Jeb Bush Raising Money for Bill McCollum – What Does It Mean?

Jeb had been keeping a low, relatively non-partisan profile. His model was that of former Speaker Newt Gingrich, by which I mean establishing himself as a sort of “idea” man and raising money for a non-profit of his creation whose purpose (whatever the mission statement might read) is to keep him in regular contact with big donors (the kind of who bundle contributions for presidential campaigns) and pay for him to travel and speak and generally rebuild his brand in a low key fashion. It was a good model – Gingrich more or less rebuilt his brand after a combination of losing legislative battles and sexual hypocrisy left him less popular than death or taxes. Jeb needed to rebuild his brand after his brother spent eight years in a single minded mission to destroy any hope that a “Bush” could be president again until everyone who was ever alive between the years 2001-2008 has their memories destroyed by senile dementia.

So what gives?

Why has Jeb broken his political radio silence and agree to headline a McCollum fundraiser?

You could argue that he is raising money for McCollum because McCollum does not have any real primary opposition, so Jeb is just raising money for the de facto Republican nominee.

Me? I argue that the real visual aid here is a picture of Jeb raising money for McCollum and pointedly not lifting a finger for Crist – and probably giving his tacit support to his son’s endorsement of Rubio.

Of course it’s old news to say that Crist and Jeb have the same affection as McCain and W – by which I mean, not affection so much as a deep seated, visceral contempt.


As an aside, Crist was named by Greenopia as the 22nd most environmentally conscious governor, making Florida, well, mediocre. But it's better than propping up the table.