Replies

Ole Bobby'sbeen given his marching orders by the GOPe to attack the Donald.

Nah. All these guys who don't seem to have much of a chance now started planning for these campaigns two, three years ago. Back then, they either saw a way to win (Walker, Rubio, Perry) or a seasoning race that will either give them consideration for VP, or credibility on a subsequent run (Jindal, Huckabee, Fiorina).

This idea that the GOP-E went out to recruit a dozen candidates for no real gain on their end does not pass the Occam's Razor test.

In 1980 there were at least seven serious Republican candidates for president. The large slate actually helped Reagan, as all except Phil Crane ran to his left (Bush the Elder, Howard Baker, Bob Dole, John Connolly, John B. Anderson). That said, it doesn't mean that the GOP-E won't attempt to take this turn of events to benefit their preferred candidate(s), they'd be foolish not to. But what you don't have in Reince Priebus or someone from Right to Rise calling Gov. Jindal, suggesting he attack Trump to help the GOP-E.

No, Jindal is low enough that he is trying to get some coverage. Normally, these types of attack don't help either side, but some uninvolved third party. Jindal's lost votes areen't going to John Ellis Bush. Some might go to Cruz (similarity of positions, intellectually oriented, religiously conservative), some to Walker (a successful governor not named Bush), some to Rubio (a non-WASP, young fellow with new ideas). One does not pick Jindal accidentally, or because of lack of information on the issues. Some people pick Jindal either because he had the best slate of positions, they like his work as governor, or perhaps even because they identify with his Indian heritage. Those reasons don't translate into John Ellis Bush votes if they are undermined by poor campaign performance.

Anyway, after two or more years of planning, and promising your financial backers that you are in it to win it, dropping out befre the money is gone isn't gonna happen.

So you do something. Anything. He decided to go full throttle after Trump, and will be happy if there is fall-out, and he gets some of the crumbs. At least enough to get away from the kids card table debate before Iowa and have a chance to be competitive for he SEC primary on March 1.

“This idea that the GOP-E went out to recruit a dozen candidates for no real gain on their end does not pass the Occam’s Razor test.”

This is a bit of a straw man.

There’s no idea that every candidate was recruited.

But there are select ones such as Fiorina, Graham and Huckabee.

The RNC was really gearing up for Ted Cruz and they worried about Palin or Bachman (hence Fiorina in the race).

They didn’t foresee the Trump phenomenon.

They’re scrambling a bit.