Michael Schiavo on Jeb!: “A Vendictive, Untrustworthy Coward”

We all remember the story of Terri Schiavo, a brain-dead woman from Florida whose husband, Michael, was mired in controversy over whether her feeding tube could be removed fifteen years after she collapsed and fell unconscious. Politico’s Michael Kruse interviewed Mr. Sciavo recently. The article refreshes our memory about the details of his fight to fulfill his wife’s wishes to not keep her in a vegetative state. It also paints a very clear picture of what former Florida Governor Jeb Bush thinks, how he operates and the lengths he’s willing to go to make a point. Schiavo calls Jeb! “a vindictive, untrustworthy coward.”

Jeb! may not be absolutely inevitable as the 2016 Republican nominee for POTUS, but right now I’d give him a clear edge. That’s why it’s so important to paint as accurate a picture as we can of him for the American people and do whatever we can to get the message out.

For Michael Schiavo, though, the importance of the episode—Bush’s involvement from 2003 to 2005, and what it might mean now for his almost certain candidacy—is even more viscerally obvious.

“He should be ashamed,” he said. “And I think people really need to know what type of person he is. To bring as much pain as he did, to me and my family, that should be an issue.”

Unfortunately, the Democratic party won’t do it, even if they’re capable of it. So, that leaves us with the job. Or, at least us and like minded voters.

Karoli at Crooks and Liars nicely sums up five subtle points the Poltico article makes:

  1. Jeb Bush is a hard-core conservative.
  2. Jeb's idea of smaller government is a concentration of more power with the executive.
  3. Jeb Bush is comfortable governing as an activist.
  4. Jeb Bush is vindictive when he loses.
  5. Jeb Bush will do anything necessary to win.

Karoli’s conclusion is spot on, as usual.

Unsaid in the article but just as germane: This case was personal for Jeb because he knew it would cement his credibility with the hard-right evangelical core. Catholics and Baptists alike would revere him for being willing to ignore the rule of law to carry out their will.

This is why he can't be elected President. We cannot have another Bush in the White House, and certainly not Jeb. The press and pundits will spend a lot of time trying to convince us all that Jeb Bush is a moderate candidate who can appeal to Latino voters and the white working class voter alike. It's up to all of us to make sure each and every voter understands that behind the veneer, the heart of a cold-hearted, hard-core conservative lurks.

Spread the word as best you can.

Thank you.

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Tammany Tiger's picture

Last December, in his Esquire magazine blog, he quoted at length from his book Idiot America about the Schiavo circus.

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Big Al's picture

"This is why he can't be elected President. We cannot have another Bush in the White House, and certainly not Jeb."

We can't have another Clinton either. Ever check out her history? This would truly be the case of lesser evil voting where it doesn't matter,
it's still evil. No matter which side. It's a coin toss.

That's why we cannot vote for these people. And voting third party is not going to send a message, not unless it was historic level turnout, which won't happen. I still say its a perfect time for an election boycott focused on the presidential race.

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Big Al's picture

instead of a reply.

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Cordelia Lear's picture

that we can not have another Clinton. No more Bushes. No more any of these sacks of crap.

All I'm saying is that we can't let Jeb! go scott free.

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"Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

is the big "Fuck you" to the American people, who obviously and emphatically don't want anymore of either of our royal houses.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Boston Globe
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2015/02/01/tumultuous-four-year...

Jeb, as he was known, should have been an easy fit in that elite and ivied world. His much-accomplished father and his older brother had both gone to Andover; no one was surprised that Jeb had followed suit.

But this Bush almost ran aground in those first, formative prep school days. He bore little resemblance to his father, a star on many fronts at Andover, and might have been an even worse student than brother George. Classmates said he smoked a notable amount of pot — as many did — and sometimes bullied smaller students.

even worse student than brother George? heaven help us.

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"Religion is what keeps the poor from murdering the rich."--Napoleon

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

while stoned on marijuana is a rotten character indeed.

Most people want to giggle and eat potato chips. Or sleep.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

to be a Floridian.
Going back there shortly, gods help me.

John Ellis Bush. Like Cliff Stearns, a guy who came out of nowhere, as far as FL was concerned anyway, with a huge war chest, and settled down to being unbeatable. And to making his brother unbeatable too, by any means necessary.

A nasty little beast like Hufsa.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Cordelia Lear's picture

He was Dade County GOP chair when pappy was running in '88. And then there are his failed HUD ventures. He's got a pretty long track record - most of it appalling, but it's a long record.

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"Never separate the life you live from the words you speak." --Paul Wellstone

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

Jeb's 2000 election fraud would permanently disqualify him from being elected dogcatcher, much less president.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver