Politico: The Jeb Bush murmurs persist

[DCBob]

-snip-

The Bush murmurs persist, even as a resilient Romney marches toward Super Tuesday with a commanding lead in cash, delegates and momentum over a sagging Rick Santorum.

“I have the perfect candidate — Jeb Bush. But he’s not running,” former George W. Bush chief of staff Andy Card told Charlie Rose on CBS on Wednesday, echoing the sentiments of many in his party.

“What Democrat would not worry about a popular leader from a critical state who sounds pretty moderate and can rescue the GOP from its anti-Latino death grip?” asked former Bill Clinton press secretary Mike McCurry, who said he’s yet to find a Democratic elder who thinks the GOP is truly “unhinged” enough to consider ditching Romney for Bush.

Bush — who has refused to endorse Romney in 2012 as he did in 2008 and whose son endorsed Jon Huntsman — has fanned the flames himself, possibly to whet his party’s appetite for a 2016 run. After keeping a low profile during the hotly contested Florida primary in January, he popped up last week at the height of the Romney-Santorum duel in Michigan to declare his problems with the GOP presidential field

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0212/73475.html

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It bothers me that this Jeb Bush stuff just wont go away. IMO, he is about the only Republican who would be capable of winning this year. I dont know how they could pull it off procedurely, but if they do, it could change everything.

[MADem]

1. The Alfalfa Club chose him as their "Presidential nominee" this year.

The Alfalfa Club is just a bunch of rich bastards who get together once a year to overeat and hear a few speeches. The President spoke at the event this year, and Jebbie was their "nominee." GHWB and Jebbie swung by the WH to have a little visit with BHO ahead of the event.

Procedurally, they could pull it off with a deadlocked convention, where no one gives in vote after vote after vote, but a couple of fatcats in smoke filled rooms persuade some delegates to bolt...and they start a stampede.

That all said, Jeb has indicated, repeatedly, that he has no desire for the job, that he is making money and enjoying that....who knows if he means it, though?

[DCBob]

3. This line from page 2 is priceless...

"Republican operatives, speaking to POLITICO on condition of anonymity, talk about Bush in the glowing tones of a potential spouse who got away — and seems perfect in comparison to the person they stare at across their coffee every morning."

[MADem]

7. Oh, those silly Republicans! Everything is related to sex or reproduction with them!

They can't talk about any issue without throwing in a little sexual attraction, appearance, that sort of thing. Political candidate? War? Legislative issue? Sex it up!

They should just give up that "Grand Old Party" name and call themselves the "Sexy Party"--it would at least make their agenda quite clear:

I do see their point, though--they've got nothing, and when you've got nothing, I suppose sexing up their garbage is the only way to try to sell it!

[liberal N proud]

2. The current bunch of clowns stand no chance of getting the nomination.

[DCBob]

4. Romney still has a good shot to lock it down.

if he can keep the momentum going. But Super Tuesday is not looking all that good for him at the moment.

[ret5hd]

5. not this time...2016.

[DCBob]

6. Thats assuming Obama wins..

I dont think Jeb would go up against an incumbent Republican.

[KharmaTrain]

8. Jebbie's Damaged Goods...

I'm sure he gets a kick out of the phone calls and the talking heads bleeting how he's some "great white hope" but Jebbie knows how damaged the boooosh name is, and if he doesn't, he'd learn in a hurry. While you always hear the wingnuts praise St. Raygun, you rarely hear a peep of the boooosh name...and when you do it's with as much disgust as you do on this side of the sandbox. The ironic thing is while we consider the booooshies as greedy, compasionless and full of bloodlust, the great unhinged see them as "liberals"...big spenders and not "true" con-servatives. He's about as popular as Millard is. It'd be even more inflamatory if Jebbie pushed his way in over one of their sacred cows.

Personally I'd like to see Jebbie run...and see his sorry ass beaten bad. He can thank his idiot brother for ruining it all for him. But Jebbie knows his life is a lot easier by making lots of money and not having to deal with the scrutiny and tedium of running a campaign.

Also...the convention is at the end of August...someone being annointed then would have precious little time to build an organization that would be competitive with the already up and running Obama operation. Thus, if there's a brokered convention, we'll see a lot of horsetrading among those with delegates and not some "great white hope" like a Jebbie or Crispy Christie or Zombie Raygun coming out from behind some curtain. It's not that simple. And anyone who'd climb into that suicide seat is either ignorant or arrogant or both.

[Marsala]

9. Jeb would be the first presidential candidate to campaign entirely with his first name

Meanwhile Obama would only have to repeat "Bush bush bush bush bush bush" and be reassured election.

[DCBob]

10. Ha! That's probably very true.

There is no way Jebs bumper stickers or campaign signs would have the Bush word anywhere on them.