Crowley Political Report

Episode 5 - Should Florida take on Alexa? Donald Trump's favorite Bush. Do Florida voters matter? Roxie gets moxie. The mystery of the Double Knot. This week's High Tops Award, and much more.

By Brian E. Crowley

Sometimes the saddest thing is watching a politician who has been booted from the stage. No matter how happy they say they are, one can always see the longing to be back. Sometimes they run again. Sometimes they pontificate from the sidelines, with fewer and fewer people paying attention. Jeb Bush has been doing a lot of pontificating lately.

He is clearly still ticked off at his humiliating 2016 defeat. He has the good fortune of being able to blame his loss on Donald Trump, a character he breezily dismissed when much of the Republican world presumed Bush would be their nominee.

One can only imagine how it felt when in the early debates he stood center stage and then as his poll numbers dropped found himself standing further on the edge while Trump took his place at center stage.

Partly, Bush continues to blame Sen. Marco Rubio.  In the Bush world, once Jeb decided to run, no loyal Florida Republican would dare to challenge him. Rubio, considered at the time one of the leading figures in what many believed would be a new GOP, saw no reason to stand aside for his elder.

Today, Bush still pokes at Rubio.

During an interview with USA Today's Alan Gomez, Bush, talking about immigration, said, "God forbid you actually took on something that was controversial and paid a political price. That's the  attitude in D.C. right now. Certainly Sen. Rubio is no different in that regard."

During a podcast with The Federalist, Bush chastised Rubio again. "When you're that talented and knowledgeable about subjects you need to step up," said Bush. "I think he's being too cautious."

So about that stepping up stuff. Perhaps, it's time for Bush to step up. Chirping from the sidelines makes him sound more like a parent yelling at the umpire during a middle school baseball game.

By Brian E. Crowley

Jeb Bush has said he has no intention of voting for Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton. It is a silly and disturbing notion.

Florida’s 29 electoral votes will decide whether Trump or Clinton will go to the White House. It will be an extremely close race with a Florida victory squeezed out by the smallest of margins. Recent polls suggest a slight Trump lead or a statistical tie.

There is a very reasonable chance that Trump could win Florida and with it the White House. If you merely look at the race in the style of the soulless Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, a Trump victory is merely a win for the GOP and the name on the White House mailbox matters little as long as it belongs to a Republican.

Some Florida Republicans are repulsed by the idea of Trump leading the GOP and they have actively, if so far ineffectively, been part of the NeverTrump movement.

Meanwhile, Jeb Bush has been largely silent. He will tweet on occasion about issues that interest him. Bush took some time off to do a skit with Jimmy Kimmel for a pre-Emmy Award show. (He was very good, acting an out of work Uber driver).

Sitting on the sidelines since quitting his own presidential bid, Bush seems to be content essentially telling voters – you picked a lunatic over me, live with it.

The middle child of the Bush family needs to get over it and step up for Florida and his party. It is unconscionable that Jeb Bush would abandon the party when it needs him most. His family has been deeply involved in the GOP since his grandfather, Prescott Bush, was elected to the U.S. Senate from Connecticut in 1952.

If he believes, as many establishment Republicans do, that Trump would be the destruction of the GOP, how can Bush remain idle? Was his campaign for president an ego-trip or a belief that Republican Party principles are better for the future of the nation?

Late Monday night, it was reported by CNN, Politico and others that Bush’s father, former President George Bush, told former Maryland Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend he plans to vote for Clinton.

The elder Bush, 92, over the years has developed a close relationship with former President Bill Clinton, the man who defeated him in 1992. Former President George W. Bush also has a close relationship with Clinton often joking that he is his “brother from another mother.”

Despite these public friendships between the Bush and Clinton families, Jeb is the moody outsider who can’t bring himself to publicly support Hillary Clinton.

Yet, perhaps the last, most notable public service Bush could perform in this election would be to endorse Hillary Clinton.

As already stated, Florida will be won by a small percentage of votes. Bush does not have the political power in the Sunshine State he once held, but in a race this close, he could have an impact. His endorsement could free others to publicly abandon Trump – perhaps even U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio who still harbors presidential ambitions.

Jennifer Rubin, a conservative columnist for the Washington Post and a Bush admirer, wrote last week:

Are Florida Republicans a leaderless party?

Who is the leader of the Florida Republican Party?

Governor Rick Scott? Marco Rubio? Adam Putnam? Pam Bondi? Jeff Atwater?

Or perhaps Jeb Bush?

Or – are Florida Republicans so fractured that there is no single leader of the party?

Today’s Florida Republican Party is very different than the one Bush took over when he staged a coup in 1994. He showed up in that year’s governor’s race as candidate who had never run for office, had limited campaign experience and a business background marked by notable failures. Like Donald Trump, what he did have was a name everyone knew – Bush.

With the help of his family name, Bush easily pushed aside more established GOP candidates to become the party’s nominee for governor. Bush would narrowly lose that election to incumbent Democrat Lawton Chiles, but the GOP would take over the Senate and the Florida Cabinet. And Bush began his reign has the undisputed leader of the Florida Republican Party.

Today, Florida Republicans are rudderless. The party that Bush ruled with a firm hand for more than a decade, is fractured. The slide began with the election of Charlie Crist as governor in 2006. It’s hard to believe now that at one point Crist was among those being considered to be John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 presidential campaign.

Crist, much like his arch-enemy Marco Rubio, was always a malleable Republican shifting direction as fit his political ambitions. Florida Republicans tolerated Crist because, well, he was governor. And by golly, if a Floridian became vice president that would be swell too.

Bush deeply cared about the machinery of politics. He put his best people in the right places. Crist could care less. He turned the party machine over to the now notorious Jim Greer who plundered the party coffers and ended up in prison.

Crist’s hold on the party was so tenuous that a faux hug from President Obama led to screams from
the hard right and opportunity for Rubio. The once moderate Rubio found maneuvering room by suddenly becoming an ardent follower of the emerging Tea Party movement. Many establishment Republicans laughed at the notion that Rubio could successfully challenge Crist who decided he would rather be a U.S. Senator than run for a second term as governor.

It was a calamitous moment for the Florida GOP and it began the cracking of party unity.

Rubio became a hero of the Tea Party and as the 2010 primary approached, his ardent followers were overwhelming the GOP establishment. And Republicans who had been lukewarm about Crist suddenly had an opportunity to abandon him

Crist leaves the GOP to run as independent. Rubio captures the party nomination and goes on to win a three way race defeating Crist and Democrat Kendrick Meek.

At the same time, a stranger arrived in town – Rick Scott.

Donald Trump is getting support from an unlikely source - Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush, son of Jeb.

In an exclusive, the Texas Tribune reports that:

Addressing state GOP activists Saturday, Bush said it was time to put aside any lingering animosity from the primaries — where Trump defeated Bush's dad, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, among others — and get behind Trump. 

"From Team Bush, it's a bitter pill to swallow, but you know what? You get back up and you help the man that won, and you make sure that we stop Hillary Clinton," Bush said, according to video  (see below) of the remarks provided by an audience member.

Bush was speaking in his capacity as the Texas GOP's victory chairman, who is responsible for overseeing the party's statewide campaign in November. Bush had been criticized for taking the role without backing the party's presidential nominee.

Read the Tribune story here.

One wonders, after the verbal beating he took from Trump, what does Jeb think about his son's decision.

Just minutes ago, Jeb Bush posted a statement on Facebook criticizing Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and saying he will not vote for Trump in November.

In fact, Bush said he will simply sit out the presidential election. Bush said he cannot bring himself to voter for Democrat Hillary Clinton. Earlier, Bush's father and brother - George Bush and George W. Bush - said they would not attend the Republican National Convention in Cleveland.

Below is Bush's statement:

Never doubt that Jeb Bush is taking his humiliating defeat for the Republican nomination very personally. His endorsement of Ted Cruz says more about Bush's anger at how Donald Trump pushed him out of the presidential race than his sudden love for Cruz. And Bush's decision not to endorse Marco Rubio before the Florida primary was little more than petty revenge because Rubio dared to run against him.

What's more, little more than a week after more than 1 million Florida Republicans voted for Trump - 46 percent of the GOP vote - Bush is backing the guy who got 17 percent of the Florida Republican vote.

If there remained any pretense at all, and there was very little left even before the campaign, that Bush remained a leader of the Florida GOP, his decision to back Cruz removed the last vestige of it.

Bush never really thought very much of the average Florida Republican. They were there to be instructed and led. Disagreement with Bush wisdom was at your own peril.

Many believe Bush's aim is to thwart Trump by helping establishment Republicans rally around Cruz in the hope of a brokered convention.

Florida Governor Rick Scott apparently disagrees. The day after the Florida primary (of course), Scott endorsed Trump. The day before, Attorney General Pam Bondi also endorsed Trump.

Does anyone seriously believe that Bush thinks Cruz should be president?

We certainly know he doesn't want Trump in the Oval Office.

And does anyone doubt that Bush believes Kasich is more qualified than either Cruz or Trump?

One telling part of Bush's endorsement was his proclamation it was for the “sake of our party and country.”

Interesting that he put party first.

During the campaign, Bush repeatedly said he would support the Republican nominee.

Does Bush still intend to do that - even if it is Donald Trump?

Jeb Bush is not endorsing Marco Rubio. Clearly Bush is still pouting. He may loathe Donald Trump, but with Rubio it's personal and nothing would please Bush more than to see Rubio lose the Florida primary.

Meanwhile, Rubio is rediscovering his home state. The man who adorned the cover of Time magazine, has spent little time worrying about the day-to-day lives of Floridians. That's the downside of seeing your picture on the cover - rock stars start to forget the fans back home.

Nine out of 10 Florida political insiders polled this week (more than 160) by the Tampa Bay Times say they expect Rubio to lose Florida. Rubio's campaign is deeply worried. One Rubio adviser told Crowley Political Report that if Rubio loses Florida, there is no road to continue the campaign.

Even if Bush were to suddenly decide that he must endorse Rubio to stop Trump, there really is no reason to believe that Bush's endorsement would be of much help. Bush was a dismal presidential candidate. Polls showed him trailing Trump badly in Florida. The vaunted Bush machine proved to rusty and out-of-step. Many of those who did support Bush are still bitter and his inner circle never forgets.

Tomorrow marks the seventh anniversary of the formation of the Marco Rubio exploratory committee. On March 4, 2009, Rubio formed the committee to prepare for 2010 U.S. Senate race. At the time, he said he would switch to running for governor if Republican Governor Charlie Crist decided to run for the senate.

Crist did. Rubio decided to take him on. He pushed Crist out of the GOP. In a three way race against Democrat Kendrick Meek, and newly no-party candidate Crist, Rubio won with 49 percent of the vote.

It was impressive. National Republican leaders were excited. Rubio became a rock star. Ambitious and confident, Rubio wouldn't even budge from the presidential race under the withering pressure of the House of Bush. 

Now Rubio is at a crossroad. Should he continue his struggle to win the nomination? Should he quit if he loses Florida? Should he quit before Florida?

There is no easy answer.

Meanwhile, Bush continues to pout apparently not caring if Trump is the nominee.

And Trump continues to smirk.

“Please clap.”

It may have been the saddest moment in the political career of Jeb Bush – a moment when even he must have known that his campaign would soon end.

Everything was wrong with his campaign. He was the wrong candidate at the wrong time. He stubbornly stuck to talking points that had little resonance with voters.

Often, Bush sounded like an aging former high school quarterback talking about how he led his team to the state championship 20 years ago. His constant harping about his years as Florida governor (1999 to 2007) overshadowed the many policy papers he placed on his website outlining his vision for handling a wide variety of national issues.

His campaign never seemed to hit the right rhythm. Bush started with a “Right to Rise” theme that would quickly become the name of his super PAC. As that theme fizzled, the campaign came up with “Jeb Can Fix It” which was easily ridiculed by rivals who suggested it sound like he was a North Florida handyman.

Toward the end of his campaign the slogan switched again, this time to “Trusted Leadership” with all the resonance of a neighborhood bank. His slogans certainly did not stoke the imagination of “Make America Great Again.”

Bush’s prowess as a candidate was always a myth. Bush lost his first campaign for Florida governor in a close race against a sitting Democrat governor. When he ran again in 1998, the state’s GOP leadership cleared the field for him in the Republican primary. Bush went on to defeat Democratic Lt.Gov. Buddy, who ran a dismal campaign. Bush won reelection in 2002 running against a Tampa-based lawyer who had never run for political office.

What Bush did have was tremendous family connections built over six decades in Washington politics that helped him raise an incredible $150 million – most of which went to Right to Rise. In fact, so much of the money went to R2R that Bush legally could not tell R2R how to spend money. It was a little like George Patton going into Europe during WWII with someone else in charge of his tanks.

As he did in his unsuccessful 1994 campaign, Bush became JEB! The third child of George and Barbara would use the last name to raise money and campaign for him, but he wanted the voters to see him as just Jeb.

As he said in this campaign, Bush remained determined to be his “own man.” It was always a silly notion. With a father and brother as presidents, Bush only appeared disingenuous to suggest his last name didn’t matter. Finally, in the desperate final days of the South Carolina campaign he brought both his mother and older brother to campaign for him.

During most of the last nine months, Bush seem flummoxed by the very idea that the Republican Party his family helped build could possibly consider someone as outside of the Grand Old Party as Donald Trump. Bush wasted many months refusing to take Trump seriously. Right to Rise had a detailed plan for taking out Marco Rubio, but it too seemed to be following Bush into the Trump abyss.

Bush has always considered himself the smartest person in the room. He is thin skinned and takes the smallest slights as personal affront. He is accustomed to surrounding himself with younger acolytes who worship him and rarely confront him. A prince in a royal family, Bush was ill-prepared to deal with a loud bully. Bush thought a mere wave of the hand would be enough to dismiss Trump’s shout that Bush was low energy.

When Jeb Bush’s big brother showed up in South Carolina to campaign for him, the Bush family squarely presented voters with this question – Do you want to continue their seven decades-old political dynasty?

There has never been anything quite like the Bushes in American politics. From Prescott Bush who entered the United States Senate in 1952 to George P. Bush who was elected to statewide office (land commissioner) in Texas in 2014, the Bush family is not only asking Americans to elect a third Bush president, but the fourth may be in waiting.

A year after his father left the Senate in 1963 - Prescott Bush represented Connecticut – George H.W. Bush ran for the U.S. Senate from Texas. Bush lost, but it was the start of his nearly non-stop political presence that lasted until he left the White House in 1993.

A year later, George W. Bush would become governor of Texas. His brother would become Florida’s governor four years later. As George W was leaving the White House in 2009, years of wondering if Jeb would run got louder.

Now he is and Americans must decide whether one family should have so much power.

In one sense it is unfair to Jeb. He rightly believes he should be measured by his own skills. During most of his presidential campaign he repeatedly reminded voters that he is “proud to be a Bush but I am my own man.”

This was always only partly true. Bush’s campaign relied heavily on Bush family friends and donors who have helped make the Bushes a political power. Now, Jeb carries not just the enormous burden of winning the Republican nomination, but of not harming the Bush family legacy.

For some voters, to hear a candidate rail against the politics of Washington when one’s family has been part of Washington for decades can sound hollow.

For some voters, the idea of a third Bush presidency can give a chill no matter the first name.

At the moment, Jeb’s own stumbles have delayed the conversation about dynasty. Should his campaign recover, the question of dynasty will move to the front of the debate.

It will be a difficult question to answer.

Jeb Bush, who raised more than $120 million for the Right to Rise Super PAC, said he favors a constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision that allows such PACs to operate untethered.

During a speech today before the Rotary Club in Nashua, New Hampshire, Bush said he believes one remedy is for candidate campaigns to be able to receive unlimited contributions and be held "personally accountable and responsible" for the money received. Bush said there would need to be "total transparency" about "the amounts of money and who gives it. And have it with 48 hour turn-around."

Earlier in the day, Bush told CNN, that now there, "is a ridiculous system we have now where you have campaigns that struggle to raise money directly and they can't be held accountable for the spending of the super PAC that's their affiliate."

Right to Rise is, by far, the largest presidential super PAC. It is run by Bush's long-time campaign adviser Mike Murphy. The PAC has spent more than $70 million on campaign activity, according to some reports.

Neither in his speech nor during his appearance on CNN, did Bush say whether he would be willing to publicly urge Murphy to rapidly disclose donors and expenditures. Bush cannot direct Murphy to take any action because federal law forbids coordination between the Bush campaign and Right to Rise.

Still, Bush could make a public statement urging Murphy to meet the candidate's goal of 48-hour disclosures.

Bush also told Rotary members that he believes the time has come for a constitutional convention that would  look at amendments for requiring a balanced federal budget, a line-item veto for the president, and term limits for Congress.

Jeb Bush never called Michael Schiavo.

Consider that for a minute.

Whether you agree or disagree with ending of Terri Schiavo’s life shouldn’t Bush have called the husband?

There is no question that Bush became overwhelmed by the sadness of the situation. He quickly sided with Terri’s parents who deeply believed that their daughter could still recover. Her parents fought in every way they could to stop Michael from allowing doctors to remove life support.

Despite a series of state and federal court decisions, and despite the finding of the doctors who cared for her, Bush abused his office in a futile effort to stop doctors from the pulling the plug.

Even after Bush lost, he tried to have Michael investigated. Bush wanted revenge.

A devout Catholic, who in a recent statement about abortion said he believes in supporting life “from inception to natural death,” Bush simply did not believe that anyone had the right to end Terri’s life – even if doctors were convinced she was in a persistent vegetative state.

But unlike the parish priest who would have met not only with Terri’s parents but her husband as well, Bush never reached out to Michael.

How can the governor of a state interfere in such a family tragedy without talking to the husband?

Even if he had, Bush may have still taken all the same actions.

But how do you step into the middle of a family tragedy without talking to the husband? And what does that say about Jeb Bush?

Even after speaking with Michael Schiavo, Bush may have decided Michael was wrong and that the governor should use all the powers of his office and intervene.

But how do you not speak with the husband? Isn’t that a fundamental obligation once you decide you might want to step into the middle of a sad family saga? And isn't it particularly relevant now that Bush's Right to Rise PAC is using Terri Schiavo in a new campaign ad?

And  shouldn't we know - what would President Jeb Bush do?

Bush should be asked during tonight’s debate – Why didn’t you speak to the husband?

Note: For an excellent review of Bush's role in the Schiavo case read this Politico story by Michael Kruse.

Jeb, "I'm my own man" Bush has brought in his mom to help out his presidential campaign. In a new 30-second ad, Barbara Bush talks about what a swell son here third child is and how Jeb would be a swell president.

The former First Lady, famously said the White House has had enough Bushes and that someone else should run for president. She quickly changed her mind when Jeb made it clear that he was intent on running. Polling suggests that many Republicans agree with his mother's original assessment. 

Jeb's campaign has seen a bit of a rebound and having spent more than $60 million on campaign ads - far, far more than all the other campaigns, Jeb may need mom more than ever.

 In less than two minutes, Jeb Bush six times says Marco Rubio, "cut and run" saway from immigration reform when Rubio was a member of the bi-partisan Gang of Eight.

Bush questions Marco's leadership skills and says when he sees a problem he tries to solve. Bush suggests that he would have come up with a bi-partisan consensus that would have passed both the House and Senate.

The rivalry between Bush and Rubio has become highly personal. Bush and his most ardent supporters remain angry that Rubio, one a political friend and ally, dared to challenge Florida's former governor for Republican presidential nomination.

This video from today's press conference announcing the endorsement of South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham,  is one of Bush's more passionate moments. 

I have concluded without any hesitation Jeb Bush is that man.

For those worried about going it alone you don't have to worry with Jeb Bush.

Last night he did not talk the most but he made the most sense

Moments after Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina endorsed Jeb Bush for president he described Marco Rubio as someone who will be president someday.

It was a startling moment as Graham stood with Bush, who towered over the shorter Graham, praising the former Florida governor for his ability to be commander-in-chief.

Graham, who specializes in foreign policy and national security, said no one is better prepared to deal with terrorists than Bush.

"His plan to defeat Isil is the most comprehensive and most well thought out of anyone on both sides of the aisle," said Graham, who dropped out of the presidential campaign after failing to garner any significant support.

"Jeb Bush will put the country ahead of the party," said Graham.

Bush said one of his strengths is that,  "I've learned at the age of 62 to know what you don't know." Bush went on to describe South Carolina primary as "really important." Bush is hoping that the Palmetto State can help revive his struggling campaign if he does well enough in Iowa and New Hampshire to make it the first Southern primary.

But in one of those moments that seem to haunt the Bush campaign, Graham answered a question saying, "Marco Rubio will be president of the United States someday" adding that Rubio, at 44, is too young.

If Graham meant it as a slam at Rubio's youth, it didn't work. Instead, he gave the Rubio campaign a potentially useful soundbite: "Marco Rubio will be president of the United States someday."

Expect Rubio to say that day is now.

No candidate may have more to lose tonight during the Fox Business News debate than Jeb Bush. While there is some polling that suggests he is slowing moving up in New Hampshire, his campaign still needs a moment to set fire-up voters. So far, that moment has been elusive.

Bush has not been a stellar debater and with the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary just weeks away, Bush is betting heavily on attacking Donald Trump and Marco Rubio in a series of new campaign ads.

Bush seems baffled by the 2016 race. He clearly blames most of his problems on Trump. Below is a revealing interview with the Associated Press that appeared Wednesday. 

Bush tells AP that "he didn't know what to plan for," when he decided to run for president. Anyone remotely familiar with the very deep planning for his campaign that took more than a year, would be surprised to hear Bush's comment.

He also repeats the notion that he was "uncomfortable" being called the front runner early last year. 

Bush calls this election year "dramatically different." People are showing their "anger and angst....very different than any time I can recall."

He says the "conservative cause" is "being hijacked by Donald Trump."

Bush's body language seems revealing. He appears uncomfortable and sounds a touch uncertain. At one point he says he believes he must fight to protect the conservative cause and "I don't know what the consequences politically for me are . . ." A comment that hardly sounds like someone confident of victory.

Bush notes that he has a "national campaign" and a Super Pac (Right to Rise) that "has a lot of resources." He also points out that he is on the ballot in every state. 

Bush then says he hopes to "beat expectations" in the early states and "move in March as a candidate who that's viable. We'll be viable."

Viable? That's not where the folks who contributed over $100 million expected Jeb Bush to be in January 2016.

With his campaign spinning out of control, Jeb Bush seems to be going off in a dozen different directions in the effort to save his candidacy. He has made fun of Marco Rubio's height and his Right to Rise PAC is using a boots wearing figure to call Rubio a flip-flopper despite the fact the Bush and Rubio agree on nearly every issue and have been great pals until Rubio dared to challenge Bush for the GOP nomination.

Now, frustrated by Trump's rise in the polls, Bush who brags that he wants to campaign "joyfully" and concentrate on issues...has stooped to a little name calling.

In a new ad being shown in New Hampshire, Bush calls Trump a "Jerk" for having made fun of a reporter with a disability. It is hard to disagree with Bush that Trump was a jerk to do that but one can't help but note that Bush is more than happy to use it to his own advantage. That's politics.

Jeb Bush got some campaign advice from Jimmy Kimmel  who brought on DJ Khaled to give Bush an inspirational message.

Kimmel said he asked Khaled to do a motivational message for "someone who really needs it. Someone who is really down right now - Jeb Bush."

Ouch.

So if you see Bush starting to wear sneakers, well, he probably got the advise here. 

And remember - always use cocoa butter.

This is the kind of silliness that Florida Governor Rick Scott has become known for in the Sunshine State. In a lengthy Op-ed in USA Today, Scott sings the praises of Donald Trump and then says but golly, "I have no plans to endorse a candidate."

Well that's courageous as hell.

Scott shows his love for Trump throughout his opinion piece.

Political pundits are shocked that Donald Trump is leading in the polls. The same thing happened in 2010 when I entered the Florida gubernatorial race against the already anointed and establishment-endorsed sitting Republican attorney general. One establishment member even said to me “how can you be Governor? I don’t know you."

Let's pause: Did Scott just take a slap at establishment candidate Jeb Bush? Or Floirda U.S. Senator Marco Rubio?

Back to Trump:

I know Donald Trump personally, and while I currently have no plans to endorse a candidate before Florida’s March presidential primary, there is no doubt that Donald is a man who speaks and tweets his mind freely. But, I don’t think his ability to give the most interesting interviews or speeches is the only thing that has him leading in the polls. I think he is capturing the frustration of many Americans after seven years of President Obama’s very intentional government takeover of the American economy.

Let's pause again.

Not an endorsement? Seriously? 

We are mere weeks away from the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary and Scott writes high praise for one of the candidates. 

Once again, Scott proves that he really thinks most voters are a bunch of dummies. 

Soon Scott drifts off to brag about his accomplishments.  You can read Scott's non-endorsement, endorsement here.