"The Mystery of Columba Bush"

[roo_ster]

Jeb's wife.

… Who she is is a harder question, due in part to her reluctance to develop a public persona or talk to the press. (She wouldn’t talk to me, even with campaign season heating up, although Jeb and I corresponded.)… But as a modern first lady, she’ll be expected to come out from behind the scenes. And whether she likes it or not, what she does and how she feels will affect her husband as a person and as a candidate

But the most likely explanation for why Columba Bush has such a subterranean profile in the English-speaking world, one that Rosin never seems to stumble upon, is because she’s never learned to speak English well. She has plenty of personality in videos of her speaking Spanish...

Her problems aren’t idiosyncratic personal shyness, they’re national.

She doesn’t speak English well, so Jeb speaks Spanish at home.

This is not just a personal problem for Jeb Bush’s run for President, it’s a major ideological one.

We’re supposed to believe Jeb’s assurances that his beloved tens of millions of Mexican immigrants will seamlessly assimilate into American culture.

But the candidate’s own wife hasn’t learned to be comfortable in English after four decades of marriage to a Bush! Jeb has to speak a foreign language in his own home...

Jeb of the "Check the Box for Hispanic" Bush fame.

Columba also has had run-ins with US Customs what with her acting like a Mexican oligarch's wife, not an American governor's wife.

[AJ Dual]

Shows how far the GOP blue-blood/establishment/moderate wing is willing to go to ram through whoever they want, and then figure "everyone else will come around when they've got no choice"...

This time, all the other baggage aside, they've got a First Lady who is a putative cipher and heavily accented, if not poor English speaker. 

[vaskidmark]

How much worse is she than Rachel Jackson, that Whore of Pennsylvania Avenue?

stay safe.

[Perd Hapley]

How much worse is she than Rachel Jackson, that Whore of Pennsylvania Avenue?

stay safe.

I see what you did there.

Also, when did Columba becomes a girl's name?

[Marnoot]

Also, when did Columba becomes a girl's name?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columba_of_Spain

[Perd Hapley]

Oh, OK. 

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

 

Isn't it generally known that Jeb's wife is Mexican?  They met while he was in Mexico City doing some sort of outreach thing way back in the day.

Why is it now some sort of secret conspiracy revealed?

[AJ Dual]

Isn't it generally known that Jeb's wife is Mexican?  They met while he was in Mexico City doing some sort of outreach thing way back in the day.

Why is it now some sort of secret conspiracy revealed?

No, outside of Florida, I don't think it's generally known.

In a completely sane and fair world the idea that "Jeb's wife is an apolitical recluse who barely speaks English, at least by the standards of public life" shouldn't matter. Jeb's policy, voting record, or whatever should. Of course in the real world, the optics of all that can matter a great deal.

And since Jeb's a craptastic moderate/Rino/establishment candidate, plus how he represents the GOP side of the unhealthy "dynasty" candidate trend, I don't really have a big problem with using unfair/irrational criteria to try and suppress his primary run.

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

I don't mean "generally known" among the overall population.  The general population is usually ignorant as a mud puddle.  I mean generally known among politically aware and interested folks.  

At this point in the process we should all know the candidates in broad terms.  It shouldn't surprise anyone to learn that Ted Cruz was born in Canada, or that Scott Walker never graduated college, or that Jeb Bush married this chick he met in Mexico, or that Rand and Ben are doctors, or...

As for the criticism of Columba being too Mexican to be First Lady, I think we're on the same page.  It's not a reasonable or fair-minded criticism, and if it's acknowledged and used as such, no big deal.

[roo_ster]

I don't mean "generally known" among the overall population.  The general population is usually ignorant as a mud puddle.  I mean generally known among politically aware and interested folks. 

At this point in the process we should all know the candidates in broad terms.  It shouldn't surprise anyone to learn that Ted Cruz was born in Canada, or that Scott Walker never graduated college, or that Jeb Bush married this chick he met in Mexico, or that Rand and Ben are doctors, or...

As for the criticism of Columba being too Mexican to be First Lady, I think we're on the same page.  It's not a reasonable or fair-minded criticism, and if it's acknowledged and used as such, no big deal.

Disagree.  Fair & reasonable. 

Here is a woman married to the equivalent of American aristocracy who (over 40 years) never assimilated to the point she was comfortable speaking English in her own home or with the press.  Note, she talks just fine with the Mexican press.

Jeb never sat down with her and laid down the law as an American policritter that if she is to be in America, she needs to assimilate.  Jeb went out of his way to define him and his as less than completely American.   Jeb has gone out of his way to look out for Mexican nationals, while placing the well-being of Americans behind his wife's countrymen.

Foreign-born spouses and the split loyalties they can create are a VERY BIG DEAL with regard to security clearances.  Jeb of "check the box for hispanic" fame would as POTUS have access to the most sensitive of data.

We’re supposed to believe Jeb’s assurances that his beloved tens of millions of Mexican immigrants will seamlessly assimilate into American culture.

But the candidate’s own wife hasn’t learned to be comfortable in English after four decades of marriage to a Bush! Jeb has to speak a foreign language in his own home...

[AJ Dual]

Disagree.  Fair & reasonable. 

Here is a woman married to the equivalent of American aristocracy who (over 40 years) never assimilated to the point she was comfortable speaking English in her own home or with the press.  Note, she talks just fine with the Mexican press.

Jeb never sat down with her and laid down the law as an American policritter that if she is to be in America, she needs to assimilate.  Jeb went out of his way to define him and his as less than completely American.   Jeb has gone out of his way to look out for Mexican nationals, while placing the well-being of Americans behind his wife's countrymen.

Foreign-born spouses and the split loyalties they can create are a VERY BIG DEAL with regard to security clearances.  Jeb of "check the box for hispanic" fame would as POTUS have access to the most sensitive of data.

Dunno if there's any truth to the above, but if it's used and gets legs, I'm more than okay with it. 

[KD5NRH]

In a completely sane and fair world the idea that "Jeb's wife is an apolitical recluse who barely speaks English, at least by the standards of public life" shouldn't matter.

In a sane and fair world, the duties and privileges of First Lady would only include things like "keep the President's bed warm and help him raise his children."

[mtnbkr]

In a sane and fair world, the duties and privileges of First Lady would only include things like "keep the President's bed warm and help him raise his children."

This.  The fact that we have to care at all is more troubling than the fact that she's not US born and doesn't speak English well.

Chris

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

Disagree.  Fair & reasonable. 

Here is a woman married to the equivalent of American aristocracy who (over 40 years) never assimilated to the point she was comfortable speaking English in her own home or with the press.  Note, she talks just fine with the Mexican press.

Jeb never sat down with her and laid down the law as an American policritter that if she is to be in America, she needs to assimilate.  Jeb went out of his way to define him and his as less than completely American.   Jeb has gone out of his way to look out for Mexican nationals, while placing the well-being of Americans behind his wife's countrymen.

Foreign-born spouses and the split loyalties they can create are a VERY BIG DEAL with regard to security clearances.  Jeb of "check the box for hispanic" fame would as POTUS have access to the most sensitive of data.

"But but but she's MEXICAN!  And she acts like it!!!1!1"

You don't have any reason or evidence that Columba's a security risk, and it all comes off as base xenophobia.  I don't disagree that it might play politically, political attacks don't have the be fair or reasonable to be effective.  And if that's all you're after then have at it.  But let's be honest with ourselves about what we're doing and why.

I'm with KD5NRH and Chris, btw.  Unless Columba's going to go all Clair Underwood and demand presidential appointments and negotiating powers and such, who cares about the FL?

[brimic]

None of this matters...
If it comes down to voting for Jeb vs Satan herself, I'll just stay home.
Dubya's retarded little brother isn't getting my vote.

[roo_ster]

"But but but she's MEXICAN!  And she acts like it!!!1!1"

You don't have any reason or evidence that Columba's a security risk, and it all comes off as base xenophobia.  I don't disagree that it might play politically, political attacks don't have the be fair or reasonable to be effective.  And if that's all you're after then have at it.  But let's be honest with ourselves about what we're doing and why.

I'm with KD5NRH and Chris, btw.  Unless Columba's going to go all Clair Underwood and demand presidential appointments and negotiating powers and such, who cares about the FL?

Again, you misunderstand.  At least you are consistent. 

1. Not that she "acts mexican" but that she has not learned to even "act American."  Forty years and can not or will not speak English to Americans.

2. Jeb is the one who security folk would get heartburn about, as he is the one who would be given direct access.    Go ahead, talk to just about anyone with a clearance or folk who perform information security including classified information.  Foreign born spouse and other family is a big deal.  Jeb's sympathy for his spouse and her country is the risk.

3. Jeb talks of assimilation but has not been able to make it work in 40 years in his own household.

4. Jeb promotes policies that help Columba's people, not Americans.

5. Jeb's sympathies lie with his wife's people, not Americans.

Also...the race-baiting left called and they want their accusation back.  They said they need to use it on some GOPer with his hands up, backpeddaling while squealing, "I'm not racist!"

[Scout26]

Also...the race-baiting left called and they want their accusation back.  They said they need to use it on some GOPer with his hands up, backpeddaling while squealing, "I'm not racist!"

I'll be fun to see how quickly the left becomes xenophobic and Anti-Hispanic.

 

[Hawkmoon]

How much worse is she than Rachel Jackson, that Whore of Pennsylvania Avenue?

Who is Rachel Jackson?

[Perd Hapley]

Who is Rachel Jackson?

Youngsters these days don't know their history. 

I'll be fun to see how quickly the left becomes...Anti-Hispanic.

Aren't they already?

[Hawkmoon]

As for the criticism of Columba being too Mexican to be First Lady, I think we're on the same page.  It's not a reasonable or fair-minded criticism, and if it's acknowledged and used as such, no big deal.

I think it's an entirely reasonable and fair-minded criticism. The United States is under attack by Mexican and other Latino immigrants who sneak across the border and then demand rights, privileges, and services that citizens and legal immigrants don't get. Our "common" language isn't common any more because, while Chinese, Indian, Japanese and most European immigrants learn the speak English, the Latinos (especially the illegals) simply refuse to learn English and demand that everyone accommodate them.

A hundred years or so ago there was a flood of immigrants from Italy. Does your telephone, cable, electric or satellite bill come in English and Italian? Nope. When you call a place for service, does the answering system tell you to press 1 for Italian or 2 for English? Didn't think so.

I simply don't trust Jeb Bush to protect the United States against an ever greater horde of illegal, Latino immigrants. It may already be too late to save the country, since the bleedin' .gov isn't willing to to what's needed and start mass deportation of illegals. No, instead we give them food stamps, drivers licenses, and social security even though they've never worked here (at least, not at a legal job where they paid into the system). And they are draining our economy, because huge numbers of them send most of the money they earn here back to family in the native country.

Ever use Western Union to send money to another country? Take a look at the Western Union counter next time you go by one -- there's probably one at the service counter in your supermarket. If you want to send money to Russia, Estonia, France, Turkey, or ___, there's a form you fill out. BUT ... to send money to Mexico? There's a whole different form, printed in Spanish (of course), with a streamlined procedure. The form itself is titled "Dinero en Minuto" (Money in One Minute). Face it, the system is stacked against the United States surviving as a union of anything.

For the record, I am not anti-Latino. My late wife was a Latina, and my adopted daughter is a Latina. But ... they came here legally. I refused to do it any other way.

[Angel Eyes]

Who is Rachel Jackson?

http://www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=7