The conservative Weekly Standard ran a recent piece on Gov. Jeb Bush, anointing him as the early favorite for the GOP 2008 presidential nomination.
As Dana Carvey might say, “Wouldn’t be prudent.” Even with the best possible spin on Jeb’s controversial tenure as governor. Even with the understanding that Jeb was his own family’s top presidential choice before his loss to Lawton Chiles and brother George W.’s upset of Anne Richards. Even though Jeb’s a quicker study and a better debater than his president brother.
Here’s why Bush in ’08 only works if the 22nd Amendment is repealed for George W.
Americans respect a familial legacy, but not something akin to aristocracy. Father-to-son is fine. It worked for the Adamses and it’s already worked for the Bushes. The third would not be a charm. It would smack of monarchy and entitlement. And Jeb’s arrogance would underscore it.
*Recently a big deal was made of a poll conducted by several of this state’s largest daily newspapers. Some of “The Voters Speak” results were, well, weird.
For example, despite this state’s fiscal miasma of a Legislative session and budget roulette, 54 per cent of respondents said they would still vote for the amendment to reduce class sizes. That’s even more than voted for it (52 per cent) on last November’s ballot.
In addition, 58 per cent of respondents indicated they “disapproved” of “the job the Florida Legislature did in the recently concluded legislative session.” Why not 100 per cent? It meant that 42 per cent either approved or didn’t know enough to be appalled by that embarrassing, do-nothing circus.
*House Speaker Johnnie Byrd, the man most responsible for driving the regular Legislative session into a ditch, did accomplish something of note. Imagine making voters nostalgic for Tom Feeney?