Why Did Jeb Bush Endorse Ted Cruz?

(The Atlantic) - A little over a month after Jeb Bush suspended his presidential campaign, he endorsed Ted Cruz— yet another establishment figure backing the self-proclaimed outsider. On Wednesday, Bush said in a Facebook post, “Ted is a consistent, principled conservative who has demonstrated the ability to appeal to voters and win primary contests, including yesterday’s Utah caucus.” He added: “Washington is broken, too many families are stuck in poverty and Western civilization is under attack from radical Islamic terrorists, as evidenced by the horrific attack in Brussels, which was preceded by attacks in Paris and California.”...

Cruz welcomed Bush’s endorsement, saying it is “further evidence that Republicans are continuing to unite behind our campaign to nominate a proven conservative to defeat Hillary Clinton in November, take back the White House, and ensure a freer and more prosperous America for future generations.” Read more.

Would picking JEB! as his VP be the price Ted Cruz might have to pay to get the neocons, beltway establishment, and donor class to force his nomination over Trump at a brokered convention in the "big top"?

Stay tuned on this one!

The Big Show comes to Cleveland, Ohio

July 18-21?...

Limbaugh: Jeb Bush could mount a convention comeback

(Politico) - Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh on March 14 speculated that a Floridian will emerge as the Republican nominee at a contested convention in July.

Recent polls suggest John Kasich has a narrow advantage over Republican front-runner Donald Trump in Ohio, but the New York billionaire dominates Florida Sen. Marco Rubio in his state. Both states are holding winner-take-all primaries on Tuesday.

But Kasich doesn’t have a prayer of becoming the nominee, Limbaugh said, and it’s former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush — not Rubio — he says could win the nomination.

If neither Trump nor Ted Cruz win the necessary 1,237 delegates to win the Republican nomination outright, “I’m here to tell you Jeb Bush is gonna be the nominee,” Limbaugh warned, according to a transcript of his radio show. “That’s what they’re gonna do. That’s what they’ve always wanted.” Limbaugh recalled Bush remarking in December 2014 that his strategy was to win the nomination despite losing primaries — something he planned to do by outspending his opponents. Limbaugh added that Bush, who left race in February, would escape the primary without having to talk about abortion, immigration or anything else that matters to Tea Party voters.

“He’s gonna win the nomination nevertheless,” Limbaugh said. “And it may well yet happen.”

If Bush doesn’t wind up with the nomination, Limbaugh said, it will be 2012 GOP nominee Mitt Romney who emerges. Read more

Jeb Bush joins the Ford Edsel and New Coke as historic marketing flops

(New York Daily News) - There is an old axiom in marketing: Good advertising makes a bad product fail faster.

If you doubt that, may I submit Exhibit A: The 2016 campaign for the Republican nomination for President of Jeb Bush. It now joins the likes of the Ford Edsel and Coca-Cola's "New Coke" as a bona-fide marketing flop of an enormous magnitude.

In each case, be it Edsel, New Coke or Jeb!, logic dictated a winner. Research for all three concluded a marketplace that was theirs for the taking.

All three were rooted in strong family brand equity and even carried the brand name forward.

All three had solid marketing introductions and well-funded campaigns. And yet, all three failed miserably. Read more.