SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Bush 3.0? Jeb to 'Actively Explore' Presidential Run
Former Florida Governor gives strongest hint yet on impending campaign for 2016
Dec 16, 2014
Jeb Bush announced Tuesday morning that he will "actively explore the possibility of running for president of the United States."
The former governor of Florida and son of former President George H.W. Bush made the announcement on social media, posting messages to Twitter and Facebook that he had made the decision after consulting with his family over Thanksgiving.
"As a result of these conversations and thoughtful consideration of the kind of strong leadership I think America needs, I have decided to actively explore the possibility of running for President of the United States," Bush wrote in a Facebook post published Tuesday.
He continued, "In January, I also plan to establish a Leadership PAC that will help me facilitate conversations with citizens across America to discuss the most critical challenges facing our exceptional nation. The PAC's purpose will be to support leaders, ideas and policies that will expand opportunity and prosperity for all Americans. In the coming months, I hope to visit with many of you and have a conversation about restoring the promise of America."
Reaction among progressives on Twitter was dismissive if not swift:
In a mid-October ABC poll, Bush had roughly 13 percent of support among conservatives, putting him in the same league as former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who each received 12 percent support. He is a divisive figure in politics, even among Republicans, as David Weigel of Bloomberg points out. His legacy as Florida Governor is also punctuated by scandal and allegations of corruption.
Tuesday's statement is not an official announcement of Bush's candidacy, but a strong hint that he is planning on running. The New York Times writes:
The question that looms over yet another Bush candidacy, though, is if he can appeal to actual Republican primary voters as much as he does the party's wealthy bundlers. Many of Mr. Bush's would-be rivals are skeptical. So for them, Mr. Bush's making such an early move is not entirely bad news. If it turns out that he cannot appeal to the party base or backs away from a run entirely, there will be time for them to make their move.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
Jeb Bush announced Tuesday morning that he will "actively explore the possibility of running for president of the United States."
The former governor of Florida and son of former President George H.W. Bush made the announcement on social media, posting messages to Twitter and Facebook that he had made the decision after consulting with his family over Thanksgiving.
"As a result of these conversations and thoughtful consideration of the kind of strong leadership I think America needs, I have decided to actively explore the possibility of running for President of the United States," Bush wrote in a Facebook post published Tuesday.
He continued, "In January, I also plan to establish a Leadership PAC that will help me facilitate conversations with citizens across America to discuss the most critical challenges facing our exceptional nation. The PAC's purpose will be to support leaders, ideas and policies that will expand opportunity and prosperity for all Americans. In the coming months, I hope to visit with many of you and have a conversation about restoring the promise of America."
Reaction among progressives on Twitter was dismissive if not swift:
In a mid-October ABC poll, Bush had roughly 13 percent of support among conservatives, putting him in the same league as former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who each received 12 percent support. He is a divisive figure in politics, even among Republicans, as David Weigel of Bloomberg points out. His legacy as Florida Governor is also punctuated by scandal and allegations of corruption.
Tuesday's statement is not an official announcement of Bush's candidacy, but a strong hint that he is planning on running. The New York Times writes:
The question that looms over yet another Bush candidacy, though, is if he can appeal to actual Republican primary voters as much as he does the party's wealthy bundlers. Many of Mr. Bush's would-be rivals are skeptical. So for them, Mr. Bush's making such an early move is not entirely bad news. If it turns out that he cannot appeal to the party base or backs away from a run entirely, there will be time for them to make their move.
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
Jeb Bush announced Tuesday morning that he will "actively explore the possibility of running for president of the United States."
The former governor of Florida and son of former President George H.W. Bush made the announcement on social media, posting messages to Twitter and Facebook that he had made the decision after consulting with his family over Thanksgiving.
"As a result of these conversations and thoughtful consideration of the kind of strong leadership I think America needs, I have decided to actively explore the possibility of running for President of the United States," Bush wrote in a Facebook post published Tuesday.
He continued, "In January, I also plan to establish a Leadership PAC that will help me facilitate conversations with citizens across America to discuss the most critical challenges facing our exceptional nation. The PAC's purpose will be to support leaders, ideas and policies that will expand opportunity and prosperity for all Americans. In the coming months, I hope to visit with many of you and have a conversation about restoring the promise of America."
Reaction among progressives on Twitter was dismissive if not swift:
In a mid-October ABC poll, Bush had roughly 13 percent of support among conservatives, putting him in the same league as former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee and Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who each received 12 percent support. He is a divisive figure in politics, even among Republicans, as David Weigel of Bloomberg points out. His legacy as Florida Governor is also punctuated by scandal and allegations of corruption.
Tuesday's statement is not an official announcement of Bush's candidacy, but a strong hint that he is planning on running. The New York Times writes:
The question that looms over yet another Bush candidacy, though, is if he can appeal to actual Republican primary voters as much as he does the party's wealthy bundlers. Many of Mr. Bush's would-be rivals are skeptical. So for them, Mr. Bush's making such an early move is not entirely bad news. If it turns out that he cannot appeal to the party base or backs away from a run entirely, there will be time for them to make their move.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy