On a local rock station, there's a show called "Ten at 10" that features ten songs from one year, along with assorted news clips.
This week, one of the featured years was 1988, and the announcement that Bush chose Dan Quayle as his running mate. Among the quotes was one that went roughly, "As one of his first independent decisions; George Bush chose Dan Quayle as the vice presidential candidate; that should give the voters serious thought as to his competency."
Well, let's look at it this way. The plan was to be re-elected in 1992, then by the time George was out in 1996, Jeb Bush would be ready to step in and campaign. There's no doubt that Jeb is the intellectual superior of the two Bush boys; his handling of the 2000 election in Florida is proof of that.
If things had proceeded according to plan, Bush Sr. did not want a strong Republican vice president to run against his son in 1996, hence his choice of a political lightweight in Dan Quayle.
Two things derailed the plans for a Bush Dynasty, however:
- George the First lost in 1992
- Jeb lost his first try at the Florida governorship, sending him to the back of the line and leaving the door open for George the Second
Regardless of what happens this presidential election, I think it likely that we will see another Bush campaigning in 2008; Jeb Bush.
Just a thought...