Posted on 05/05/2014 7:28:48 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
As we know, the search for an establishment candidate has been on in the GOP for a while now, a savior who can rescue the party from Rand Paul or Ted Cruz. That man, of course, is Jeb Bush. Last week on Hardball, Kathleen Parker said he is definitely running. Shes a conservative columnist but not a wacko, has establishment GOP credentials and Florida ties to boot. And she spoke with the air of someone who had had this nugget leaked to her specifically so that she would go out on national TV and blurt it out.
So take the idea of a Bush candidacy seriously. Hell get many of the biggest donors and most plugged-in operatives, and hell immediately be spoken of by the media as a, if not the, GOP frontrunner.
So far, so normal. But heres where things get interesting. Historically, establishment in this context also basically means most formidable and most electable. Look at the track record. Mitt Romney was the establishment candidate in 2012, John McCain in 2008, Jebs brother in 2000. Two of these three never became president, but theres no doubt that all three were the best the GOP had to offer in their given years. Who would have run better than McCain in 2008? Maybe, possibly Romney himself. But not Mike Huckabee or Ron Paul. And 2012s lineup besides Romney was comic relief. Any one of them couldnt have topped 200 electoral votes. And Dubya, of course, won. (Well, won, but thats a different column.)
Its an iron law of presidential politics: The establishment candidate is, almost by definition, the most formidable candidate. Well, I guess iron aint what it used to be, because heres the funny thing: Jeb Bush is not any stronger against Hillary Clinton
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Kathleen Parker is not a conservative!!!
Yeah your right, savor the moment, it’s very rare we get to agree with leftists, once in a lifetime thing, may never happen again.
I do not think Jeb wants to win. He wants Hillary Clinton to. Why? I cannot say for sure but those upper crust people like Mitt and Jeb like socialism. They just want someone else to get their hands dirty.
this is so ridiculous.
Regardless of philosophy or what wing of the party he comes from, it is beyond absurd for anyone to suggest running another Bush at this point in time would bring electoral success - even if the prior Bush had left office with glowing popularity.
Many times we don’t like what the establishment does, but it can be understood why they are doing it. This I don’t get - at all - if in fact they are pushing him to run.
That chose to run, I guess...
John Thune was apparently "told" not to run in 2012.
Bush did not invade Iraq to secure the oil supply. I suggest you reread (or perhaps read) the history from the early part of the aughts.
Frankly, I am more than happy to see Obama giving you 0% of what you want versus the 70% of what Romney would have offered.
The absolutists like you are destroying the country as much as Obama is.
It is getting closer and closer to time for a new party, I'm afraid.
As I recall one of the selling points of the war was Iraq could repay us, but that was the same lie that was told when we ejected Hussein from Kuwait. They proclaimed we would be repaid for our service, but the only one who paid was our servicemen and their families.
lying traitors the whole lot of them.
Which will do nothing for conservatives, true, but at least we won't have to stare at Hillary on TV any more.
In Jeb’s defense, I am confident that he can come in a close second, just like McCain and Romney.
With Election Day 2016 being 30 months from now, just how meaningful are these numbers that don’t lie?
I’ve been snookered in to voting for Bush’s 4 times for president. Two times as my governor.
No Bush is a true conservative and their compassionate conservatism is a crock,.
I will NEVER again vote for a non-CONSERVATIVE again,
Hey Jeb, go fish pal.
The only reason I am still registered Republican so so I can vote against any GOPe candidates in the Primaries.
Come November, I will vote, but will not vote for any race with a GOPe candidate.
I am more than happy to see Obama giving you 0% of what you want
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Yeah a pouty whinybutt would like that for me...
oh and then there was that bit about immaturity...
True, true.
Cruz.
Gowdy.
Lee.
I second Walker and Pence. Neither have made noise I’m aware of that they’re considering a run.
I like Cruz staying put in the Senate, at least for now.
A case could be made for Rick Perry given his success as governor, but he bombed last time around and I’m not sure people will give him a second chance. I think he will run.
So we should give before we fight and let a statist sock puppet get the nod. STHU.
Your strategy is a sound one.
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