Florida's Bush fatigue spreads

[ProSense]

Friday, January 20, 2006

Florida's Bush fatigue spreads

By MARIANNE MEANS
SYNDICATED COLUMNIST

Snip...

Despite its conservative reputation, there is trouble in paradise. Harris now runs 23 percent behind Nelson, according to a Rasmussen Reports survey. Her fund-raising has been sluggish and the White House is reportedly wary of her candidacy, not eager to remind voters of the imbroglio through which Bush wormed his way into the White House.

Harris insists that she will not step aside.

As for Jeb Bush, 52, his recent days haven't been any happier than those of his embattled brother in the White House. The Florida Supreme Court killed his signature school voucher program as unconstitutional because it took money away from public schools for use in private schools with different standards.


Snip...

In any case, it is a huge political defeat for the governor, driven by GOP moderates who also blocked his efforts to allow government intervention in the Terri Schiavo case.

The younger Bush says that he is not interested in running for president in 2008. As the president goes, so goes he. And the president is still laboring under the burdens of a bloody war in Iraq, a defeat on privatizing Social Security, a House Republican contingent scrambling to shake the aura of corruption, high energy prices, Majority Leader Tom DeLay's fall from power and the public outrage over covert eavesdropping on U.S. citizens without warrants.

Honesty in government is emerging as the Democrats' centerpiece issue, but the GOP is struggling to get there first by sponsoring reforms previously rejected. Given the GOP congressional history of embracing expensive perks of power, however, it will be rough going. "If they get serious and outlaw such things as free plane rides and vacation trips, I predict that more than a dozen Republicans will retire," chuckles a Democratic activist. And since incumbents are tough to beat, that would open more seats for Democratic challengers.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/256353_means20.html?source=mypi

[LiberalEsto]

1. Jeb obviously doesn't want to clean up the mess

being created by his brother. I think he would prefer having a Democrat get elected in 2008 to inherit the mess.

This sacrificial Democrat would be ripped apart and cross-cut-shredded by the rethug noise machine, the same way they did Bill Clinton.

Then the Democrat could lose them 2012 election, and Jeb or whichever rethug heir reclaims the throne would be able to blame the entire mess on the Democrat.

To me this seems like a likely rethug dream scenario.

[graywarrior]

2. Even the hard core republicans I work with dread the thought

of calling Harris to tour our new non profit facility.

[peekaloo]

3. Harris's dad died recently. He was her major cheerleader

and a big contributor. Be curious to see what effect this will have on her run.

Heard Bill Nelson railing against Homeland Security for cutting appropriations to the Tampa Bay area, but has Jebthro spoken up? The TB area houses a port, an air force base and Central Command for the war but is not deemed worthy?????

[snowbear]

4. With the dismal numbers Harris has.....

Will Jeb Bush decide to run for the U.S. Senate?

If he does.. how will he do against Nelson? It boggles my mind that Floridians actually like the guy.. but since they obviously do, isn't it feasible that he might boot Harris from the race and jump in?

:shrug:

[ProSense]

5. Doesn't seem like he's doing all that well though.

He has made a number of miscalculations, including Schiavo and his response to a recent natural disaster when he bragged about being prepared (I think it was to chide NO Gov. Blanco) only to be forced to retract the statement a day or two later after his own efforts came under harsh criticism.






edited for typo