The Book of Jeb: Why no endorsement yet?

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Why does Jeb Bush hate Mitt Romney? What, you say he doesn't hate him, that that's the wrong word to use? Okay, fine.

Why has Jeb Bush not endorsed Mitt Romney? After all, Jeb's once-president dad has endorsed Mitt, and of course Mitt is the near-universal choice of the GOP "establishment," or whatever's left of it, even if no one's all that enthusiastic about him.

True, Jeb once talked up Mitch Daniels, and maybe he wishes that Mitch were in the race, or someone other than Mitt, some other establishmentarian, but it's hard to see how Jeb remains silent as late as the day before the primary in Florida, where he was once governor and still holds great sway, and where an endorsement would mean so much.

Maybe he thinks Romney will win anyway, which he will, and so maybe he wants to hold off for a more opportune time. Or it maybe it's that the Republican Party, and this presidential race in particular, has just gotten too crazy for him:

Mr. Bush has made clear in television interviews and in conversations with friends that he is troubled by the sharpening tenor of the race, particularly on immigration. He voiced his concern directly to Mr. Romney, two people close to him said, urging him to moderate his oratory and views to avoid a collapse of support among Hispanic voters in the general election. 

This may be giving him too much credit. It could just be that he wants to run for president himself one day and at this point doesn't want to hitch his wagon to a weak and embarrassing candidate who may get crushed by Obama.

And, yes, that includes Romney.