WhatFinger


Desperation.

Rubio was right. NYT confirms Bush advisors urging Jeb to destroy Marco



Yesterday we discussed the moment that may have signaled the end of Jeb Bush's campaign. Jeb decided to attack Rubio's voting record and Rubio replied by taking Jeb to the political woodshed for a verbal beatdown. The exchange made Jeb look weak, desperate, and unfocused at exactly the moment he needed to be at his strongest.
As you'll recall Rubio said of Jeb's attack:
"Jeb, let me tell you, I don't remember you ever complaining about John McCain's vote record. The only reason you're doing it now is because we're running for the same position. Someone convinced you attacking me is going to help you. I can't campaign about the future of America or attacking anyone else on this stage. I will continue to have tremendous admiration for Governor Bush, I'm not running against anyone on the stage. I'm running for president."
Now, thanks to the the New York Times, know Rubio was 100% correct. Jeb's advisors - not his donors - are urging their candidate to destroy his fellow Floridian:
...But among Mr. Bush’s top aides and his super PAC, there is growing contempt for Mr. Rubio and a desire to attack him. Danny Diaz, Mr. Bush’s hard-charging campaign manager, has told people he would like to accelerate the assault on Mr. Rubio. At a briefing earlier this month for congressional chiefs of staff whose bosses are backing Mr. Bush, Mr. Diaz bragged about the size of their opposition research file on the senator, and said they were prepared to begin a full-scale attack, according to a presidential campaign veteran who was briefed on the conversation and requested anonymity to discuss private conversations. Mike Murphy, the longtime adviser to Mr. Bush who now controls the super PAC, has told people he would like to go after Mr. Rubio but does not want to do so immediately after the debate because it could reinforce a perception of desperation.

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Could "reinforce?" Ummm... can anyone say 'too late?' The decision to attack Rubio positively reeks of desperation. All things being equal, you could even argue that it makes a certain amount of sense. The GOP establishment is determined to see Carson and Trump fade away, leaving Rubio and Jeb as the party-preferred frontrunners. Destroying Rubio now would leave Jeb as the last man standing. However, all things are most definitely not equal. Jeb is flailing badly. His poll numbers have cratered, his party's base won't support him, and the two "outsider" frontrunners have yet to show any sign of fading. If Jeb thinks emulating the McCain campaign and destroying Marco Rubio are the keys to a presidency, that says an awful lot about his capacity (or lack thereof) for strategic thinking. Given his current standing, the Rubio attacks will only cement Jeb's image as a 2016 flop who's decided to go scorched-earth as he exits the limelight. If that's the legacy Jeb wants, so be it. But he's sorely mistaken if he thinks it will get him to the White House.


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