Overthinking the Conspiracy
“Each of the past eight Republican presidential tickets has had either a George Bush or a Bob Dole.” I have heard that statement made twice, meant to be indicative of something or other. The incestuous nature of our politics, perhaps, or that the strings of our nations are controlled by the wardens of the state, or the inability of the nation to reboot our leaders.
But even here, George Bush is an obvious source for conspiratorial rumblings — Mr. CIA Skull and Bones Elitist East Coast Patrican — a political base based on what, exactly? — worm. But what is Bob Dole’s role in all that? Between 1944, and 1972, either Thomas Dewey or Richard Nixon were on all but one Republican presidential ticket — 7 out of 8. Between 1896 and 1944, 9 out of 13 Democratic tickets included either a Bryan or Franklin Roosevelt — or perhaps 11 out of 13 were a Bryan, Wilson, or Roosevelt. If you view Charles Bryan with a bit of askew, someone pulled in off of his father’s reputation — as did George Bush.
Even better, between 1892 and 1956, the Democratic Party did not have on its presidential ticket an Adlai Stevenson, a Bryan, a Wilson, or Franklin Roosevelt … three times. That’s three times out of 17 elections. The Stevenson — Bryan — Wilson — Roosevelt axis had been dictating half of our political spectrum for 64 years, just as the Bush — Dole axis has since 1976. You will also note that it was Kennedy who broke this powerful political axis, and we all know what happened to Kennedy…
Now figure out how many times a Roosevelt or a Bryan was on the ballot on one of the two major vote-getting presidential tickets between 1896 and 1944. But I’ve already blown my wad there, because the Stevenson — Bryan — Wilson — Roosevelt Axis I find more amusing.
In 8 years, as Hillary Clinton finishes her second term, we may be wandering into a rejuvenated Jeb Bush administration. (Mind you, this is something that people are talking about, more so than even the Bush / Dole thing which I’ve heard twice.) Excuse me, I mean — Jeb! Bush. Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton, Bush — and this is something that people are gasping in horror in contemplating. Mind you, perhpas Jeb Bush can be pegged as vice president by Giuliani, be nominated and nearly win in 2012, and then… 2016… That would keep that Bush / Dole paradigm alive… whatever the heck Bob Dole has to do with anything here. (There don’t seem to be any more Doles in the offing.)