TNR's Isaac Chotiner has a priceless response to this priceless snippet from Double Down, in which those plucky investigative reporters, Halperin & Heilemann, unearth the titillating newsiness of Karl Rove's attempts to lure Jeb into the 2012 race. But ...
You don't understand, Bush would say to the Republican poo-bahs begging him to run. I was in the real-estate development business in my state. There was a huge bubble, but I missed out because I was governor for eight years. So I'm starting from scratch. If, God forbid, I'm in an accident tomorrowโI'm in a wheelchair drooling, saliva coming from my mouthโwho's going to take care of me? What are my wife and kids going to do? I've got to look after my family. This is my chance to do it.
Writes Chotiner: "Where to begin? I think my favorite part is the idea of a member of the Bush family 'starting from scratch.'"
Nonetheless there's your scratch, and then there's the scratch of the woebegone millionaire. Notes Chotiner:
As The Tampa Bay Times reported in 2008, when Bush came to office he appeared to be worth around $2 million. It's true that the Florida governor makes less than $150,000 per year, but it's also hard to imagine Bush blowing through all his cash while governing. (The paper reports: "He left Tallahassee in January 2007 reporting a net worth of $1.3 million.")
Now, although you might see a care-freeing bundle in that final figure, Jeb only sees that he dropped $700,000. Or, as Jeb would put it: "You don't understand."