BUSH LEAGUE
If the Dude in The Big Lebowski was a man for his time and place, JEB BUSH is something of the opposite. In another era, the more modest and cerebral era of his father, perhaps, Bush could have been a presidential contender. But not in this era, when DONALD TRUMP roams the earth.
Instead, Jeb's massive financial advantage — well over $100 million in super-PAC money — was blown away by a few Jeb-jabs from Trump, who delighted in torturing the former Florida governor long after Jeb had sunk in the polls. Chest-thumping beats policy-paper citations, every time.
The Bush name would have eventually posed a general election problem. The surprise is how little it helped in the primary. If Trump can survive untouched after accusing George W. Bush of lying about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and savage him for failing to stop the 9/11 attacks, maybe "Bush" — no matter the first name — isn't worth as much as it used to be.
Jeb, who dropped out of the race Saturday night, is survived by his fellow Floridian and one-time protégé, MARCO RUBIO. (DANIEL WALTERS)
SEARCHING FOR PURPOSE
Sen. MARCO RUBIO has a major obstacle in his way if he wants to win the Republican nomination: Ohio Gov. JOHN KASICH. It's not that Kasich has much of a chance of winning; rather, he's taking votes away from Rubio, hurting his chances of beating DONALD TRUMP.
That has prompted many party members to urge Kasich to get out of the way. Kasich has refused, saying he won't shut his campaign down because of a "bunch of people in the inner city of Washington who frankly never liked me."
Kasich, however, might already suspect he isn't destined for the presidency: He told supporters Feb. 23, "I don't know if my purpose is to be president. My purpose is to be out here doing what I think I need to be doing, and we'll see where it ends up." (WILSON CRISCIONE)
