# Jeb Bush campaign for POTUS thread

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [June 16, 2015, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672 "2015-06-16T13:58:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 8

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/141 "2015-09-10T15:37:17Z")

</div>

> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> Others could just as easily be the money candidate, though. The votes follow the money, but the money also follows the votes. It’s worth noting that Cruz and Rubio have also raised a [lot](http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/elections/election-2016-campaign-money-race.html) of money (though not even half as much as Bush). Cruz is obviously not a serious candidate - if you were going to pick him, you might as well pick Trump - but Rubio is.

Regardless how serious Rubio is, he will not be the nominee. I would be surprised if he even achieved the status of not-Bush; similar to last cycle’s not-Romneys, all of whom took the spotlight from Mitt for a while, excited the base, but ultimately faded away. Right now the not-Bush is obviously Trump. Carson and Walker may have a turn. Heck, even Cruz may get a turn. Ultimately, however, Bush will be elevated and promoted as the only one who can beat Hillary.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/142 "2015-09-10T19:01:35Z")

</div>

Do people really think Bush can beat Hillary, though? So far he is really a stinker.

Anyway, his tax plan isn’t All bad- I don’t think incentivizing/rewarding work, especially for low income earners, is a bad idea. But the supply-side lie has to go, it is an absolute disqualifier in my mind. The deficit and debt are still real issues that need to be addressed. This is accomplished by raising revenue and cutting spending- military first and most, or no deal (and not grunt pay or VA cuts either). No one can propose tax cuts for the rich and be serious about the deficit; on the contrary, that just says they are on board with the GOP’s unstated agenda to pump up the debt until it can be used as an excuse to slash or kill Social Security and Medicare. No deal. Bush earned his Hellen Keller reference in this thread.

Trump has stated that he does not want to cut Social Security or Medicare, and, not coincidentally, he would raise taxes on the wealthy. That is problem solving right there. True, Trump also wants to pump up military spending and is therefore also disqualified, but he’s better than Bush.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/143 "2015-09-10T19:15:40Z")

</div>

Did anyone else see W2! on the first new Colbert? His answer as to what his greatest policy difference vs. his brother was that he’d try harder to balance the budget.

Until he can come up with a forthright answer to the Iraq question (or, worse, if he already has and this is it), he’s not crossing the finish line.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/144 "2015-09-10T19:16:03Z")

</div>

Trump is a bull in a china shop who cannot be controlled, which is a big problem for the establishment. Also, I am not at all convinced Trump wants the responsibilities of the president. Oh, he may want to _be_ president, but only because he’d consider it the ultimate win. I think Trump believes he’d be able to Frank Underwood his way through the job.

On the other hand, I don’t believe Bush has a chance in Hell against Hillary but, other than Trump, the Republicans have no bench.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/145 "2015-09-10T20:30:32Z")

</div>

_Please keep your bull outside the china shop  
No bulls allowed, that’s where they stop  
It’s the rule, the way it’s always been  
Your bull cannot come in!_  
[-Beethoven’s Wig](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aYoxNh4D1J8)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [September 10, 2015, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/146 "2015-09-10T20:51:23Z")

</div>

> [@ElvisL1ves](#):
>
> Did anyone else see W2! on the first new Colbert? His answer as to what his greatest policy difference vs. his brother was that he’d try harder to balance the budget.
> 
> Until he can come up with a forthright answer to the Iraq question (or, worse, if he already has and this is it), he’s not crossing the finish line.

Well, it was a bit more critical than that: he said his brother failed to control spending. Wars are spending. 😉

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/147 "2015-09-11T00:17:35Z")

</div>

> [@Onomatopoeia](#):
>
> Regardless how serious Rubio is, he will not be the nominee. I would be surprised if he even achieved the status of not-Bush; similar to last cycle’s not-Romneys, all of whom took the spotlight from Mitt for a while, excited the base, but ultimately faded away. Right now the not-Bush is obviously Trump. Carson and Walker may have a turn. Heck, even Cruz may get a turn. Ultimately, however, Bush will be elevated and promoted as the only one who can beat Hillary.

Never mind “not-Bush” – the question is whether Bush can get anywhere as the party establishment’s favorite not-Trump.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/148 "2015-09-11T17:48:55Z")

</div>

Bush is running behind Trump and Carson [even in Florida](http://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/2016/president/fl/florida_republican_presidential_primary-3555.html). 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/149 "2015-09-11T17:52:12Z")

</div>

> [@Steve\_MB](#):
>
> Never mind “not-Bush” – the question is whether Bush can get anywhere as the party establishment’s favorite not-Trump.

I agree. Trump’s flipped the script, shot the Establishment plot. Bush, Rubio, and Walker are fighting to be the Establishment version of the not-Trump. (Carson’s a totally different kind of not-Trump. Cruz is hoping to be Trump 2.0 if Trump 1.0 falters.)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/150 "2015-09-11T17:52:25Z")

</div>

That graph seems to have him dead even with Carson.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/151 "2015-09-11T17:59:27Z")

</div>

> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> That graph seems to have him dead even with Carson.

True, but Bush is at 18% with a 17% in the early-mid August Q-poll and a 19% in the FL Times-Union poll at the beginning of September. Carson’s gone from 11% to 25%.

You’ve got to ask: is the difference for Carson sampling error around an apparent mean of 18%, or is it that Carson’s support is increasing? I’m going with the latter. Especially because if you scroll down, there’s another Times-Union poll at the beginning of August to compare with. They have Carson at 8% at the beginning of August.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/152 "2015-09-11T18:00:39Z")

</div>

Feh. I’m still not buying into this stuff. We were all saying Romney was dead this time four years ago as a sequence of ever-shriller comedy candidates took the GOP polling lead.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/153 "2015-09-11T18:17:09Z")

</div>

No we weren’t, most of us believed Romney was a shoe in the whole time. That was what we thought about Bush too, but he just isn’t very good at campaigning. I just don’t see him managing to pull it off at this point.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/154 "2015-09-11T18:18:27Z")

</div>

> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> Feh. I’m still not buying into this stuff. We were all saying Romney was dead this time four years ago as a sequence of ever-shriller comedy candidates took the GOP polling lead.

We were?

(Ninja’d!)

I can remember thinking that about McCain eight years ago, though.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\
**Post date:** [September 11, 2015, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/155 "2015-09-11T19:46:09Z")

</div>

> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> Trump’s flipped the script, shot the Establishment plot.

Hey, I like [Houndmouth](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB4QtwIwAGoVChMI0_ahqt_vxwIVSZUNCh0WJQLO&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DY8wifV5RYr8&usg=AFQjCNH5NpkkMxg5RBZCaRdoR_4epPqCWQ&sig2=mnVcPBOQST3b6wrR_zEyDg&bvm=bv.102537793,d.eXY)too!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2015, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/156 "2015-09-12T08:25:25Z")

</div>

Been one of my favorite songs this summer. 🙂

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/157 "2015-09-16T16:23:55Z")

</div>

[W2! keeps tripping over his own shoelaces.](http://gawker.com/jeb-bushs-new-video-about-america-was-shot-in-england-1731009057?utm_campaign=socialflow_gawker_facebook&utm_source=gawker_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow)

> [@](#):
>
> Jeb Bush’s Super PAC, Right to Rise, premiered a new campaign ad this week denouncing Donald Trump and touting America’s bright new future. What a commercial, what a country—if there were a voting booth on my desk, I’d pull the lever right now. Only one problem: Jeb Bush’s “America” is really comprised of about $100 worth of B-roll, shot in Asia and the UK.

It’s morning in England!

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/158 "2015-09-16T17:10:24Z")

</div>

I watched Colbert interview Bush and he came off as weak, nervous and looking for approval. I saw no evidence of intelligence or charisma, which I think are two important qualities here.

He also seems to be bought and paid for by the usual suspects, running on a platform of tax cuts for the top 1%.

His last name is severely tarnished and it would quite frankly look absurd with a third Bush as president in what is supposed to be the worlds largest democracy.

I frankly don’t see the appeal at all. To me he’s a weaker version of Romney at best. I don’t think he can energize the base nor do I think he can win any debates no matter who the Dem candidate is.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/159 "2015-09-16T17:14:35Z")

</div>

Second-largest.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [September 16, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672/160 "2015-09-16T17:33:08Z")

</div>

I thought Bush was a shoo-in for the nomination. Let’s face it, he started organizing at least four years ago. He had the endorsements and the money, tons of money. The only thing he forgot- figuring out why he was running. What does he stand for? What are his passions? This far in, he appears to stand for nothing and have no passion. His tax plan is nothing more than recycled and supercharged trickle-down economics. He seems to be at least 20 years behind the times on a variety of issues. So maybe I was wrong about him being the nominee.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672.md?page=7)

[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jeb-bush-campaign-for-potus-thread/722672.md?page=9)
