The GOP has truly found its daddy figure with Donald Trump, and it regards Jeb Bush as a soft-willed, weakling. That perception has become more highlighted as Bush and Trump come to political blows.
Trump was successful at knocking Bush against the ropes, but Bush is now trying to reemerge as a stronger candidate with a revamped tone to fight Trump.
“I believe that a conservative can win, campaigning with his arms wide open, with joy in his heart, speaking about the hopes and aspirations of the people, being on the side of the people that right now don’t see their lives in the future being better than what they have today,” said Bush last week.
GOP voters are fed up with Establishment-type candidates, which is understandable, and Trump has tapped into that frustration. However, siding with Trump is a dangerous bet. Despite leading, Trump isn’t a real candidate. He encapsulates an idea and a fantasy of a world that isn’t accessible to regular people. GOP voters are having trouble separating reality TV-Trump from the corporate billionaire who’s playing the country like a fiddle.
It’s as if GOP voters need a father-figure to protect them and tell them everything is going to be okay. That’s not what America needs, and that’s not what Trump is. Not to defend Bush, but he’s a lot more sensible than Trump.
