Jeb Bush, CPAC, and Fun Friday

Jeb Bush will address those perpetually angry CPAC villagers tomorrow, about which WaPo's Robert Costa has this enigmatic entry:

Carefully watching will be handicappers in the Republican donor and consultant communities who will measure just how far Bush goes to ingratiate himself with conservatives, and whether he is still willing, as he said months ago, to "lose the primary to win the general."

Costa — a conservative himself, though he uses a pen instead of crayons — leaves me puzzled. Did he mean to write "or whether" Bush is willing to sacrifice some primary support in exchange for greater electability in the general? The distinction is critical, for the contrast of Bush vs. the activist base is the essential question. He can't both ingratiate himself with conservatives and speak of moderate policies on immigration, education and taxes; he must choose one or the other, and the former would be likely to explode in his face. That Bush, in the next 24 hours, would suddenly realize his hard-right convictions is laughable. Even CPAC conservatives would get the joke — just as they did in 2012 when Mitt Romney performed his "severely conservative" stand-up routine.

More puzzling is Costa's neutral treatment of "the Republican donor and consultant communities." Their handicappers will be "carefully watching" indeed. But watching for what? I'd be interested in knowing what Costa — as a conservative — believes the handicappers are looking for. Are they hoping that Bush grovels? Or stands his ground? Which path do strategists and donors see as more favorable to Bush? Costa leaves us hanging.

But, I guess we'll just have to tune in tomorrow — same batty channel, same batty time.

 

Comments

[Peter G]

You may well laugh at me but I do so enjoy CPAC. It's like watching the various cliques in a high school go to war. This is one of America's great natural deposits of earnest lunacy.

[merl]

It's the greatest show on Earth next to the Repub Primaries.