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It’s Time for Bush to Withdraw
Jeb Bush is having a “meeting” this weekend — and CBS reports it in terms seeming to imply he may consider withdrawing from the race. He should.
Bush still has a far greater chance at his party’s nomination than most ambitious politicians can ever dream of. His fundraising may not reach expectations, but he can surely draw enough to drag this campaign out if he choses. Unlike Scott Walker or Rand Paul (who needs to save his Senate seat), he has no day job to think about. Nothing is making him quit.
But it would be far better for the party and the country if he withdrew.
Even if he can still win the nomination, it is increasingly clear that he can never unite Republicans even to the extent that Mitt Romney did. His nomination could well spark a third-party candidacy. No one can truly satisfy all of us, but Bush is distinctly unacceptable to a huge number of us, while only a few of those who would accept him consider him necessary.
Moreover, Walker noted correctly that the sheer number of candidates is a hindrance to serious debate in this media climate. Bush can free up airtime and significant donor support for those with a better chance of uniting the party. Because he is distinctly polarizing, his withdrawal could alter the dynamics of the race and perhaps drain a little of the poison from the debate.
His views on immigration and Common Core are major barriers, but beyond policy his family name is deeply troubling even to voters who might accept a traditional “establishment” candidate. Jeb Bush may be his own man, but it is increasingly clear that the shadow of family history lies heavy on his candidacy and would hang over his presidency. There is no shame in that, but it cannot be healthy to campaign or govern under such a shadow.
A couple days ago, in a striking act of leadership, Congressman Paul Ryan set aside his previous life goals for the good of the party and the country. Before stepping forward, he set out what would need to happen for his leadership to work: in essence, he would not go forward unless he could be a unifying figure, and unless he were able to serve effectively.
Jeb Bush should evaluate his position in similar terms. He cannot be a unifying figure. It is at best unclear that he could be an effective nominee or president. There are credible alternatives. For the good of the party and the country, he should set aside his ambitions and withdraw. You could even call it an act of leadership.
Published in General
http://youtu.be/O7pPTzetJPg
Let us hope it comes soon.
On the other hand, if he stays in the race we can more opportunities to express how much we dislike the arrogance of the donor class.
I’d rather win.
Well said, Leigh, on all counts.
Now, if Graham, Huckabee, Kasich, Pataki, Christie, Jindal, Santorum, Gilmore, and Paul would follow suit, then we might be getting somewhere.
One important point is that if Bush and Rubio are vying for votes in the Florida primary, which is winner take all, it could leave the field to Trump. Dreadful thought. I so agree–bow out Bush!
Good point.
I hadn’t thought about how Bush’s withdrawal would affect Rubio’s position in Florida. That could matter.
Agreed, mostly.
I think with Bush out Kasich might have enough of a plausible shot to justify his campaign (this does not mean I support him). As for the rest, they should mostly be out already. As should one or two you didn’t mention…
Somehow running for the Republican nomination has become a wonderful way for a large number of attention-hungry people with nothing to lose to soak up attention and build a following. There has to be some other way of narrowing down the options to a manageable number without this ridiculous process.
There are other ways, but this process is better. It’s a feature, not a bug. It keeps the leftwing opposition researchers off balance. Even wtih their trillion dollar budget, they can’t attack everyone with full fury all at the same time.
I get the feeling Jeb doesn’t want the job enough to fight for it, and therefore should leave.
Either that or he should fire his entire staff and hire the smart Republican consultants that are out there. Oh, wait a minute. Nevermind.
If/when he retires what happens to the SuperPAC that was formed to support him?
If memory serves Right to Rise set goals of more than $100 million this year and were having some success toward that end, at least early on.
What happens to them? Can Right to Rise support another candidate. That seems hard to do based on their website.
When Gov. Perry dropped out the SuperPAC behind him discussed returning donations and closing, but that was less than $10M.
Well, if he does, I for one look forward to a spate of posts ridiculing conservatives for thinking they had anything to do with. Our failure to reanimate Genghis Khan and install him as dictator for the hereafter will be proof of our stupidity. Ya call that a plan? Pffft!
Great, now ya got no Bush, are you happy? Didn’t think about the consequences of having no Bush, didja, huh, huh, huh?
Naturally, I won’t take that bait. Far be it from me. I’ll simply try to take yes for an answer without doing donuts all over the moderates’ lawn. You know, same way I did with Boehner.
Restraint. Right.
(I’ll believe it when I see it.)
Rush was treating Trump as the “not Bush candidate” as the only anti establishment guy. If Bush pulls out who gains the most?
You talkin’ ta me?
No, really. I said I didn’t care who replaced Boehner, because that wasn’t the point. The point was giving the GOP a black eye and tattooing “Tea Party Was Here” around the wound. Even if we wound up with somebody “just as bad” in exchange, the message gets out. Likewise with the candidacy of the Jebberbaut. I think that once that vampire’s head is displayed on a pike long enough for us idiot conservatives to agree it’s dead, that will take the sails out of Trump support. Caveat: If Jeb is indeed the GOPe Chosen One, then the dirty tricks department can always pull moves, but with the rules they passed last time, he should be locked out by not getting the required preponderance. So acceptance will not be instant, but that doesn’t make it begrudging. It just makes it not instant.
Who gains the least? Trump. Just sayin’
Pretty much. Just ribbin ya. Or am I egging you on?
(You know I loves ya, right BDB?)
Ribbit.
Judicious. Is this the roster of kid’s table candidates?
It’s taken me a little while to figure out the math on this one… so many candidates…
So you’re saying Trump, Carson, Cruz, Fiorino, or Rubio? Am I missing someone (I feel I must be…)
Well Sal’s gonna Watt’s comment for unnecessary roughing of The Gilmore. I think he’s just redlining for percentage, which makes lots of sense. You can’t tell me that all of these losers are heck-bent on winning — many of them are just padding resumes one way or another.
But Bush is the front-runner!
Haven’t you seen George Pataki’s inspirational campaign video? Look at him knotting his tie! How he finishes the job in spite of his wife poking at the knot? How could you not want to vote for that!
I think Rubio and Kasich benefit the most in the short run.
They don’t need to attack them with full fury until we have a nominee. Plus we’re spending so much money right now fighting among ourselves that I don’t think this benefit is worth the cost.
The Republican process right now benefits the candidates who are most skilled at seizing airtime. This does little to lead us to the one who would best govern. It doesn’t even lead us to the ones best able to win a general election, in which patient message discipline is more important. It pushes out some serious candidates who can’t grab the spotlight this early on, and deters others from jumping in altogether.
The five Democrats, with plenty of time to talk, had a serious-sounding debate about (socialist) policy, while we discussed Politically Incorrect Things Donald Trump Said, for three hours, in soundbites.
I don’t have any easy answers, but I am quite sure that we would be better served by a system that did not encourage nonserious candidates like Huckabee and Graham and Pataki and Cain and Bachmann and so on.
Plus I don’t think the same two states should be responsible for narrowing the field year after year.
I think this is true, and maybe for the long run too.
The potential risk for Rubio is that he comes to be perceived as Bush’s heir to the “establishment” slot. The potential upside is that conservatives decide they can live with him in that role.
I’m not sure how much potential Kasich has.
Incoming!
Pataki-Huntsman 2016 because it sounds like a new leaf blower.
Agree. And it is in an old Ricochet Podcast. Check out http://ricochet.com/podcasts/crazy-ones-bcs-gop-obamacare/ It starts about 18 minutes and 45 seconds.
Well, it sounds like a new vacuum cleaner.