird. And I for one can't wait.

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  2. Anonymous4:56 PM

    OT, but perfect weather here in Southcentral for the lunar eclipse tonight. Details for any who are in the area.

    http://www.space.com/25479-total-lunar-eclipse-2014-skywatching-guide.html

    Please note, all times are EDT (Eastern Daylight time, add 4 hours for AK)

    We're getting the big camera and tripod out to hopefully take some great photos.

    ReplyDelete
  3. A J Billings4:59 PM

    Gryphen your points on Jeb Bush are all spot on, but I'd still prefer him over the rabid religious right candidates like Cruz and Paul if it came right down to it.

    Christie is damaged goods, and is from a Northeast state, which would not play well in the south and west

    Bush has the old legacy of W and Cheney hanging over him, but he still might be their hail mary if chips are down.

    Cruz likely can't run due to being born in Canada, and is so militant on social issues that he'd be seen as worse than Pat Buchanan or Alan Keyes.

    Paul is seen as too radical on drug policy, protectionism, and some social issues.

    Rubio is too moderate for the Teabots and rabid right.

    Who does that leave the Repubs? The 3rd tier candidates like Santorum, Cain, and Bachmann are losers from the start,

    We all know that Palin is not even on the radar being nothing but a national embarassment and a vicious harpy to boot.

    In the end, the R's might have to go with someone like Rob Portman or another moderately conservative Governor to walk the line between right wing insanity and electability if Jeb doesn't run.

    On the other side of the ledger, the really big problem for the Dems is if Hillary decides not to run, and then I think the R's may win, even with a weak candidate.

    Who have the Dems got ready to go as backup? Certainly not Biden or Warren, imho.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Beldar W Conehead5:34 PM

      @A J Billings

      You'd choose Jeb over "Ayn" Rand Paul and Ted "Pablo" Cruz (no relation to Tom Cruise, btw) just as I would prefer a non-red-hot poker shoved into my eye over having a red-hot poker shoved into my eye.

      But, just the same, under any conceivable real-life scenario and darn near all inconceivable ones, I'd most definitely prefer not to have any poker shoved into my eye.

      I feel the same way about Jeb.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous5:04 PM

    Circular firing squad........last man standing.......I can only hope it will be Rand Paul......like nominating Palin for President.....it won't be just late night laughing.......

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  5. Anonymous5:15 PM

    The Teabags run the GOP now, of course Rove and the other Establishment GOP won't get their way with Bush III, he's way too mainstream; not nearly crazy enough for what the vocal component of the GOP has become. Not enough God, Guns and Babies for the Crazies!

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  6. I would not make any large political generalizations based on the views of folks who takes Donald Trump seriously. He is a clown and an attention seeker. Did I mention that he is a fraud?
    Also too- ya' know- reality show- ding dong.

    If the Tea Party manages to get one of their guys nominated as the candidate, I suspect that a significant percentage of independents and moderate Reps will vote for the Dems.



    ReplyDelete
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    1. Anonymous8:48 PM

      The Republican Party can't disappear too quickly for me. That said, I do think it will be a long and ugly demise.

      I think Jeb Bush intends to keep his own "moderate Republican" image and name out there for the future benefit of his older son, George P. Bush. This son is currently running for Texas Land Commissioner and is in his late 30's. Read George P.'s bio and you can see someone being groomed for higher political office.

      The Bushes think long term and are willing to wait. Jeb obviously sees the disarray of the GOP, the craziness of the Tea Partiers and also knows the voters are suffering from "Bush fatigue".

      I don't think Jeb has the desire (any more) to run for President and thus he doesn't care what the far right wingers of the GOP say about him. It does him no damage...he's not running for anything.

      IMO, this recent talk by Jeb is all about the Bush family. He knows that the next several Presidential elections will most likely go to the Democrats. Jeb can just sit back and watch the current crop of GOP presidential hopefuls destroy each other. Then he'll smile years from now as George P. Bush takes the spotlight.

      Delete
  7. Anonymous8:11 PM

    Since Christie has been caught in a 'glue trap' of his own device they are scrambling even though Christie didn't even appeal to their extreme base, Bush won't fare any better. They have nothing at this point and are in quite a mess. It will be interesting to see how they try to extract themselves out of the situation they created. They have alienated so many.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They've still got Ted Cruz, Scott Walker, Rand Paul and Paul Ryan. I'm sure any one of them would be happy to run, not realizing their own party is sacrificing them because Hillary will win and they won't want to taint a viable future candidate with a loss against Hillary.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous8:31 PM

    Gryphen, you'll like this!

    BuzzFeed’s ’22 Messages From Creationists’ gets translated by science lovers and the results are hilarious

    http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/messages-from-creationists-to-people-who-believe-in-evolutio

    Translations:
    http://imgur.com/gallery/KyXTx

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anita Winecooler8:56 PM

    If he does decide to run, I can't wait for the President GWBush/ Veep Cheyney endorsements in television ads. All kidding aside, it's a shame his party is snubbing him because he just sane enough to attract the types of voters they need. But hey, Listen to Donald Trump, who's not even a politician and whose hair and wives are younger than and faker than he is.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anonymous10:03 PM

    It simply boggles my mind that serious SEEMING people are sitting there listening to Donald Freaking TRUMP speak as if he is a credible political figure.

    It may as well be Pee Wee Herman, for crissakes.

    I realize that a sucker is born every minute, but c'mon, man, these people should be completely ashamed of themselves.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous10:38 PM

    1) He was FL governor during the 2000 recount. There must be plenty to be told about his role in getting his brother elected;
    2) Especially because there were strong rumors about his affair with Katherine Harris, the can't-be-forgotten Secretary of State at that time.True or not, it was widely discussed at that time.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous11:40 PM

    10:03 PM i agree. Drump has the gravitas of Stain. He is a wannaby player who garners no respect. he's never been elected to any office, nor will he ever be.

    ReplyDelete
  13. The only way Jeb will get the nomination is if the GOP are so sure they will lose they would rather run a sacrificial lamb for appearance than taint and future possibility with a loss against Hillary.

    They sacrificed McCain against Obama (and didn't care about Palin) and they pretty much did the same thing with Romney just to shut him up and finally get him out of the way.

    If Hillary runs, she'll win, no matter who the GOP puts up. If they think Christie can clean himself up by 2020, they'll run someone else, anyone else. Whoever it is, you can be sure it's someone they don't think will win and don't plan on running in the future. It will be a placeholder, providing semblance of an actual serious candidate. They'll make all the appropriate noises, pay the money, go through the motions. But it won't be anyone they think has a shot in the future.

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  14. Anonymous12:41 AM

    His comments on immigration did him in. Plus he hasn't been in office in almost ten years!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Randall2:19 AM

    Let's say Jeb does run...

    What about GW?

    Does GW get up on stage and endorse his little brother?
    If so, then does that open the door to questions of torture and iron-handed (invasion) foreign policy?

    Or does GW just stay home and paint - which opens the door to "where's your idiot brother" questions.

    The comparisons to Jeb's older stupid/vicious brother are inevitable and unavoidable...

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  16. The Republicans that I know personally aren't crazy people, they are 'good" people. That being said, I think they are living in a land of delusion that their party hasn't changed and their heads are in the sand, I think they just don't look at what their party has become.They don't want to really know that that the crazies have taken control. A whole lot of denial going on.

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    1. Anonymous6:25 AM

      But they voted for the Tea Party arm of the GOP in both 2010 and 2012. That makes them something less than "good" people in my book.
      Beaglemom

      Delete
  17. Anonymous4:00 AM

    Well, he wasn't a very good governor of Florida (but the present one is worse so he probably looks okay to some people in hindsight) and he deliberately thwarted the 2000 election process so that we ended up with his addle-brained brother as president, so he may well end up as the GOP candidate. We can be sure that the media will never mention any past history, after all he's a Republican. Only Democrats are scrutinized from the day they were born. Let's hope that the American people reject him. My fear is that people forget the damage that Jeb's brother did to the country and the world and that the media will deliberately fail to remind them.
    Beaglemom

    ReplyDelete

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