NYT: A Florida Bush Stays Silent, and to Many, That Says a Lot

[babylonsister]

A Florida Bush Stays Silent, and to Many, That Says a Lot
By JEFF ZELENY
Published: January 29, 2012


MIAMI — A steady stream of endorsements has been flowing to Mitt Romney, with his campaign promoting Republicans who are giving their blessing to his presidential candidacy. Yet on the eve of the Florida primary, he has been unable to land the biggest catch of all: Jeb Bush.

An unspoken question hovering over the Republican presidential race here is why Mr. Bush, the state’s popular former governor and heir to the nation’s aging political dynasty, has not added his voice to the party establishment’s support for Mr. Romney in his increasingly bitter duel with Newt Gingrich.

It has not been for a lack of effort by Mr. Romney, who has made phone calls, traded e-mails and met privately to try to win over Mr. Bush. The campaign was poised to make him a national co-chairman, a role Mr. Bush would have shared with Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, but several Republicans familiar with the offer say it was declined. As the center of Republican politics has once again returned to Florida, with Mr. Romney and Mr. Gingrich making final appeals to voters across the state on Sunday, Mr. Bush has been noticeably — and, several friends say, purposefully — absent from the conversation.

snip//

But his silence in the fight between Mr. Romney and Mr. Gingrich has been noticed by Republicans here. As the two candidates made appearances on Friday before Mr. Bush’s Hispanic Leadership Network, Mr. Bush was not in the audience. He turned up later that day in Washington for a private Oval Office meeting with his father and President Obama.

Former President George Bush has endorsed Mr. Romney. Former President George W. Bush has told friends he is following the race but has no plans to become involved. All three Bushes were at the Alfalfa Club dinner in Washington on Saturday night, when Mr. Obama joked that many people hoped Jeb Bush would run for president.

“I am not one of them,” Mr. Obama declared at the private dinner, one attendee said.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/30/us/politics/jeb-bush-remains-silent-on-endorsement.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

[Doctor_J]

1. How did a cabal of traitors, murderers, thieves, and losers

become "America's First Family"? who cares what the son & brother of the country's two worst presidents ever thinks? Big Media needs a severe realignment.

Edit: rec so more will see what a repuke propaganda rag the Grey Lady has become.

[southernyankeebelle]

2. When you were a head of the CIA you just about have everything you want at your beckon call.

This so called beloved family made their blood money on the backs on the american people who work hard everyday and they get screwed by people like this family who honestly think they are entitled. May they rot in hell especially W.

[Doctor_J]

4. they probably have very severe dirt on every US citizen

dating back to the McCarthy Era too. Obama appears from my vantage point to be blackmail-proof, but who knows?

[southernyankeebelle]

7. Well you know they can make things up.

[izquierdista]

3. I hope we have learned enough....

That when someone from that "aging political dynasty" attempts to run for office, a chorus of "Hell NO, stupid fucker" will go up across the land.

[ellenfl]

5. i'm tired of hearing how popular jebbie is.

is there any proof of that popularity? if he's so popular, you'd think he could easily overcome his brother's tenure and win the presidency.

he's certainly never been popular with me . . . or any other florida dems.

ellen fl

[Found in Yonkers]

6. DR

But Obama would have nothing to worry about from Jeb, who is banking on a Romney loss in November, setting his own table for 2016.