Has the Republican Establishment Created a Monster?

Slate ^ | 9/3/15 | Jim Newell

[jimbo123]

They wrote big checks to Jeb Bush before they knew what type of candidate he would be. Now he may become the spoiler they fear.

Last fall, when Jeb Bush was still mulling a bid for the presidency, Bloomberg Politics reported on what was considered then—and is still considered now—Bush’s greatest advantage as a presidential candidate: His ability to separate wealthy donors from vast sums of money quickly. “Unlike his competitors,” the thinking went, “Bush could lure donors off the fence in a hurry, without undergoing a hazing trial to test skill and stability.”

That is precisely what happened. Instants after announcing over the winter that he was “seriously considering the possibility of running for president,” Bush and his team set up the Right to Rise PAC and super PAC to serve as cash receptacles for eager GOP establishment donors. The money rolled in, and by July the super PAC announced that it had met its goal of raising more than $100 million in the first six months of the year. The popular former governor of Florida, who hadn’t run for office since his 2002 re-election bid, was able to take it to the bank based on his family’s success at winning presidential nominations and his ability to flatter the right crowds at events like the Wall Street Journal CEO Council. And indeed, he was able to bypass a thorough vetting of his aptitude for a presidential run en route to this fortune.

Whoops.

Because it’s clear right now that “a hazing trial to test skill and stability” was exactly what wealthy establishment Republican donors should have subjected Bush to before opening their checkbooks.

[Trapped Behind Enemy Lines]

Jeb isn’t a monster.

DT is right about Jeb. He’s a low energy guy.

Watching Jeb is about as inspiring and interesting as watching paint dry.

[Jim Robinson]

Yes. And he’s about to devour them.

[Jim Robinson]

er, I thought they were going to be talking about Trump.

[Sasparilla]

Isn’t it nice that the lunatic liberal left “Slate” is concerned about how a GOPe candidate runs his campaign?

[canuck_conservative]

Seems like the bigger the dollar amount, the more careless people become with their money.

How many of these well-heeled donors would spend hours shopping for the right deal on a car, TV, or computer - carefully comparing features, prices, warranties - yet think nothing of writing a cheque for millions without investigating who it’s going to??

These people have no one to blame but themselves.

[Terry L Smith]

The unforeseen monster, as it stands this afternnon, that was brought to life, was when this ‘loyalty pledge idea’ was concocted, foisted upon ALL the candidates in the sincere hope to entrap Trump in supporting the nominee.

Now, as the candidates sign this ‘pledge’, which should be to US, the People, not the Party, it has put the noose on all the OTHER candidates, because were Trump to win the nomination, today, THEY would have to support HIM!

[Nervous Tick]

Fools and their money are soon parted.

[Slyfox]

Hey SLATE - Look at your own house would you? - IT IS ON FIRE - and the original candidate, the one and only Hillary is swimming in the morass of her own making.

What Jeb! does is more interesting to you all?

[nascarnation]

Jeb has one shot at getting the nomination: Democrats. When Hillary looked invincible, Jeb had a good shot at picking up enough Op Chaos votes to get the R nomination as the “soft target” favorite.

If the Dems have a competitive race and wind up voting in their own primaries, Jeb is done. He’s got next to no rank and file support from our side.

[867V309]

Fools and their money are soon parted.

Fate flips the GOPe the finger.

[Vince Ferrer]

The establishment is the monster.

[WayneS]

Yes.

Beige paint.

[sphinx]

Back in 2000, I thought for a time that John McCain was going to beat George Bush. He had rocked him early, had the momentum, and had the press excited. Bush had been running a personality driven compassionate conservative campaign, banking heavily on the fact that he wasn't part of the Washington crowd. And then suddenly came the McCain express, and Bush would have been history ...

... except that McCain got drank on maverick ale, went down to South Carolina to pick a fight with Pat Robertson, who was out of politics, and refused to give the base any reason at all to get excited about him. It was, "I'm a maverick, and I'm running on the three things on which I disagree with the party, and the press loves it, and I'm going to rub your nose in it."

All McCain needed to do at that point was give the base a couple of issues to get excited about. He refused. The rest is history.

Now comes Jeb. He's soft on immigration and suspect on common core. Those are handicaps but not necessarily fatal. But he has not lifted a finger to light a fire under the base. There are 101 issues out there. I don't expect a candidate to agree with me on all of them (though immigration is a biggie). But I do want a candidate with a passion to achieve at least a couple of the things that are important. If Bush has any fire, he's got it under an asbestos blanket.

[Graybeard58]

Fools and their money...................................

[x]

t’s almost like Rubio is shaping into a fine presidential candidate, acceptable to conservatives and moderates alike, who could compete gamely in a general election.

I'll mark my calendar to vote for him in 2020, 2024, or 2028.

[Liz]

Man proposes.....God disposes.

[Little Ray]

Dunno. With his “Spanish is the new American reality” response to Trump, it seems to me like Jeb is actively fighting against the conservative base. In other words, he has little to offer anyone who love the Republic.
‘Bout the only thing that could excite me about Jeb would be an announcement that he will only appoint strict contructionist judges of the caliber of Scalia and Thomas to the Supreme Court and for all his other judicial appointments. That MIGHT trump (heh) his support of Amnesty and Common Core.