Florida Politics

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FLORIDA POLITICS

Since 2002, daily Florida political news and commentary

UPDATE: Every morning we review and individually digest Florida political news articles, editorials and punditry. Our sister site, FLA Politics was selected by Campaigns & Elections as one of only ten state blogs in the nation
"every political insider should be reading right now."

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Welcome To Florida Politics

Thanks for visiting. On a semi-daily basis we scan Florida's major daily newspapers for significant Florida political news and punditry. We also review the editorial pages and political columnists/pundits for Florida political commentary. The papers we review include: the Miami Herald, Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Naples News, Sarasota Herald Tribune, St Pete Times, Tampa Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, the Daytona Beach News-Journal, Tallahassee Democrat, and, occasionally, the Florida Times Union; we also review the political news blogs associated with these newspapers.

For each story, column, article or editorial we deem significant, we post at least the headline and link to the piece; the linked headline always appears in quotes. We quote the headline for two reasons: first, to allow researchers looking for the cited piece to find it (if the link has expired) by searching for the original title/headline via a commercial research service. Second, quotation of the original headline permits readers to appreciate the spin from the original piece, as opposed to our spin.

Not that we don't provide spin; we do, and plenty of it. Our perspective appears in post headlines, the subtitles within the post (in bold), and the excerpts from the linked stories we select to quote; we also occasionally provide other links and commentary about certain stories. While our bias should be immediately apparent to any reader, we nevertheless attempt to link to every article, column or editorial about Florida politics in every major online Florida newspaper.

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The Blog for Tuesday, June 28, 2005

"Jeb!" 2008?

Ill-advised or not, Bush's [latest Schiavo] maneuver only fueled speculation about a possible presidential run in 2008. Given a GOP field that lacks a standout contender, Bush "would automatically be the one to beat" were he to enter, says Mac Stipanovich, a former Bush campaign manager. He's a popular governor who has embarked on pathbreaking reforms in such areas as education and Medicaid, and presided over a robust Florida economy. And he's embraced by the GOP's conservative base. So is Bush planning a run? Though he has repeatedly denied it, "that decision remains to be made," says one of the confidants. Another, who declined to be named so as not to jeopardize his relationship with Bush, believes Bush will end up going for it. "I think the national party will call on him," says this adviser, "and it will be tough to resist."

Politics: Jeb Bush's Surprise Move

Would the unquestionable emergence of a political Presidential dynasty fly? A few thoughts:
It's hard to believe that other ambitious GOPers would simply roll over and just give Jeb the 2008 nomination. Even the politically hapless Bill Frist, who changed his position on the John Bolton vote after lunching with President GWB, might want to march to his own (admittedly seriously off beat) drummer this time.

Would Americans accept the idea of letting the brother of someone who served 8 years just move in and continue governing the country? Or would this be political baggage, at least in 2008?

A key factor will be what happens between now and 2008 with the country's political center. If it shifts to the right (as many expect) and the GOP maintains its hold on all three branches of government after 2006 (add to that a virtual takeover of Public Broadcasting), a Jeb Bush nomination might be viable. But if the country shifts more to the CENTER --if polls show a centrist/conservative Democrat (they do exist) backlash against issues such as Terri Schiavo, the nuclear option etc — Jeb Bush would be political dead meat. He has cast his lot with the social conservatives, which can work for or against him depending on what happens the next few years.
Overall, it's hard to believe Florida's governor would have a cake walk if he wants it. Already you can see some of GWB's clout waning.

Jeb Bush May Run In 2008