Jeb! Jeb?

By Sniffles

We cats had a thought today. What if Jeb! Bush, despite all the breathless speculation, isn't running for President after all?

What if he's running for... Florida Governor again?

Yes, we know it's kind of counterintuitive, because a politican is supposed to be constantly striving upward. And the White House is allegedly the next rung, especially for someone whose dad (not to mention The Worst Person Who's Ever Lived) was President. But when we thought about it, we could come up with several very good reasons:

• Rick Scott is going to be toast against Charlie Crist, and the only candidate who could "save" the Florida Republican party would be... you guessed it.
• Jeb!'s wife, Columba, is a customs criminal who will never be ready for prime time. At least, not nationally. But in Florida, she'd be fine — again. (In fact, when she was Florida's "first lady" for eight years, she was barely seen.)
• As Jeb! has rudely discovered on his silly book tour this week, he himself may even be a tad unready for the national glare. The last time he ran for office was 10 years ago. It might as well be a hundred. Times (and technology) have changed.
• The Worst Person Who's Ever Lived, having nearly wrecked the country, has made it impossible for a member of the Bush family to win a national election for at least another decade, probably longer.
• As Florida's Governor, Jeb! would be able to play Republican kingmaker in 2016. Much more fun than running himself.
• Jeb! would also be in the catbird seat to help his son's political career in Texas. Anybody who wanted a favor in Tallahassee would have to max out to George P. first.
• Good buddy Al Cardenas, now head of CPAC, is a former Florida state party chair and vice chair, and would surely help grease the wheels for 2014 and for all future Worst Persons.

Add it all up, and we cats think that the pundits might not be seeing the forest (or the Bushes) for the trees.