Posted on 09/26/2014 10:28:44 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
After a week of watching you guys dry-heave at the thought of another Romney run, I thought it’d be fun to wind down on Friday by having you dry-heave at the thought of Bush’s candidacy instead.
Dude, this is happening. Or is it?
But people who have met in recent weeks with Jeb Bush in New York, Washington and Florida say they are far less certain that a campaign will ultimately materialize. Some described Bush as deeply engaged on issues beyond his usual focus on immigration and education, suggesting he was very much preparing for a national race. Others said it seemed like concerns over how a run would impact his family ultimately might keep Bush on the sidelines.
“He told me two things,” a person who spoke with Bush recently in Washington said: “that he knows he has to decide very soon, and that his wife is not at all happy with the possibility.”…
It would, however, be a restoration of the family legacy, something said to be very important to the 41st president. A person in attendance at the former president’s 90th birthday party in Kennebunkport this past June said the elder Bush spoke of a Jeb Bush candidacy as a near certainty. The elder Bush is also said to have leaned on his son to run.
His wife’s reluctance is allegedly what convinced Mitch Daniels to pass on running. What a gut-punch for center-righties if they lose another top recruit on that ground. Another bit that caught my eye:
“He is well aware of party dynamics, but his view is that leadership matters, a lot,” said Arthur Brooks, a friend of Bush’s and president of the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. “What he says is, ‘I have strong views on Common Core and immigration and those are views that some people don’t share. But I’m going to provide leadership and ask people to go along with it, and if they can’t — they can’t,” Brooks added. “Isn’t it refreshing to have someone who values truth over victory?”
So Jeb’s going to run as a loud and proud RINO, huh? I confess, that may be the only way to make me semi-enthusiastic about his candidacy — not because I agree with his RINOier positions (especially on immigration) but because it’d be interesting to cover a GOP primary where there’s one unabashed squish in the race who’s not trying to pretend he’s something else. We thought we were getting that with Romney but then he started pushing “self-deportation” and insisting that he’s “severely conservative” and no one believed any of it. If we as a party are going to go for the RINO again, let’s not lie to ourselves about what we’re doing.
On the other hand, Rubio took a similar approach last year after he joined the Gang of Eight and it … didn’t work out so well for him. He didn’t run and hide from conservative media at the time. On the contrary, he went on Rush Limbaugh’s show and made his case for comprehensive immigration reform in other right-wing outlets. He was the Gang’s de facto director of outreach to tea partiers; the thought was that a young Latino star with enough of a knack on the stump to get elected to the Senate as a 39-year-old might just be able to convince conservatives to soften up on legalization. Eighteen months later, Rubio’s in full retreat from the bill ahead of the 2016 primaries. A key difference between him and Jeb, obviously, is that Rubio would aim for some conservative votes next year as a candidate whereas Bush would target center-righties and “somewhat conservative” voters. In other words, Rubio had more of an incentive to walk back his heresies than Jeb does given that they’re playing to slightly different audiences. But what happens if Jeb runs unapologetically as a pro-amnesty, pro-Common Core RINO and wins the nomination? He’s counting on the fact, I assume, that grassroots conservatives will hold their noses and turn out for him anyway in the general election in the name of beating Hillary. Will they?
Exit question: Does the “near certainty” of Jeb running per Papa Bush explain why Team Romney has been talking more lately about Mitt eventually getting in? It could be that Mitt’s inner circle wants their donors to know that they shouldn’t commit to Jeb just yet since the big guy might have one last run in him. But in that case, I don’t understand why every story about Mitt 2016 mentions that Romney himself is waiting to see what Bush will do; if Bush runs, the thinking goes, Mitt will pass, secure in the knowledge that the rich hawkish donor class has a formidable standard bearer in the battle with Paul and Cruz. (Ann Romney herself suggested this week that they were waiting on Jeb.) If Jeb has the right of first refusal then why are Romneyites talking about Mitt running now? Is it really Christie that they’re worried about and want to discourage instead?
I’m 100% certain I won’t vote for Jeb under any circumstance.
What’s he going to run on? Common Core and Amnesty? Not big GOP vote getters. I say let Jeb run and we can watch his candidacy last about one debate again’st Cruz, Paul and Perry.
The last time the Republicans have won a Presidential election without someone named Nixon or Bush on the ticket (Presidential or Vice Presidential candidate) was 1928.
So maybe we should be looking for some good conservative named Nixon who could be the VP nominee in 2016.
NO!
Go ahead and vote for Jeb Bush or Romney or whatever RINO tripe they serve you. Go ahead, be part of the problem.
Considering our Providential Miracle-working God is quite angry at this here “Christian” nation that has legalized everything He hates, I am just going to put my life in His hands and look towards the future when His wrath is spent and He restores order to this world in the way it should be. I am not a believer in the “rapture.”
By the way, since Free Republic is actually one of the most conservative sites, where do those who are the GOP establishment post their comments since they are going to choose the next (I am so happy to be able to type this word since I haven’t done so sine 2008) PRESIDENT of the United States?
“Go ahead and vote for Jeb Bush or Romney or whatever RINO tripe they serve you. Go ahead, be part of the problem.”
You know, I gave my gut opinion of why I think Jeb Bush might run, and you extrapolated out of thin air that I therefore support Jeb Bush. Well you are wrong, Mr. Smarty Pants. I don’t like Jeb Bush, and would not vote for him in a primary.
As to being a part of the problem, look in a mirror Mr. Smarty Pants, because if you don’t vote for a Republican when it comes to the actual elections, you have effectively voted for the socialist/commie/pinko/fascist/ultra liberal Democrat. Now whose the real problem. I’m addressing you, sir, because you will doom your country to a dictatorship of the left. Get your priorities straight before it’s too late.
Go ahead and vote for the socialist/commie/pinko/fascist RINO Bush/Romney/etc ad nauseum. Your “thinking” is how we got in this mess.
“(I am so happy to be able to type this word since I haven’t done so sine 2008) PRESIDENT of the United States?”
Me either. Even when I cut and paste I drop the word if it refers to Barry. It’s going to take a long time to rid ourselves of the Obama stench.
No!
(Jeb + Mitt) and Cruz run........Cruz wins!
(Jeb + Mitt + Christy) and Cruz and Paul run...Cruz wins!
Worst scenario is Jeb, Cruz & Paul.....Jeb wins.
Equally worse Mitt, Cruz, Paul run....Mitt wins.
More worse Christy, Cruz, Paul run....Christy wins.
Moral of the story is splitting votes is a loser.
Have the conservatives learned anything from 2012?
Why do you want to make it easier for democrats to win by splitting republican votes?
Are you on Hillary’s payroll?
Stay out the bushes!
A Hurl for Poppy, a Hurl for W, and a double Hurl for Jeb. Enough of all of them and their GOP-E Dynasty/Legacies. This nation has not had a put America’s best interest first POTUS sitting in the White House since Reagan. Same policies, same names, same political donor oligarchies, same results, USA looses. Seems The Karl & Friends are gonna push three or four GOP-E RINO’s and saturate the primaries. Hurl on him as well and the Moron GOP-E Show Host on GOP-E Agenda Fox News who give him & McCain daily camera face time.
Hahaha! You really are a scream.
I guess you think it is funny. But in reality your prescription is indeed making it easier for likes of Obummer to win. Obummer has cost me plenty already.
Like I said, Hillary thanks you.
What is “funny” is that you don’t care about a socialist/commie/pinko/fascist being elected, only that they be on the R team.
Republicans have made it clear that the answer is, has been, and will be “no” to conservative/constitutionalist candidates. Yet you don’t believe them. You put on the R team jersey and lead the cheer. If only you try harder they’ll change their ways. This time it will be different.
We could coalesce behind Cruz.
It's not just a dream, it's actually possible.
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