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Keeping it in the family It's All RelativeBy Rick Horowitz
Let's see now: We get Hillary in '08, which sets Jeb up for a successful run in '12, then Chelsea takes it back in '20, then Jenna in '28, then George Prescott in '36, then... Ain't it great to live in a monarchy? Don't get me wrong: I think it's perfectly fine to have a family business, a little something you can build up over the years -- bring the wife and the kids and the sibs and the cousins along. But when the family business has its main office at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C. -- well, that's a different matter. As far as presidents are concerned, I figure two Bushes are plenty. And one Clinton is more than enough. But -- who'd have imagined? -- my opinion apparently isn't shared by either the Bush or the Clinton clans, who, even as we speak, are gearing up to keep running the show for decades to come. The latest sign? George W. in Florida the other day, waxing rhapsodic over little brother Jeb. "He'd make a great president," Dubya told reporters. The current president had already told them that "Jeb's an extraordinary person who has proven his capacity as a political figure by serving well, serving honorably as the governor of this state." And he'd already declared that Jeb's political future is "very bright if he chooses to have a political future." Gee, I wonder what that could be -- Secretary of Agriculture? Mayor of Citrus Springs? Meanwhile, you'll recall, it was just last year that the current president's father, the former president, weighed in on the very same subject, telling Larry King that he thought Jeb would be "awfully good" as a future president. To which Democrats can only say, "Well, he's got it half right." While the history majors of tomorrow can only say, "Gimme a break! Another one?!" Jeb, of course, said no -- for now. "I am not running for president," he announced for the umpteenth time. "I am not running for senator. I am just trying to be a good governor." Which may be absolutely true. And have absolutely nothing to do with campaigns beyond 2008. Whatever -- it hasn't stopped certain prominent members of Team Bush from talking him up. Actually, when you think about it, you have to admire the family loyalty involved. It would be easy to imagine some father-son-rivalry thing, or certainly some sibling-rivalry thing. But instead, here are the Bushes, 41 and 43, happily promoting the prospects of their player-to-be-numbered later. Generous of them, don't you think? Or else they've decided they'll keep doing it till they get it right. After all, it's not as if the father left office in a blaze of glory. And the oldest son may have won the second term that his father couldn't win -- but look what a mess he's made of it. He's in trouble everywhere he turns. The people who don't like him really don't like him. And now even the people who do like him are starting to jump ship. A Jeb Bush presidency may be the family's best chance to crack 70 percent in the polls again -- 31 for Poppy, plus 31 for Dubya, plus... Sorry. That was mean. And so is this: Just who is George W. Bush to give advice on who would make "a great president"? This is the same man who thought that Harriet Miers would make a great Supreme Court justice. Who thought that Porter Goss would make a great CIA director. Who thought that Donald Rumsfeld would know how to run a successful war. Who thought that Michael Brown was doing a heckuva job at FEMA. Let's just say that when it comes to talent spotting, this president's record is...spotty. And when it comes to a third president named Bush -- well, how does that old line go? "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." But fool me three times? Now, if we can just find a nice hobby for Hillary... Posted 5/12/06. Fresh
and unpredictable - that's the lineup at "Rick's"! (Tell the neighbors!)
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Rick Horowitz
