2020 Run All But Certain?

Definitely off his "campaign diet" and looking like his old "clubhouse doughboy" self again, JEB! impersonates a delusional UBER driver whose unsteady ride sports a "Jeb! 2016" bumper sticker with "20" scrawled over the "16."

(thelead.com) - Jeb Bush’s cameo appearance this week in a video with Emmy host Jimmy Kimmel has garnered rave reviews across the political and entertainment spectrum, demonstrating once again the staying power of failed candidacies as good TV fodder for self-mockery (here’s a clip of Mitt Romney on theTonight Show with Jimmy Fallon as one example).

As these post-campaign appearances tend to do, Jeb! shows a far more loose and likeable side of himself than the stuffy, preachy wonk who garnered a mere 4 convention delegates after more than $150 million was spent on his behalf.

Despite the historic lack of return for the money, the Emmy appearance only fuels speculation that the Bush dynasty is still eyeing a return to power in 2020. Jeb! penned an op-ed in The Hill this summer on the future of the GOP that presumed a Donald Trump loss in November, blasting the Republican nominee as “not the future” of the party. Lingering in public while knifing the party’s current nominee are not-so-subtle signals that Jeb! plans to see the White House remain with the Democrats, setting the stage for his triumphant return. Read more.

The real "story" is about Billy, not Donald

HELLO LADIES! My name is BUSH! Billy BUSH!

Since last Friday, there has been nonstop media coverage about the 2005 "hot mike" recording of Donald Trump's thoroughly predictable comments about women. Even some of the reporting has occasionally mentioned the name of the other man's voice on that recording, the voice egging on Trump and laughing along with him. Billy Bush.

How many media pieces, however, have explained exactly who Billy Bush is?  Beyond being the host of the tabloid "Access Hollywood" show, and a recent addition to the cast of the "Today" show?

I bet if you have relied solely on a passive viewing of TV reportage about this event, you have heard nothing about Billy Bush being the first cousin of George W. Bush and JEB! Bush. Nothing at all.

I also doubt that you know that Billy was bragging to NBC co-workers last summer at the Rio Olympics about this recording.  Or that NBC was delaying releasing the recording apparently in an effort to "scrub" Bush's part out, and then release an edited version with only Donald Trump's part.  Before that could happen, someone leaked the whole thing to the Washington Post.  

That premature leak cost Billy his 3.5 million dollar a year gig with NBC, but instead of firing Bush, the network paid him a "settlement," rumored to be around 10 million dollars, though Bush's lawyer denies the amount.

Who is Billy Bush, and what is he like? According to some sources at NBC, Billy was , "more of a frat guy . . . He gets boisterous when he goes out. You can’t just go out with Billy and have tapas and relax.” 

One woman attorney in New York remembers Billy as a prep school bully back in the 1980s. "He would make fun of my clothes, he may have called me ugly or unattractive or nerdy. It was just generally disparaging comments.”

Billy seems like...well, just a typical Bush! He can alway move over to the Curvy Couch at Fox and Friends. He will get a nice soft landing somewhere.

Jeb Bush donors want a rematch in 2020

Not so fast, P. ! I get my turn again in 2020!

New York Daily News - JEB! Bush in 2020, anyone?

Sources close to Jeb Bush’s failed run at the 2016 presidency say the “low-energy” candidate has been back in touch with supporters. They believe he’s popping up to “feel them out” for another run and, according to at least one big contributor, they're in!

“Bush has been quietly making telephone calls to his supporters, bundlers and donors, to talk about the state of the county and the economy, and the energy business, why would he do that?” asks one insider, who concludes “he's running in four years.” Read more.