Does "Mr. Republican Establishment" Jeb Bush really want to jump into the mosh pit and tangle with PR master Donald Trump? That's a no-win situation.
By abandoning his "above the fray" campaign, the self-proclaimed "joyful tortoise" of the race is falling into the hands of The Donald.
Following Bush's release yesterday of a video featuring years-old interviews of Trump contradicting everything he says today, the New York dealmaker gleefully tweeted, "Yet another weak hit by a candidate with a failing campaign." Ouch! The Bombastic One is right on the money.
Bush is totally clueless assuming dusty material of Trump from his Democratic days is going to have an impact on today's voters. They couldn't care less. The election at the moment is in the "throw the bums out mode." Voters wouldn't care if Trump was born in Nigeria or lacked a proper birth certificate.
Excluding the developer's off-the-wall idea of building Great Wall II funded by an appreciative Mexican Government eager to keep its most energetic people home, Trump is running an issue-free campaign. He promises supporters he'll get things done because he's a really, really smart guy. Ivy League educated, you know. Trump is the Chauncey Gardiner of the race.
As demonstrated by the New Yorker's strong performance in Iowa, Republican voters love Trump's "tell it like it is" approach. According to a Monmouth University poll of probable Iowa caucus goers, Trump is tied for first with Ben Carson--another outsider--at 23 percent.
Bush is wallowing at five percent, a dip of two points since June. The Hawkeye State was supposed to go to Scott Walker, Governor of neighboring Wisconsin, who is following Jeb down the road to irrelevance.
The "lacking fire in the belly" perception combined with a listless campaign is Bush's No. 1 problem, not potshots from Trump. Dubya's brother is playing right into The Trumpster's characterization of him "being a low-energy guy."
A counter-attack on Trump may cheer Bush's financial people and even bump him up a few points, but the biggest threat to Florida's ex-Governor is the rise of the other Republican Establishment candidate in the race, John Kasich, a compelling candidate.
A Kasich-Rubio ticket would put key swing states of Ohio and Florida into the GOP column during the general election, and threaten Hillary Clinton's return to the White House.
Democrats can't wait for Trump to aim his fire on Kasich.
The ridiculously high prices Americans are paying at the supermarket might influence how—or if—they vote in November.
At a moment in history when there are so many conflicts among peoples here and abroad, let us put our differences aside and celebrate this wonderful season in a spirit of togetherness.
The news announcing the death of Henry Kissinger, the last of the prevaricating politicians and so-called statesmen who stole my future and that of thousands of other young Americans, got me thinking about Walter Cronkite.
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