-- The Citizens United decision and Super PACs make it easier for candidates to go negative in a big way with more ability to deny personal involvement than in the past.
-- Republicans changed their nominating rules this year in ways that can extend the battle far longer than in the past. The much-touted January contests in Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Florida provide relatively few delegates. The party cut its total of Florida delegates from 99 to 50, for example, because Florida opted for a winner-take-all primary in January conflicting with party planning for delegate-selection.
You might be wondering why the mainstream media don't discuss more prominently such a Draft Bush scenario if it really is a possibility. The answer is that it's not in the interests of the key players to describe their options. For one thing, the public would feel cheated if it becomes obvious too soon that the current debates, voting and other hoopla might not select the nominee. For another thing a vast campaign industry of pundits, pollsters and media ad sales executives would be undercut.
Therefore, Jeb Bush (or any other dark horse) must express interest only as a reluctant, last-minute volunteer drafted into public service by a grateful Republican Party. The ideal climax would of course involve vast, cheering throngs at the convention launching Bush on a whirlwind campaign for the last two months with what his father once called, "The Big Mo."
In the meantime, Jeb Bush and George H.W. Bush had a chance to check out the White House again on the evening of Jan. 27, as portrayed above. They and President Obama each look comfortable and happy, the way everyone should be.
As for me, I could be thinking about the nice election we might be having in November. Instead, for some reason, I find myself thinking about George Carlin's video about elections and The American Dream.
Cross-posted in a longer version at http://www.Justice-Integrity.org.
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