Is There a Major Jeb Bush vs. Governor Crist Feud Brewing?

[seafan]

Is There a Major Bush vs. Crist Feud Brewing?

By Kyle Munzenrieder
Jan 05, 2009 at 11:27:11 AM

Tucked away in the RedState.com post we linked to earlier is this delicious little nugget:

"Charlie Crist has been on a roll lately undermining conservatives. Behind the scenes, he is trying to drum up opposition to Jeb Bush's Senate run, not because he doesn't want another Bush, but because he wants a more moderate candidate."

You can either take it at face value, or assume certain people sympathetic to Jeb Bush and more conservative ideologies are churning out rumors trying to paint Crist as a RINO. Either way, if Jeb runs for Senate, it will be very interesting to see how much support Crist sends his way. Will he be as enthusiastic as he was for John McCain in the primaries, or more hands-off like he was for McCain in the general election?

More interesting is that both men often have their name thrown about as potential GOP presidential candidates.
As things look right now, and it could very well change, conventional wisdom says 2016 will be a better year for Republican White House hopefuls than 2012. Jeb, if successful, would be finishing up his first Senate term, and Charlie would be two years out of the gov's mansion. Perfect timing for both of them to make a run. Neither wants to be competing with the other for what would surely be an overlapping list of Florida's donors and of course the primaries themselves. So maybe Charlie would like nothing better than to see Jeb fail miserably in his Senate aspirations, and Jeb would love if RedState.com's idea that Crist is ideologically unfit for "ever being the GOP nominee for President, let alone anything else" took hold.

Jeb's rabid right-wingers are hopping mad that Crist refused to nominate Jeb's former general counsel, Frank Jimenez, for the FL Supreme Court. Very interestingly, Jimenez was previously rejected in August as a candidate, yet the conservative ideologues on the Judicial Nominating Commission pushed him at Crist yet again in late December. Crist said no. And the right wingers are on the warpath for Crist.


A few weeks ago:

Crist then asked the Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission to send him more names, noting it can offer up to six, to make the list more diverse. The panel then added Frank Jimenez, a politically connected Cuban-American lawyer from Miami. .... Jimenez, currently the Navy's general counsel, who worked for former Republican Gov. Jeb Bush and for U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., when Martinez headed the Department of Housing and Urban Development; ....

Three Jeb Bush ideologues rejected for Florida Supreme Court nomination, August 14, 2008
(Frank Jimenez rejected)

Under heavy pressure, Crist names right wing ideologue to FL Supreme Court., August 29, 2008
(Charles T. Canady)

FL Gov Crist appoints 2nd conservative extremist to Supreme Court (Pro school vouchers, anti-choice), October 2, 2008
(Ricky L. Polston)

Governor names Jorge Labarga to Florida Supreme Court. January 2, 2009




Still whining, the right-wingers shake their fists:

January 2, 2009: We must remember this in the future: Charlie Crist had the opportunity to put a conservative on the Florida Supreme Court and he chose not to.

What?? Canady and Polston aren't enough for Jeb Bush's conservatives?

No. They absolutely must have it all.



Fair warning: Do not let Jeb Bush slip off the radar. Ever.





(edited for a couple of typos)

[opihimoimoi]

1. The Bush Machine is testing the waters for Jebbie Boy...he wants a Senate Seat?? Good Luck

[monmouth]

2. I realize Palm Beach County where I am is a democratic stronghold, but

even repug acquaintances of mine say "no way." I doubt he would do well, Floridians are sick of the Bush's. Now up in the panhandle where Joey the Scab is from, that might be a different story or in the Tampa area, but I doubt Jeb would do too well.

[crickets]

3. Could Jeb look more smug if he tried? Yech.

I know that's a shallow thing to say, but I can't help it. I don't even have to know who he is to take one look and that face and want to run the other way. Far away.

[sharp_stick]

4. That would be a slapfight for the ages

two pathetic pukes going after each other like a couple of fifth graders fighting over the best seat on the bus.

[Riley18]

5. Is there a Democratic candidate who can make a successful run against him?

Jeb has even been overheard saying he has a devious plan to undermine public education, and it is never mentioned in the media. The politicians are meeting in Tallahassee today to cut more funding for education and other "unnecessary" things. They refuse to take back the incentives and tax cuts for the wealthy.

[seafan]

6. Welcome to DU. There are already several names surfacing for the Dems.

FL CFO Alex Sink

U. S. Rep. Kendrick Meek from South FL

Panhandle U. S. Rep. Allen Boyd

State Senator Dan Gelber of Miami Beach

Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio

U. S. Rep. Ron Klein of Boca Raton

U. S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz from South FL

[fla nocount]

7. Plenty of Dems and Pugs from Crist's faction as well. n/t

[seafan]

8. Stick it to 'im, Governor.

Crist vs. Jeb undercurrent for 2009?, January 5, 2009

That supposed feud first took root in 2006 when Bush was perceived to have done little to help Crist win his election. That following January Crist canceled 283 of Jeb Bush’s final appointments to various boards and commissions.

Crist rejects all of Jeb Bush's picks for boards and commissions (283), January 11, 2007