Posted on 09/23/2009 2:47:27 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican
INDIANAPOLIS | Did Hoosiers get a first look last week at The Ticket?
Mitch Daniels. Jeb Bush. 2012?
Both Republicans frequently deny seeking higher office, but each man also told The Times the other would be a strong candidate for a presidential run.
"If he wants it, sure," Bush said of Daniels' national prospects.
"I honestly believe he is the best governor in the country in terms of the courage of his convictions, intelligence, strategic thinking," Bush said.
At the same time, Daniels said he's disappointed Bush says he's ruled out a future in government.
"I understand his answer, but I hope one day he'll rule it in," Daniels said.
"I think, honestly, he's the best I've seen in either party. He's smart, very principled, very open-minded, very practical, and he's proven in both private and public life that he can get results," Daniels said of Bush.
Daniels, an Indianapolis Republican who won re-election in 2008, is barred by term limits from running for governor again in 2012. Bush, the brother of former President George W. Bush and son of former President George H. W. Bush, served as governor of Florida from 1999 to 2007.
Bush now heads the Foundation for Excellence in Education, which promotes school-reform plans, as he did at Indiana's Education Roundtable in Indianapolis on Wednesday.
"I can tell him there's life after being governor," Bush said of Daniels. "It may not be as cool as being governor, but there's life after that."
Speaking to reporters after the event, Daniels and Bush looked comfortable standing together at the same podium, each wearing a single-breasted dark suit and blue shirt. While Bush stands a full head taller than Daniels, their friendly rapport was evident in the casual back-and-forth conversation between the two Republicans.
Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock says he hopes both men, but especially Daniels, will seriously consider a national run in 2012.
"I would love to see Gov. Daniels do it. He has so many qualities that this country is absolutely crying out for right now," Mourdock said.
And with Daniels at the top of the ticket, Mourdock sees Bush as a good pick for VP.
"When you start talking about vice presidents, oftentimes it isn't so much what they can do, it's what can they bring," Mourdock said.
In addition to Florida's 27 electoral votes, Mourdock said Bush also brings an experienced "Bush organization" that's already put two family members in the White House. Daniels was budget director under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003.
But Purdue University political scientist William Shaffer cautions it's probably too early to be speculating on 2012.
"That's a long way away. Who would have thought at this point as far in advance of the 2008 election that Barack Obama would even be a candidate," Shaffer said. "The world will change presidential politics between now and then."
But should he run, Daniels' biggest problem is that he's largely unknown. Shaffer said.
"That's one of the big hurdles, obviously. If somebody jumps in, they really have to become known. You'd think a governor of a state would be, but they're not, they're really not," Shaffer said.
At the same time, Daniels' relative national anonymity could also prove to be an asset, Shaffer said.
"I think part of it reflects a weakness of the Republican Party right at this point in time. Mitch Daniels might look good to a lot of people when you also mention Sarah Palin, for example," he said.
Daniels, who in his final re-election ad vowed that "governor is the only office I've run for or ever will," left the state Saturday for a 10-day trade mission to Asia. He's hoping to secure new jobs and investments in Indiana from companies based in China and Japan.
On the one hand, that is what governors do. On the other, foreign negotiations sure look rather presidential.
I think we’re all Bushed out.
NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!
NO MORE BUSHES!
Jeb Bush?!!! The Bushes are the reason why we are in such a sorry state now as a party. No more.
OH HELL NO!
Maybe they missed the sign.....NO MORE RINOS!
No more Bush for President. Jeb is a great guy and would probably make a better POTUS than George. It would kill the GOP’s chances if we try to elect another Bush anytime before the next 20 years.
No.
not no...but HELL NO.
It’ll have to be Palin and ___________ to save the GOP.
Hunter, Demint, Pence, or Palin. Jeb and Mitch can stay put.
Is this the next chapter of the book, “How to Lose Every Election From Now On”?
I think we’re all Bushed out.
I’m over the Bush’s as well.
NO HELL NO NEVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Liberal media picking our candidates again.
I don’t know anything about Daniels, but I have had a belly full of the Bush family. I was in FL when Jeb was governor, better than his DIMocrat predecessors, but nothing to get exited about. IMO, we could expect a similar screw job to what W gave us. No thanks.
We need to take back the GOP from these clowns.
Daniels is to the left of the Bushes.
6
Stay out the Bushes!
No. These two will not do it. Another Bush ain’t gonna do it. We’ve got others besides those named “Bush” in the Republican party.
Problem is, we’ve got nobody defending the core conservative beliefs other than talk radio hosts, too many in the party think core beliefs are negotiable. It’s just politics to them, not heart-felt beliefs.
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