Saturday, March 9, 2013

Political Blogging Makes One think Weird Things

Now, let's just leave aside the somewhat transparent attention-flagging and fundraising potential of Rand, son of Ron, Paul's talking filibuster (except we shouldn't, should we?) and consider whether there are other signs that the scion of the house of Ron is planning on taking up the family business of running for president. It's 2013. We just had a presidential election. Ferchrisssakes, why are we speculating about who's running in 2016 already?

Except it doesn't feel avoidable, does it? Here comes Jeb Bush, supposedly the smarter of the Bush spawn. He's written a book. Writing a book is supposed to be a tell that a politician is thinking of running for something, isn't it? He's also feeling out positions regarding important policy decisions. Is he contradicting himself? Very well, then, he's contradicting himself. His name-recognition is large, and he might gamble that it can contain multitudes.

And how about the water-carrier for conservatism as of the SOTU address, about a minute ago, Marco Rubio? Is there any sign that he's trying to raise his profile--besides signing on to the talking filibuster with his own brand of legislative-branch lyric-spitting?  Fact is, he's busted a move on the ACA by threatening to shutdown the government (yes, shut it down!) unless Obamacare is defunded.

Shit. That's a serious amount of goat roping, for someone who isn't going to be in no rodeo, amirite?

It is 2013. I still have the stank of blogging about possible Romney running mates clinging to my fingers. I don't want to be thinking about knobs jostling for position in another poll-measuring contest just yet. But the signs that the contest is already on are ALL THERE.

Can't these wannabes just wait and see how stuff goes down in 2014 before they start shaking a tin cup at their prospective donors? Is it possible these guys are just acting up for the short-term news cycle? Do I have to think about 2016, already?

(Please, Gentle Readers, tell me "no". I won't believe you, but I'll feel better.)

3 comments:

upyernoz said...

Do I have to think about 2016, already?

"have to" is probably worded too strongly, but, yes. at least if you do if you pay any attention to the political bobble heads. sorry.

they also seem to be under the weird impression that the name "bush" will give jeb a leg up. sure, there's name recognition. but what kind of recognition is the bush name these days?

Yastreblyansky said...

"think" may also be too categorical here. What you can't help doing is watching and giggling.

If you happen to do some thinking while you're there, though, you might as well write it up for us all. You never know what's going to happen in two years--the Bush name could somehow be rehabilitated, remember what happened to Nixon. We should all be keeping our memories green just in case.

Vixen Strangely said...

I think "Bush" has a bad, even necessarily bad, "brand" connotation. It's my one hope, re Liz Cheney, particularly, that the Cheney brand is similarly cursed. I recall an episode where George Bush Sr cried about Jeb's chances at becoming president--or maybe a war crime got in his eye. In any event, I just can't see it happening for Jeb. But I think there are some media folk who love the narrative a dynasty would make. So I'm watchful.

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