Posted on 02/21/2016 6:16:39 AM PST by jimbo123
What were they thinking?
In hindsight that may be the biggest question: How did Jeb Bush and his once-savvy political team so badly misunderstand today's Republican electorate?
The bold - and, yes, high-energy - governor who transformed Florida government and politics in the 1990s was thoroughly unprepared for today's far more conservative, far more angry Republican Party than when he governed. It was absurd for thoughtful and thin-skinned Bush ever to think he could run a "joyful" campaign for president in this political environment.
He ran honorably, but as he gave in to reality Saturday night and suspended his campaign, the giant in Florida politics had become much diminished as a presidential candidate. It wasn't Donald Trump's fault and it wasn't George W. Bush's fault. Bush spent $150 million and failed to earn even a bronze third-place medal in Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina. Republicans simply weren't buying from a candidate whose time had passed.
(Excerpt) Read more at tampabay.com ...
I got that vibe too. Quitting seemed to be the most relaxed moment for him.
Perhaps he hated being someone’s puppet. If so, good for him for resisting, even if passively aggressive.
We’re not there yet but their capital ships are hulks in dry dock or sunk.
I’m happy Bush 1 has lived to see the dismantling of his legacy; he forced the same on Reagan.
I think W was not only the most likable but also the most sincere of the lot.
Catastrophically wrong all too often, but sincere. I like his paintings. I hope he continues to do them. Clearly a student, but the solution to that is practice. I think he would make an accomplished and historically interesting artist with more work in his portfolio. Culture endures long after the politics of the day turn to dust.
Yep. And most of the candidates this time around are clearly intended for the same thing. Right now, I’d say Rubio is the most likable, but objectively the worst for carrying forward neocon, globalist, anti-sovereignty agendas.
Nasty. The mental imbalance of some of these people is frightening.
Nasty. The mental imbalance of some of these people is frightening.
Referring to your link.
McCain didnt 'understand' either, and neither did Romney, and on many issues neither did Bush, thus why we lost to a inept child like Obama.
The base has been SCREAMING at our inept leadership for 15+ years. And if you throw the inept HW Bush into mix, then its been nearly 20!!!
Trump gave a speech about Mexican rapists and shot to the top of the polls and hasn't been touched ever since.
Does anybody doubt what the #1 issue in America is this election?
I doubt there is much of a difference in Jeb's political skills. That was not his problem. His problem was that he is center-right, determined to get along with Democrats, accepting of the fundamental worldview of the left - that government is The Answer for most problems, and Republican voters simply will not accept that any longer. Not after 7 years of President Obama.
Bears repeating.
Whoever claimed that W. was a popular Republican president is delusional.
He could barely get his own base to vote for him.
When white working-class voters are voting for Democrats by the millions, then Republicans are screwing up.
Yep, and today he's off doing all those fun things he's wanted to.
When he started his campaign did he say he would win without the conservative base?
Or something to that effect?
He had enough campaign funds to compensate?
All of the successful candidates simply "looked like a President" or had a charisma factor that came over to the voters via the tube. Bush doesn't have the look. He looks like a high school teacher rather than a President.
Don't forget George P. You know the power brokers are grooming him as we speak.
The very same!
Pity McCain and Glen, can’t remember the others, didn’t remove themselves from the public eye like Neal...
I doubt there is much of a difference in Jeb’s political skills. That was not his problem.
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I was not contending that that was his only problem. Just saying it was ONE of his problems. I agree that he’s a big government guy and conservatives clearly saw that. He also had the Bush family baggage and sympathies with illegal immigrants. So there were many reasons why he lost but image management is very important in politics as it is in other professional endeavors. Perception has a way of becoming reality but Jeb’s people evidently never grasped the importance of image, tone and body language.
Even in boxing, you gotta look, act and talk like a winner if you want to have any chance of becoming a champion. :)
He almost sounded like a cultish newager when he kicked off his campaign. At the end he sounded like a bitter man who needed a safe space.
He’s probably a good man...just not as President.
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