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An Open Letter to Jeb Bush
Townhall.com ^ | February 5, 2016 | Mona Charen

Posted on 02/05/2016 6:55:29 AM PST by Kaslin

Dear Gov. Bush: There are many ways to express your love of country. One is to serve as president. In your case, that path seems closed. Since April, you spent the better part of $15 million in Iowa, yet you came sixth, winning just 2.8 percent of the vote and one delegate. At this rate, you'd need to spend $18,540,000,000 to win the nomination -- which is more than even Right to Rise can manage.

There is no shame in losing, of course, and it's always possible that New Hampshire will shock the world by giving you a victory, but let's face it, the RealClearPolitics average of New Hampshire polls has you at under 10 percent (under 5 percent nationally), and your donors are panicking. After what was supposed to be a reassuring post-Iowa conference call with your campaign, one donor told Politico, "Have you ever heard the phrase 'rattle of death?'"

Even stipulating that primary polls are notoriously poor, there are other reasons to conclude that this is not your year. It may not have much to do with you personally. There has never been a third president from the same family. Most Americans were fine with two Adamses, Harrisons, Roosevelts and Bushes. Three is pushing it. I know; I know. You're your own man. Of course that's true. Life isn't fair. But it goes both ways. You would almost certainly never have been governor if your name had been James Ellis instead of James Ellis Bush.

You seem to be a fine person and were certainly a superior and very conservative governor of Florida. For good or ill, gratitude for past service is not the mood this year, and, with all due respect, except at the last debate, when, freed from Donald Trump's bullying, you finally stood up straight, you've been an awfully dull candidate.

We cannot chalk it up to voter ignorance. Between your campaign and your super PAC, you've already spent $89.1 million on positive ads about yourself and negative ads about others.

One of the great traits about the Bush family, as about other great New England Protestant old-money families, is that you value good manners, courtesy and integrity. Those virtues are disparaged in our increasingly vituperative, bombastic and swaggering era. One senses that you find Donald Trump's conduct disgusting and even a little bewildering. Good for you. It is.

And yet, you've directed the overwhelming majority of your negative advertising (and you've led the pack on negative ad spending) not against Trump, who seems to represent everything you find destructive and dangerous in modern politics, but against your old friend and ally Marco Rubio.

Your ads have been embarrassing. You and Rubio agree on nearly everything, so you're dredging up long since debunked stories about credit cards and ridiculous accusations of missed votes in the Senate chamber. Really? Is that all you've got? No, you've also run ads attacking Rubio for taking the same position you took on illegal immigration.

You seem to believe, as many of us do, that in order to prosper, in fact, in order to survive, the Republican Party must look beyond its aging, white, rural and evangelical Christian core to welcome African-Americans, Hispanics, Asians, urbanites and the young. Yet by attacking Rubio, you are attempting to sabotage the very best messenger the Republican Party has found in decades. As you yourself put it: "What Marco has, I think, is something that the Republican Party needs to have: a hopeful, optimistic message based on our principles. He's probably the most articulate conservative on the scene today."

After Iowa, Marco Rubio has an excellent chance of winning the Republican nomination. If he prevailed, he would be the most conservative nominee in decades and well-situated to win the general election. This is not to hurt your feelings, but your general election favorability ratings are the worst in the Republican field with the exception of Trump. Despite the avalanche of negative ads, Rubio's net favorable ratings are the best (with the exception of Ben Carson, and we know where that's going).

If you were to drop out of the race now and endorse Marco Rubio, or, at the very least, call off the attack dogs, you would be advancing everything you say you believe in except yourself. It would be a gracious and inspiring gesture. It would be a different way to serve your country -- and might even revive our faith in Yankee integrity.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: gop; jebbush
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To: Kaslin
You would almost certainly never have been governor if your name had been James Ellis instead of James Ellis Bush.

Now we know why I ALWAYS spell out the name of JOHN ELLIS BUSH.

An unintentional HUGE putdown on her part.
21 posted on 02/05/2016 8:27:30 AM PST by Dr. Sivana (There is no salvation in politics)
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To: Kaslin

Written by a RINO quisling who threatens Marco Rubio.. You forgot the (gag) tag line.


22 posted on 02/05/2016 8:28:15 AM PST by JSDude1
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To: Kaslin

What I mean to say is that this is gag worthy, since she just wants Jeb Bush to drop out because he threatens Marco Rubio. (Panic, Panic, Panic..is what I smell from the Etablishment)!


23 posted on 02/05/2016 8:29:59 AM PST by JSDude1
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To: andy1954

May I ask how you know this?


24 posted on 02/05/2016 9:24:48 AM PST by pilgrim
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To: pilgrim

Sorry not sure what you are referring to.


25 posted on 02/05/2016 9:30:21 AM PST by andy1954
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To: andy1954

Referring to your post

no, not Rubio. #9 posted on 2/5/2016, 8:08:41 AM by andy1954 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3393205/posts?page=9#9

and here

Nonsense. I will not participate in silliness. Did you see the pictures. I did, that isn’t Rubio.Do you know how many Cuban Americans that might be?

15 posted on 2/5/2016, 8:01:28 AM by andy1954 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3393185/posts?page=15#15

This is what I was referring to. Should have included the later in my question.


26 posted on 02/05/2016 9:44:00 AM PST by pilgrim
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To: pilgrim

I go to Miami on business all the time. That grainy picture could be of many young Cuban males. Very familiar look. I guess it could be him but it is a shot in the dark. I don’t think it is but I don’t have any proof. Character assisintion is a political ploy that is born out of desperation and hardly ever works.


27 posted on 02/05/2016 9:50:07 AM PST by andy1954
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To: andy1954

Would it be possible to verify one way or another?

It does look like him. It has been there for awhile, looks like he would straighten it out.

Would like to know.


28 posted on 02/05/2016 9:58:24 AM PST by pilgrim
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To: IDontLikeToPayTaxes
Yup, here's how I put it: Trump may not be my first choice, but I love how he's been giving the finger to GOPe. In that regard, he's speaking for all of us.

Cruz has been fighting a lonely battle since he arrived in DC. He's done a fine job for those who voted for him.

29 posted on 02/05/2016 10:01:13 AM PST by Night Hides Not (Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad! Remember Mississippi! My vote is going to Cruz.)
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To: pilgrim

I think he is smart not to address it. I am glad they did not have this technology when I was in college. LOL. I doubt it can be verified by any legit source. I could be wrong. I don’t think so.


30 posted on 02/05/2016 10:12:45 AM PST by andy1954
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