Not no...but HELL no!
Posted on 02/05/2016 9:19:49 AM PST by Kaslin
New Hampshire may well be the end of the campaign trail for more GOP hopefuls, as Iowa was for Rand Paul, Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee. All three ran largely positive campaigns and comported themselves with dignity and grace when they bowed out. Unfortunately, the same can't be said for some of those hanging on by a thread in New Hampshire. Chris Christie and Jeb Bush, in particular, have decided their best chance to stay in the race is to attack other candidates.
Chris Christie seems to be reverting to form as a guy with a mean streak, something he has mostly avoided in the debates. He is at his best when he channels his anger toward terrorists and worst when he demeans his fellow Republicans. His comments this week about Marco Rubio make Christie, not Rubio, look bad. Calling Rubio the "boy in the bubble" made me think of the Bubble Boy episode of "Seinfeld." But the bully on the TV show, who shouted and name-called from inside his bubble, seemed a lot more like Chris Christie than Marco Rubio. Christie has been a decent Republican governor in a Democrat state, but his ego gets the best of him every time he doesn't get what he wants.
Jeb Bush, however, is the true disappointment to me in this election. First let me say I think Bush would make a very good president. He's a lot more conservative than either his father or older brother -- and he governed as such for eight years in Florida. He showed real courage in office: He eliminated race-based college admission in the state; he took on the education unions and created a real model for change by enacting the first voucher program for kids attending failing schools (though it was later shut down by the courts); and he cut taxes.
But despite his stellar record and his success in raising more money than any other Republican, Bush has failed to connect with the electorate, and his performance in the debates hasn't helped. Now Bush is following advice to go negative, which doesn't suit him well.
Bush won't win New Hampshire and he may not even place. He's running fifth in the last three state polls. He's still got the money to stay in the race for a while, but it's hard to envision a scenario in which he can become the nominee. So the question becomes for him, how does he want to end his political career? He's not a sitting governor, as Christie and Kasich are, nor a senator, like Ted Cruz or Marco Rubio (who is retiring), which means he has no chance to redeem his political reputation when he fails to win the nomination.
As someone who admires Jeb Bush -- and who has tremendous personal affection for his whole family, who are among the most decent people I've ever met in politics -- I hope that he will listen to his conscience and not those who counsel attacks on other Republicans. I understand Bush was hurt when Marco Rubio decided to throw his hat in the ring rather than rally to his side. But reports in The New York Times this week that Bush is teaming up with Christie to try to knock Rubio out in New Hampshire make Bush seem like a sore loser, not the honorable man he's always been.
And it's not only Rubio that Bush is going after through his super PACs. (Yes, yes. I know Bush and the super PACs can't coordinate. But it's a distinction without a difference.) Bush went after John Kasich, too, when the Ohio governor looked like he was gaining traction in New Hampshire. And he's even tried to take on Trump (though I'm not sure that qualifies as a violation of President Reagan's Eleventh Commandment: "Thou shalt not speak ill of another Republican").
If Bush, Christie or Kasich fare poorly in New Hampshire, I hope they will do the right thing. The same goes for Ben Carson and Carly Fiorina. Hanging on hoping you can take another candidate down a notch certainly does the party no good.
I don’t know. I’m voting Trump, but I’m liking Christie finally coming alive and throwing some elbows.
Trump/Christie? NY/NJ strong electoral combo would draw many conservative leaning voters who would otherwise be disgusted with their choices.
I don't doubt it. He's an amnesty monkey like her.
GOPe are all soiling their underwear over fears that Jeb will use his warchest to kneecap Marco.
Linda Chavez is saddened that her employers, The Cheap Labor Express, may not get their amnesty candidate.
Not no...but HELL no!
yep the GOPe’s new boy Rubio is getting hammered by the real men left in the race(hey even Bush did some good things as a two term governor and a guy in his 60’s).. Rubio has done NOTHING but memorize talking points made up for him by his handlers and his mommy’s and daddy’s are trying to save him from all those bullies.. not ready for prime time Rubio.. the guy looks like a 5’6” bell boy
Trump had the right idea a few months ago to deride Rubio as a “boy.”
There are major trust issues with both Trump and Christie.
They are both fighters, but neither can be counted on to fight for conservative causes when it matters most.
I can cut Trump a little slack here because he has only recently begun taking conservative positions, however his past statements and current ones seem to indicate he’d be just like Christie in this regard.
I have no doubt both would fight tremendously in the event our country was attacked or something like that, but not to advance conservatism.
We have to look at the big picture.
I also take issue with Trump’s and Christie’s tendency to attack conservatives from the left.
if somebody could photo shop Rubio in a red bell boy outfit with hat and all it might be enough to make people think twice about putting a guy in there with absolutely no accomplishments or leadership qualities
No doubt, but I don't think advancing conservatism at this point is as important as stopping this ridiculous gaslamping progressivism.
WEll or the the pic of Rubio and his dance group in college. LOL!
More GOP-E handwringing at their other moderates taking aim at Rubio.
Pathetic.
Even Rand Paul wouldn’t call Rand Paul graceful.
Why, it’s almost insulting.
Chavez is constrained by the fact she was busted for using an illegal immigrant as a housemaid years ago.
I’ve talked to a lot of Cruz supporters in NH. They are staying under the radar and like most, refuse to answer the phone during dinner.
I’m very hopeful.
I think Cruz is going to lose and come in 3rd.
I think Rubio may win if Trump doesn’t refocus, even a strong 2nd and they ll anoint him the comeback kid like they did to Clinton in 1992.
“I understand Bush was hurt when Marco Rubio decided to throw his hat in the ring rather than rally to his side..” This isn’t what really hurt Bush. It was his arrogance at the start by telling the conservative base to go to he11 and that he would get the nomination without them. That’s what really hurt him. How’s that going for you Bush?
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