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(photo: DonkeyHotey/flickr)
Get Ready for the Romney Bush ticket
As speculation among the chattering class builds – if not to a fevered pitch then at least to a dull ache – about who the Republican VP will be, one obvious name keeps not being mentioned, Jeb Bush. The former Florida Governor bring more to the table than the oft mentioned Marco Rubio in both experience and national Latino connections. He brings more to the table by every measure than Senator Portman who has the Bush baggage without the Bush positives. Jeb Bush solves Romney’s lack of connection with Latinos, southerners, evangelicals, and likely brings Florida, North Carolina, and Virginia into the Republican camp while helping move the needle in Nevada, New Hampshire, and Colorado.
No other potential running mate can help as much and yet his name is never mentioned. Every other Governor, Cabinet, and Congressional official is paraded or leaked as being on the short list, but Jeb gets ignored. Christie to give a major speech, but Jeb is never mentioned as having a role at the convention or in a Romney administration. How do you hide a potential VP? Like the Hound of the Baskervilles, the sound of Jeb Bush’s name is the dog not barking in the night.
Does this potential pick fit with what of know of Romney’s decision making style? Yes, Romney is a run the numbers guy and no one has better numbers than Jeb. He is a safe pick and Romney is nothing if not risk averse. Jeb Bush also fulfills the Republican hereditary ballot line which notes that for the past 60 years (other than two Senators from Arizona who both lost in landslides) every Republican presidential ticket has included a Nixon, a Dole, or a Bush.
Romney Bush
And you thought it couldn’t get worse.
6 Comments
You forgot something. Jeb has a say in this.
The real question here for Jeb is who is going to be his VP choice in 2016. He isn’t going to up end that plan by being on the ticket with Romney this year, especially since he and his entire team can run Romney’s numbers and know that his chance of getting elected is, at best, razor slim.
Besides Jeb is not that fond of Mittens.
The Bush name is still badly damaged thanks to W. Obama so far could succeed only to the point of bailing out Repub brand, not the Bush brand. Yet. Maybe Jebby has to wait until 2016 so Obama bails out the Bush brand deep down from the toilet and rehab it.
The reference to the dog that did nothing in the nighttime is to the story called “Silver Blaze”, NOT to The Hound of the Baskervilles. That dog did a lot in the nighttime….
Arthur, I agree with Barbara Piper, ’twas “Silver Blaze” wherein the dog “did nothing” … and that was because there was no stranger involved, no outsider.
As well, Jeb Bush is no gambling “outsider” and the thoroughly odious Bush clan would be more than a little foolish to hitch their “horse” to Romney’s square-wheeled, if gaudy, band-wagon, indeed why should they?
Thus, to make use of another doggone cliche, “That dog won’t hunt …”
Consider: Jeb would rather ride in, dramatically, and “save” the Republican “brand” by espousing something similar to the “kinder and gentler” approach of his ole Poppy and the “compassionate conservatism” which his brother, George, sought to use to hide the party’s “philosophy” of avarice and greed, which selfish and destructive “world-view” Romney blatantly, rather idiotically AND foolishly is daily “promoting”, thereby greatly taxing his “credibility” … even among the Tea Party Faithful …
Frankly, analysis of the “chances”, the “good news” or the “bad”, of either of the legacy, money oriented, parties and their candidates, is not very useful, essentially, to the deeper understanding required of all of us, today, or of bringing about the necessary changes which human beings must find the courage to affect.
The survival of our species, and the capacity of planet Earth to support and tolerate that, apparently not-too-bright, species is on the line.
The entire “traditional” political class, which includes the media, is the problem … not the solution … and, in my opinion, the sooner that political class is consigned to the bullshit dustbin of history … the better.
DW
It occurs to me that we dwell entirely to much on personalities and far to little on the real problems in our governance. We survived Ronnie, albeit weakened and seriously damaged. We survived W and his Darth Vader like VP. We are still here after Bill threw thousands off welfare so he could brag about a balanced budget. So far we have also survived the incompetent but velvet tongued Obama.
This nation suffers from a cult of personalities, in my own opinion, thinking to find a superhero who will solve all our problems so we can remain on our couches watching the mindless screen or playing video games. I doubt that Democracy works that way. I offer that our descent into third world status will continue until we all get involved in the hard work of fixing this system.