It’s quite the familiar refrain by now: Sure does look like Jeb Bush will be running for president.
It’s more than speeches, a book, Barbara’s belated blessing and Columba’s concession. Advisers are staffing up, notably in early primary states such as South Carolina. He’s launched a leadership PAC, “Right to Rise.” And the former Florida governor has been unwinding some unwieldy financial affairs that might not resonate with the middle class–to wit: private equity and off-shore investments.
It’s now way beyond “actively” exploring a presidential run.
But the key query persistently remains: Can Jeb Bush, the adult in any GOPolitico room, pull this off without pandering to his party’s conservative base? How does he navigate primaries-where Common Core and a moderate stand on immigration won’t be winners–to advance to the presidential finals against You Know Who?
Well, Bush and surrogates will be relentlessly reminding GOP skeptics of his Florida track record as a tax-cutter, “accountability” avatar, opponent of abortion rights and non-friend of the same-sex marriage sect. And, oh yeah, it was on his watch that “Stand Your Ground” was enacted. Hardly “establishment” baggage. So, yes, he’s still to the right of Jon Huntsman.
And speaking of same-sex marriage, Bush isn’t wavering.
But he’s too pragmatic to paint himself into an ideological corner crowded with fundamentalists and flaming right wingers. You won’t catch him decrying any “Adam and Steve” scenarios.
No, this is about states’ rights–and what’s a 10th Amendment for? Wink. Nod.
“It ought to be a local decision. I mean, a state decision,” Bush recently noted. “The state decided. The people of the state decided. But it’s been overturned by the courts, I guess.”
Actually, the guess work is history. This is pure Jeberwocky code to shroud a polarizing issue while placating both conservative GOPsters and relative moderates.
Invoking states’ rights over taxes, for example, is one thing. Invoking them over a civil rights issue is decidedly different. This is, arguably, how George Wallace would have handled same-sex marriage.
Bush is using notably nuanced language to defend the indefensible. He has put himself, in effect, on the side of states’ wrongs. Perhaps it won’t matter in Republican primaries.