23 Reasons Why Jeb Bush Should Think Twice About Running for President





From questionable business dealings to allegations of philandering, the former Florida governor's past is an opposition researcher's dream.



—By Stephanie Mencimer




For months, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has been mentioned as a possible 2016 candidate, with the conventional wisdom holding that he was the one GOP contender the party's donor class could unite behind. "Jeb has the capacity to bring the party together," Fred Malek, a top Republican operative, told the Washington Post in March. Bush has yet to signal whether he'll seek to follow in the footsteps of his older brother and their father by launching a bid for the White House, but the Wall Street Journal reported last week that his advisers have reached out to key fundraisers and consultants to ask them to hold off on throwing in with a presidential candidate until Bush makes up his mind sometime after the November election. One Bush family confidant told the Journal that there was a better than 50-50 chance that Bush would run.

But there are plenty of reasons why Bush should think long and hard before subjecting himself (and his family) to the ruthless scrutiny of a presidential campaign. His history is an opposition researcher's dream—clouded by embarrassing family episodes, allegations of philandering, offensive comments to black voters, and dubious business dealings.

Many of these past deeds and misdeeds will no doubt be put under the microscope should Bush run in 2016. Here are 23 reasons why he might want to take a pass—and it's only a partial list :




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http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/09/23-reasons-why-jeb-bush-shouldnt-run-president