Jeb Bush is out of step with conservatism, so why do Republicans pine for him?
When a Republican says he “used to be a conservative,” he means he doesn’t much like the party’s rightward lurch. Are angry primary voters who have given Rick Santorum a series of victories (and a near-miss in Mitt Romney’s home state of Michigan) going to flock to a candidate who talks like that?
Then there is Bush’s somewhat moderate approach to immigration. Jeb is fluent in Spanish and married to a Mexican-born woman; that would seem an ideal profile for a party that badly needs to attract Hispanics. But Jeb opposed Arizona’s harsh law cracking down on those here illegally and similar efforts in other states…
And what about Jeb’s role in delivering Florida for his bro during that fiercely contested recount? The Democrats, and the press, will waste no time resurrecting that contentious subject…
But the thing about white knights is that they lose their armor the moment they charge into battle.
Blowback
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Why “pines” for him? My parents are nearly 80 and never have voted Republican and let out angry screams when some pundit said he “was waiting in the wings”. And they’ve personally met both Bush 1 and Bush 2 at fundraisers.
Marcus on March 2, 2012 at 9:21 PM
never voted anything but Republican. Oh, my. Strike me down mom and dad
Marcus on March 2, 2012 at 9:22 PM
i don’t know anyone who is pining. Who’s pining? The left would love him because of the dynastic argument (yea, that’s the word they LUV to use about the Kennedys…Camelot lives)
r keller on March 2, 2012 at 9:23 PM
conservatives don’t
but Republicans do
james23 on March 2, 2012 at 9:27 PM
Ole Howard’s been reading too many mainstream newspapers.
bluealice on March 2, 2012 at 9:28 PM
This.
INC on March 2, 2012 at 9:30 PM
Who does? I don’t know anybody.
FloatingRock on March 2, 2012 at 9:32 PM
Another BUSH??? no more Bush please. Just hearing that name, gives me headache.
donyalola on March 2, 2012 at 9:34 PM
Pining for Jeb ? Only saps.
viking01 on March 2, 2012 at 9:34 PM
The Romneys, the Bushs, the RINOs need to leave.
We need more people like Scott Walker and Paul Ryan.
YoungAmerican on March 2, 2012 at 9:35 PM
From what I understand he’s the most conservative of the Bushes.
vegconservative on March 2, 2012 at 9:35 PM
Nobody’s pining for Jeb except some establishment types.
ddrintn on March 2, 2012 at 9:36 PM
Uh, no. Get out of the bubble sometimes, man.
ddrintn on March 2, 2012 at 9:36 PM
That we long for the likes of Mitch Daniels or Bush No3 is simply a media myth. These folks are only gradually better than Willard. Our problem is that the party is in transition and we have to deal with the left overs of W.s “compassionate conservatism”. Of the old guard only Paul Ryan or Jim DeMint could have really united the party, but they preferred to stay home.
Valkyriepundit on March 2, 2012 at 9:38 PM
Mr. Kurtz, what Republicans are you talking about regarding Jeb Bush? I am at least happy Jeb was honest with his political change from to “conservative” to whatever he is now.
Wait, does this mean that Jeb Bush also has turned his back on Chang the (Conservative) Mystic Warrior?!?
Bonus Question: Will Jeb now join AlGore in search of ManBearPig?
Weebork on March 2, 2012 at 9:41 PM
Sheesh Howie, how long has it been since you were allowed out on a day pass?
platypus on March 2, 2012 at 9:51 PM
The only people “pining” for Jeb Bush are the same ones that pined for Bob Dole, GHW Bush, and John McCain. Rational people know that he would be a disaster for the country.
RoadRunner on March 2, 2012 at 9:54 PM
Nonsense, no one is “pining” for Jeb, Mr. Kurtz.
Rebar on March 2, 2012 at 10:02 PM
we don’t
buck taylor on March 2, 2012 at 10:45 PM
There are no conservative Bushes.
single stack on March 2, 2012 at 10:48 PM
Pine? As in tree? As in Bush? Nope. I’d rather Jeb ride some pine.
Fallon on March 2, 2012 at 10:51 PM
Really now. It’s all well and good for the media to claim that Republicans are pining for Jeb Bush in order to drum up some juicy horserace fodder, but it’s a bridge too far to then ask aloud *why* Republicans pine for him.
It’s possible to be biased or even conspiratorial without being perverse. Even the biased – heck, even the openly conspiratorial media like the NYT and Ezra Klein’s latest cabal don’t stoop to this level of disgrace. You might as well ask why Democrats are so crazy for a third party.
The only people to actually venture an answer to this question are likely voting for Obama – for the second time, no less – this year.
HitNRun on March 2, 2012 at 10:56 PM
Elitists do, the sane ones don’t.
NO more Bushs, Kennedys, Clintons and Obamas!
Schadenfreude on March 2, 2012 at 10:57 PM
Nobody pines for Jeb Bush.
therightwinger on March 3, 2012 at 12:38 AM
Seconded
clippermiami on March 3, 2012 at 2:43 AM
When the left was quiescent, there was no need for strong conservatism. It was understood that we all had to work together, giving and taking and working toward a middle that made sense. Now that the hard left has taken control of the Democratic party, we cannot afford to counter the damage it’s done with a moderate left Republican. We have to balance the scales first.
Tennman on March 3, 2012 at 5:52 AM
I don’t remember pining for him. Most people I see aren’t pining for him. The only folks I see pining for him are a few talking heads and some voters down in Florida who have fond memories of him.
Stoic Patriot on March 3, 2012 at 6:21 AM
kurtz can have no opinion on the gop that is worth reading.
perries on March 3, 2012 at 6:50 AM
Pining for Jeb? I think not. Didn’t he endorse Charlie Crist?
Christian Conservative on March 3, 2012 at 7:41 AM
Howard Kurtz … so out of touch with reality he pines for the tooth fairy.
moochy on March 3, 2012 at 9:17 AM