Will McCain choose Jeb Bush?
April 6th 2008 19:30
Arizona Senator John McCain has a Bush problem. He needs the money machine to help keep his candidacy afloat, especially when he comes up against the organizational and fund raising power of the Obama campaign. And he faces the problem of a lackluster right wing electorate and poor fund raising chances because of George Bush. So what's he to do?
McCain has already demonstrated that he has no problem in leaving any principles he might have had by the wayside in the name of political expediency. From criticizing the "Christocrats" to embracing them and their religious agendas to supporting Bush in sanctioning torture. McCain has gone from "Maverick" to "kiss up." And since 2004 he has been doing just that with the Bush family. With the endorsements out of the way, it would seem that the rifts have all been healed and the McBushCain train is ready to roll. Might Jeb be the icing on the cake?
McCain can't seem to fire up the nutcase base like George Bush did. Many of them still don't see him as a true conservative. That's something that doesn't quite mean what it used to. A true conservative used to be someone who favored fiscal restraint and didn't like the idea of so-called "nation building." Now a conservative is more likely to favor rampant deficit spending for war and tax giveaways to corporations and empire building for profit. And no family represents that better than the Bush clan.
Jeb Bush could bring out the evangelicals who might stay home out of a lack of interest. And perhaps just as important, he could bring the cash. Having Jeb on the ticket would help open the pockets of the evangelicals and the corporate crowd, the two mainstays of the Republican power base. There is a problem there, too. McCain has to distance himself from the Bush name.
It's no secret that the Bush clan would love to see Jeb as a president. Any chance of Jeb running for president this time was put to sleep by the sheer incompetency and inadequacy of his brother. Another Bush would have a very hard time. But as the second spot on a ticket, that's a different story. The thinking might be he could fly under the radar enough to add to the ticket (money and base) more than detract (Bush name). And he could potentially be set up for 2012 as McCain will be another four years older and might not try to repeat. And if he kicked the bucket Jeb could move up even sooner.
Some might ask if McCain would accept a Bush on his ticket. John McCain would take the neighbor's dog if he thought it could help him. And Jeb Bush, remember, was the smart one that the clan saw as becoming president. So a McCain-Bush ticket might be the closest thing to a "dream team" that the right can muster.
Frankly, I can't see the country to be dumb enough to elect McCain, regardless of who he picks. But it will be interesting to see just who it is.
McCain has already demonstrated that he has no problem in leaving any principles he might have had by the wayside in the name of political expediency. From criticizing the "Christocrats" to embracing them and their religious agendas to supporting Bush in sanctioning torture. McCain has gone from "Maverick" to "kiss up." And since 2004 he has been doing just that with the Bush family. With the endorsements out of the way, it would seem that the rifts have all been healed and the McBushCain train is ready to roll. Might Jeb be the icing on the cake?
McCain can't seem to fire up the nutcase base like George Bush did. Many of them still don't see him as a true conservative. That's something that doesn't quite mean what it used to. A true conservative used to be someone who favored fiscal restraint and didn't like the idea of so-called "nation building." Now a conservative is more likely to favor rampant deficit spending for war and tax giveaways to corporations and empire building for profit. And no family represents that better than the Bush clan.
Jeb Bush could bring out the evangelicals who might stay home out of a lack of interest. And perhaps just as important, he could bring the cash. Having Jeb on the ticket would help open the pockets of the evangelicals and the corporate crowd, the two mainstays of the Republican power base. There is a problem there, too. McCain has to distance himself from the Bush name.
It's no secret that the Bush clan would love to see Jeb as a president. Any chance of Jeb running for president this time was put to sleep by the sheer incompetency and inadequacy of his brother. Another Bush would have a very hard time. But as the second spot on a ticket, that's a different story. The thinking might be he could fly under the radar enough to add to the ticket (money and base) more than detract (Bush name). And he could potentially be set up for 2012 as McCain will be another four years older and might not try to repeat. And if he kicked the bucket Jeb could move up even sooner.
Some might ask if McCain would accept a Bush on his ticket. John McCain would take the neighbor's dog if he thought it could help him. And Jeb Bush, remember, was the smart one that the clan saw as becoming president. So a McCain-Bush ticket might be the closest thing to a "dream team" that the right can muster.
Frankly, I can't see the country to be dumb enough to elect McCain, regardless of who he picks. But it will be interesting to see just who it is.
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Comment by RubySoho
Music Zone
Thought Zone
Rarely has one sentence struck such deep terror into any person's heart as that just did me. Unthinkable. Please don't go there.
I wish I shared your confidence here, Jeff.
But you're right about the evangelicals not getting behind him and it's not just lack of interest. They hate him, because he voted in favour of stem cell research, and if that wasn't bad enough, he is in favour of gay marriage rights.
Lynch him. Lynch him now I say.
Don't let this read as an endorsement of McCain. It's not, I just dislike him for vastly different reasons than the "nutcase base".