Jeb Bush gets demoted
06/17/2014
Tea Party Republicans and ardent opponents of Common Core loathe the idea of former Florida governor Jeb Bush becoming the Republican Party nominee for president. Now the speculation is that Bush would be the perfect - are you ready - Veep.
Vice President Bush?
Crowley Political Report has repeatedly said that when its all over Bush will not run for president. Here is one of our reports. Some have suggested our thinking is nuts.
Perhaps. But vice-president? Squirrels are chasing that one.
The National Journal's Tom DeFrank offers the Bush as VEEP theory suggesting that Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor's defeat has led some party statewarts to look to Bush not as a top-of-the-ticket guy but as a handy number two.
DeFrank writes:
Even before Eric Cantor’s seismic loss to a political novice backed by the tea party last week, many Republican elders had concluded that Jeb Bush, who really wants to become the third President Bush, won’t run in 2016.
The emerging consensus explains why some of these party mandarins have launched a new political boomlet touting the ex-Florida governor: Jeb for Veep.
At first the notion seems a little weird.
Yes. Yes it does. DeFranks goes on to explain the weirdness and why it may not be that weird to some folks.
More from DeFrank:
“Jeb would be perfectly acceptable to the base if the nominee is a proven conservative,” said a prominent Republican consultant. “If it’s [New Jersey Gov. Chris] Christie or some moderate, Jeb would be a no go. On the other hand, if a right-wing nominee wanted to make a bow towards the middle and add some Hispanic vote appeal, Jeb would be a good choice.”
One must then imagine someone such as Texas Sen. Ted Cruz winning the nomination and then Bush cheerfully being willing to play second fiddle.
Ummmmm. No.
DeFrank goes on at some length to discuss possible VEEP scenarios for Bush. He even suggests that since Bush's wife Columba is vehemently opposed to a public life that she might be willing to see her hubby spend just a few months on the campaign trail as the VEEP candidate as opposed to a couple of years running for president.
Ummmmm. No.
Bush is just not made of VEEP stuff. Yes, he is qualified for the number two slot. But Bush would be miserable. He is not a ribbon cutter. He is not interested in breaking tie votes in the U.S. Senate. He is not going to be the guy who travels the world for funerals of heads-of-state.
Recently, one Bush insider said the odds of him running for president is about 40 percent. That's up from 20 percent in January in this individual's estimate. That's still a 60 percent no.
Bush has repeatedly said he will make his decision about running for president by the end of the year. The answer will most likely be no. The answer to being VEEP will be - hell no.
Read the entire National Journal story here.
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Art by Patrick Crowley
Jeb should change his name to Jeep, then he could be Jeep for Veep.
Posted by: John Van gieson | 06/18/2014 at 10:12 AM