[Xthe17th]

Jeb Bush/Condi Rice ticket

Yep, I like that arrangement, BUT, only if Jeb earns it. What I mean is that he'd really have to want it and campaign hard for it - no cakewalk just 'cause of his older brother. FYI, I had heard rumours that Jeb was the original family pick to be groomed for politics. GW just (luckily) sort of stumbled into it at the right time.

[Real Cynic No More]

FYI, I had heard rumours that Jeb was the original family pick to be groomed for politics.

I guess you must be new to this political scene. Jeb was the one targeted early to run for President in 2000. However, he needed to get the governor's chair in Florida as the first stepping stone. Unfortunately he lost the election in '94 to Walkin' Lawton Chiles, and had to wait until '98 to get elected to that post. It was obvious he couldn't run for Pres in 2000, because just stepping into the role of Governor required him to devote his efforts to ruling the state. If he had used that short period of time to campain for Pres, he would not have gotten elected. As everyone recalls, Florida was the pivot for GW's election in 2000, and although he won fair and square, it was only by a hair. Jeb had an apparent tough campaign to get re-elected as governor in 2002, but in reality, the results were different. He won by a clear majority, only two years after the Presidential election fiasco there. He has proven himself in Florida, although he has his detractors.

[Ravenstar]

Why should he earn it why shouldn't it be just like his brother where the Republican backroomers came out and said IT WILL BE W. He got all the Republican money and everybody else was shoved to the back room. The Captive, you have got to vote your fears crowd, i.e. VOTE FOR THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS CROWD, will of course go along even though Government will get even larger and not a single program or dept. cut back or eliminated. In fact the Republicans have become the democratic party of twenty years ago and will continue down the doomed path of more and more socialism. I would love it if anyone could show one thing W has done to shrink the size of government. You can't, he is all about maintaining power, not taking the country in the right direction, which is no different than the demorats.

Ravenstar

[MindBender26]

Would be great, but Jeb is asleep in Tallahassee. They are doing nothing!

I'm a big Jeb supporter, but he has been horrible this term. Supporting Big Sugar in the Everglades, Florida Medical Board is a disaster. Doctors who should have been out of practice years ago, (1800+ narcotic pills to one teenager in 45 days, another drugging and raping patients, etc.) still merilly going along...

Insiders say Mrs. hates Tallahassee and is taking it out on Jeb. Haven't seen him smile in 6 months. Office is in complete disaray. Staff sets then forgets important appointments. Something very wrong in Tally.

[Green Knight]

Agreed. If he wants the nomination then he's gotta earn it. My opinion, though, is that he's more than capable of winning the nomination. Whether his name were Jeb Bush or Mickey McSnarfblatt.

Snarf, snarf.

[walrus954]

Here's what happened: November, 1994- Two Bushes running for governor. The one from Florida was expected to win while the one in Texas was not. Apparently, the voters had other things in mind. If Jeb has beaten Lawton Chiles in 1994, might he be President today?

[ExSoldier]

"I had heard rumours that Jeb was the original family pick to be groomed for politics. GW just (luckily) sort of stumbled into it at the right time."

That is correct. I have known Jeb Bush personally from long before he was Governor. I worked on his campaigns and we have several friends in common. HE was supposed to be the one being groomed for the White House, but then HE LOST the Governor's race to Lawton Chiles the first time he ran and GW won the Texas Governor's mansion. The mantle automatically shifted.

BTW, Jeb is FAR more conservative and I believe has more integrity than GW and I do love the Pres...but I will watch his stance on the 2nd Amendment closely; while I have no such concerns with Jeb!

[CaliGirlGodHelpMe]

"Jeb was the original family pick to be groomed for politics..."

Yes, I read that too. Jeb was always the "smart one" in the family, whose opinion everyone stopped to listen to. I think he'd make a great president, but I doubt if people will accept 3 Bush presidencies in 20 years.