Can Jeb Become Persona Grata?

 

bush-jeb-2013If you don’t like what the Republicans and Democrats are offering in the way of presidential candidates, here’s an alternative: Waka Flocka Flame, an Atlanta-based rapper who wants to be your next commander-in-chief.

On Monday, which also happened to be the annual 4/20 “Weed Day” celebrating marijuana use, the performer released this video [warning: not CoC-compliant] laying out his presidential intentions:

“The first thing I’m gonna do when I get in office is legalize marijuana,” Flocka said. “The president’s gotta have a big, fat ol’ blunt.”

That’s “blunt”, as in marijuana cigarette — and blunt in choice of language: “I’m not wearing a suit when I go to the [congressional] meeting. It’s f——g irritating,” he says. “I’m going with a tank top, flip-flop, a box of Backwoods, some 1882’s, rolling one up, drinking a coffee. F—k Congress.”

Ok, I’m guessing this won’t be confused with Mick Huckabee’s announcement in a couple of weeks. Or Scott Walker’s, or Jeb Bush’s, whenever those are.

Speaking of Bush, there’s a buzz going around the Internet that he might surprise us and decide not to seek the presidency after all. It’d certainly be a shocker, considering that Bush has given us at least four signs that he’s running:

1) In January, he launched his Ready to Rise PAC, which will compliment the Bush 2016 campaign (in an uncoordinated way, of course, even it it ends up being run by fabled GOP consultant Mike Murphy).

2) In March, he sold his stakes in his remaining business interests (his turned over his share of Jeb Bush and Associates to his son and namesake; and he stepped down as chairman of Britton Hill);

3) For several months now, he’s been grinding his way through the early-primary states, including last weekend’s stop in New Hampshire where he both dished it out and took it.

4) And all the while, he’s been doing the one thing that all husky presidential wannabes seem to do (you might remember Ted Kennedy being the source of such speculation in the 1970s and 1980s): Bush has gone on a “caveman” diet.

About Bush’s announcement: It’s not the timing of the event that should concern Republicans. Because of his name recognition and formidable fundraising network, there’s no urgency to Bush making things official — he’s not Ted Cruz, needing to jump in front of social conservatives. Thus he has the luxury of time — both to hold off on an announcement and to use the extra time to further fill the coffers of Ready to Rise.

What should be concerning is what the former governor/presidential son-sibling intends to say when the time comes for the big announcement. Not so much the candidate’s goals and ideas, but who he is.

It’s been 35 years since Jeb Bush’s father first sought the presidency and 27 years since “41” got the job. In the time since, presidential campaigns have become far more biographical. Winning candidates not only figure how to fit in with the moment, they also know how to weave a sympathetic narrative.

Since the end of the Reagan/Bush run on the White House, we’ve had three two-term presidents — three distinctly different gentlemen with two things in common: all are Baby Boomers, all had a compelling personal story to relate:

— Bill Clinton, son of a father he never knew;

— George W. Bush, kicked the bottle;

— Barack Obama, finding his personal identity.

If you caught Hillary Clinton’s video release, you may have noticed there was nothing in the way of the candidate showcasing personal growth and overcoming struggle. Just a lot of empty calories about being a “champion” for ordinary folks. Maybe the Clintonistas figure she’s already so well-known that she doesn’t need a biographical rehash. Or (my guess), they can’t quite figure how to make “Hillary’s story” every American’s story. In the end, this may be what betrays Mrs. Clinton: she’s famous, she has a resume — and she’s not sympathetic.

One candidate who does understand this would be Marco Rubio. Here’s his announcement. You’ll notice how he weaves his family’s journey into the larger theme of where he wants to take America. We’ll see if Scott Walker, an Eagle Scout and son of a Baptist minister, also tells a family tale when his time comes.

So here’s the challenge to those inveterate Bush watchers: come up with a sentence, a paragraph, a 30-second soundbite that explains the gist of Jeb’s candidacy — a rationale incorporating the candidate’s life story (competence and electability don’t apply here). What is it, about the man, that voters should find relatable? What is it, about his life’s journey, that we should find inspiring?

The question is: is the Bush campaign asking itself the same questions?

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There are 17 comments.

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  1. Misthiocracy Member
    Misthiocracy
    @Misthiocracy

    I prefer Bob Ely…

    asininecrap

    • #1
  2. DocJay Inactive
    DocJay
    @DocJay

    A man so full of hubris that he’s willing to destroy the country, while  spending 3 billion dollars, only to lose to a sea hag.  It takes tremendous guts to destroy America because you feel cheated that mommy and daddy let your brother run first.   It takes tremendous courage to hand a liberty medal to a lady who helped cover up the murder of our citizens as well as being a known crook.   Jeb Bush, a man of courage.  There is your catch phrase.

    Is this what you wanted Bill?

    jebbush liberty

    • #2
  3. Quinn the Eskimo Member
    Quinn the Eskimo
    @

    Jeb Bush: Next in Line.

    • #3
  4. Vance Richards Inactive
    Vance Richards
    @VanceRichards

    “I’m Jeb Bush. Please vote for me because Mom’s ‘just a governor’ comments are really starting to get on my nerves.”

    • #4
  5. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @

    I’m Jeb Bush. I’m not my brother or my father, I’m me. I’ve been fighting my whole life to get a piece of the American Dream, which happens to be a very high standard in my family – President of the United States. Anything less and I will consider myself a failure – that’s how committed I am to the American people. I’ve taken every step to ensure that I succeed. I’ve gone to Prep school, I got my degree in Latin American affairs because I knew our country would become enriched by Latinos migrating here out of love.  I married my first girlfriend who I met in Mexico and came to believe that she was so great that Americans needed millions more like her here in our country.

    I became a bank executive in Caracas Venezuela as my first job with absolutely no help from family friend James Baker who founded the bank. Shortly thereafter I decided that becoming Governor of Florida would be a good stepping stone to the Presidency I now humbly seek, and I realized I could do it on my own, without any help from my family connections whatsoever, and the people of Florida ultimately elected me.

    I hereby promise to be different from both my father and brother and also different from Hillary, and Obama, and Rubio and everyone. I am unique just like you. I’m me. Don’t hate me because of my name. God Bless America!

    • #5
  6. user_45880 Member
    user_45880
    @Eiros

    It is up to liberal media to pick Republican candidate for president, so question should go to NY Times.  By the way, why do Republicans and conservatives fall for same trick every four years?

    • #6
  7. Kay of MT Inactive
    Kay of MT
    @KayofMT

    Not for me. This dynasty business has got to stop!

    • #7
  8. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @

    As to Wakka Floka Flame, I can’t resist this clip of President Camacho

    • #8
  9. J Flei Inactive
    J Flei
    @Solon

    DocJay:A man so full of hubris that he’s willing to destroy the country, while spending 3 billion dollars, only to lose to a sea hag. It takes tremendous guts to destroy America because you feel cheated that mommy and daddy let your brother run first. It takes tremendous courage to hand a liberty medal to a lady who helped cover up the murder of our citizens as well as being a known crook. Jeb Bush, a man of courage. There is your catch phrase.

    I’d only try to weave in the phrase, ‘No more politics as usual.’  That’s what Jeb is all about, after all.

    • #9
  10. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @

    Estoy Jeb Bush. Yo no soy mi hermano o mi padre, yo soy yo. He estado luchando toda mi vida para conseguir un pedazo del sueño americano, que pasa a ser un estándar muy alto en mi familia – Presidente de los Estados Unidos. Cualquier cosa menos y me consideraré un fracaso – así es como estoy comprometido con el pueblo estadounidense. He tomado todas las medidas para asegurar que tengo éxito. He ido a la escuela de preparación, me gradué en asuntos latinoamericanos, porque sabía que nuestro país se convertiría enriquecido por la migración de latinos aquí por amor.

    Me convertí en un ejecutivo de un banco en Caracas Venezuela como mi primer trabajo sin ningún tipo de ayuda del amigo de la familia, James Baker, quien fundó el banco. Poco después decidí que convertirse en el gobernador de la Florida sería un buen paso hacia la Presidencia yo ahora busco humildemente, y me di cuenta de que podía hacerlo por mi cuenta, sin la ayuda de las conexiones de mi familia que sea, y la gente de Florida eligieron en última instancia, mí.

    Por este medio prometo ser diferente de mi padre y hermano y también diferente de Hillary y Obama, y ​​Rubio y todo el mundo. Soy único como usted. Yo soy yo. No me odies causa de mi nombre. Dios Bendiga America!

    • #10
  11. Leigh Inactive
    Leigh
    @Leigh

    I think that comes in the form of “this is what I’ve spent my life fighting for.”  This is how I served Floridians, and this is the service I now offer to my country.

    And of course he’ll focus on his own wife and children.

    • #11
  12. J Flei Inactive
    J Flei
    @Solon

    Franco:Estoy Jeb Bush. Yo no soy mi hermano o mi padre, yo soy yo. He estado luchando toda mi vida para conseguir un pedazo del sueño americano….

    So freaking funny. Nice one Franco!!

    • #12
  13. Ricochet Member
    Ricochet
    @EustaceCScrubb

    Jeb – Because the third time’s a charm.

    • #13
  14. Sisyphus Member
    Sisyphus
    @Sisyphus

    This week on Walking Dead:  The Ready to Rise PAC.

    Sharpen your axes, America!

    • #14
  15. user_740349 Member
    user_740349
    @buzzbrockway

    Interestingly enough, Waka Flocka endorsed Republican David Perdue for U.S. Senate last year and Perdue won!  Don’t underestimate Waka Flocka Flame!

    • #15
  16. WI Con Member
    WI Con
    @WICon

    “Hi, I’m Jeb Bush and I can get us into a recession, start a war and spend money we don’t have too!”

    • #16
  17. Jim Kearney Member
    Jim Kearney
    @JimKearney

    “My family has a tradition of public service. I have asked many of you across the country how I can best resume my public service to you. Your response has been very clear.

    “Today, I am declaring my candidacy for the United States Senate, from the state of Florida. With your support I will resume my life’s work, serving the people of Florida.

    “If elected, I will loyally serve you all, and hopefully be of some help to the next President of the United States, Senator Marco Rubio.”

    • #17
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