Why Not Bush '12?
Ricochet pride compels me to link to this excellent piece in today's New York Times, on Ricochet podcast guest and (soon to be) contributor, former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. (If you haven't heard him on the Ricochet podcast, it's here; scroll down to Number 12....)
My favorite paragraph:
He has been deeply involved as an informal adviser to the party’s candidates for governor, whom he sees as the most likely sources of new Republican policy ideas. “It doesn’t seem like it’s going to be happening in Washington anytime soon,” Mr. Bush dryly observed.
For the past eight years, people have been saying, "Oh, wouldn't Jeb Bush be a great president? Too bad that can't happen."
Why can't it, again?
I know, I know: the usual stuff. But the "usual stuff" is what small-time thinkers (and political pundits) cling to when they feel like they're expected to predict the unpredictable. The great thing about American politics is how unpredictable it is. Whenever I hear people saying "Here's what's gonna happen...." or "There's no way the voters will accept...." I know two things for sure: it's not gonna happen that way, and the voters will get over it.
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Re: Why Not Bush '12?
From Rob's post, to paraphrase an old saying, to God's ear.
On our podcast, as you'll recall, Rob, I jokingly suggested that Jeb change his last name, solving a lot of problems at a stroke. For just a moment, Jeb, a man ordinarily possessed of a wonderful equanimity, bristled. "I'm proud of my name," he replied.
Good for him.
Re: Why Not Bush '12?
What do you think would have to happen, Peter, to get him to run? Or, maybe I'll spin another scenario: Jeb Bush, Vice Presidential nominee?
May '10
Re: Why Not Bush '12?
Peter Robinson: On our podcast, as you'll recall, Rob, I jokingly suggested that Jeb change his last name, solving a lot of problems at a stroke. For just a moment, Jeb, a man ordinarily possessed of a wonderful equanimity, bristled. "I'm proud of my name," he replied.
Good for him. · Jun 23 at 9:42am
Peter, that was the line I most remembered too.
Of course, as far as we know, GHWB and GWB have not categorically precluded the option of changing their names. Hope springs eternal!
May '10
Re: Why Not Bush '12?
The Conventional Wisdom (or teh conventional wisdom, like the kids say) is always, always wrong. It's nearly as bad at prognostication as "Beltway sources in the GOP".
Kinda makes me nervous that everyone with a blog is saying that the Prez is political roadkill. That kind of consensus always sets my ears and whiskers aquiver. Cause it's something I've thought for a while, but the fact that others say it means it's totally wrong.
Re: Why Not Bush '12?
Lawler at Pomocon:
May '10
Re: Why Not Bush '12?
Where do I see Jeb Bush in the next (hopefully conservative!) administration in 2013? As Education Secretary, overseeing the reduction in size and eventual dismantling of the Department of Education. He could step into that role easily and begin to build a more national following.
May '10
Re: Why Not Bush '12?
How about another Bush / Cheney ticket in 2012? Just to get the left's / Europe's blood a-bilin'.
Everyone seems to love Jeb, so the most controversial thing about him running would be his surname. But polite people react to Liz Cheney the way they do to Mark Steyn - by giving them a wide birth. The chattering class feels uncomfortable with people who say plainly what they think. But I admire Liz Cheney hard-nosed attitude and think her foreign affairs expertise would be a terrific foil to Jeb's domestic affairs know-how.
And coming back to what Rob mentioned on the podcast a couple weeks back: conservatives don't want to wince and rationalize when they hear their candidates debate or watch them getting cleavered by Katie Couric. There is zero danger of that with Cheney. She's a stone cold customer. I've seen her sweep the floor with left wing hyperventilators like Lawrence O'Donnell and the Ragin' Cajun as well as gadflys like Markos Moulitsas. It would be embarrasing to watch her debate Biden. One would have to look away as she dismantled that buffoon on public television.
May '10
Re: Why Not Bush '12?
If Jeb Bush is Obama's opponent in '12, I'll support JB.
That said, can we please get past the dynastic politics? Maybe it's because of the way I see it play out in Cook County, but it's very wearying to see political office become a family affair.
May '10
Re: Why Not Bush '12?
If Jeb Bush is Obama's opponent in '12, I'll support JB.
That said, can we please get past the dynastic politics? Maybe it's because of the way I see it play out in Cook County, but it's very wearying to see political office become a family affair.
May '10
Re: Why Not Bush '12?
I hope it's true that where there's smoke, there's fire: