Small Favors

Call me a cynic, but I don't buy this for a second

Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor and brother of President Bush, has decided not to run for the U.S. Senate, ending weeks of speculation that he would preserve a Bush family power center in the nation's capital.

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Bush said he intends to focus on his growing real estate business and on devoting time to his family. He spent much of today calling friends and supporters to give them the news.

There ya go. A Bush turning down a shot at power has other irons in the fire. Who the hell has a "growing real estate business" in this grotesque monkeyfuck of an economy, which specifically cratered around overvalued and overbuilt housing? It's not hard to imagine the Moonies or the Saudis leaving the key under the welcome mat for Jeb to bankroll some venture op to snap up foreclosed and distressed properties for pennies on the dollar. I honestly can't imagine any other way to make a sufficient amount of money in the real estate biz right now, that would make someone turn down a better-than-average shot at a Senate seat.

It must be something to be able to make a large buck while roughly 90% of the population is curled up the fetal position. "Advising" Lehman Brothers is pretty funny, though. That's about as helpful on a résumé as being an anger-management coach for O.J. Simpson.

Jeb, being the smart(er) one of the brood, most likely just has the timing to keep his powder dry for now, say the usual conciliatory homilies about Obama (while bitching about the "unfair" treatment his incompetent brother received during his reign of error), and keep an eye on the economy. Either Obama does and says the right things to start turning this listing barge around, in which case Jeb makes money anyway in his new venture, or the economy continues to tank, giving Jeb ample cover to change his mind and run "for the good of the state".

If the Democrats are smart (and clearly, from their inability to get on the same page, to their ridiculous handling of Illinois' Tainted Guv fiasco, they aren't) they'll start developing some talent in America's Wang right now. I suppose it depends on which demo they want to concentrate on -- snake-handling crackers, retired Jews, whatever -- but considering Obama was able to win the state in part by galvanizing and flipping the next generation of Miami Cubans, they might want to go that route.

But they should figure something out, because one way or another, Jeb will be back eventually.