A sure sign that former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is planning to do more than just "explore" a run for the White House in 2016 is the fact that he is severing ties, erasing connections and extricating himself from alliances and relationships that could "complicate" a presidential campaign.
About a week ago Bush resigned from the board of Tenet Healthcare Corp., "the health care giant [that] supported and promoted President Barack Obama's health care law," -- a health care measure to which Bush has been adamantly opposed calling it "flawed to its core," but nevertheless an association from which he benefited to the tune of "nearly $2.1 million in director's fees and restricted company stock since joining the board in 2007. "
On New Year's Eve, Bush must have been humming only the first verse of "Auld Lang Syne" and answering "yes" to the question "Should auld acquaintances be forgot and never brought to mind?" as he decided -- according to the Washington Post -- to resign from "all of his corporate and nonprofit board memberships, including with his own education foundation."
The Post:
Bush's New Year's Eve disclosure, coming in an e-mail from an aide to The Washington Post, culminated a string of moves he has made in recent days to shed business interests that have enriched him since leaving office in 2007.
On New Year's Day, the New York Times confirmed that Bush "has resigned from each of his corporate and nonprofit board positions..."
But what appears to be the strongest sign yet that Bush is serious about running for president and about severing all "problematic" connections is the news that the former Florida Governor has officially resigned his position as George W. Bush's brother.
In a breaking Borowitz Report, Andy Borowitz explains the reasons for this development:
"No longer being related to his brother is a key step to clearing Jeb's path to the nomination," an aide said on New Year's Day. "We expect his poll numbers to soar on this."
According to the aide, the former Florida governor resigned his post as brother in a 10-minute phone call with George W. Bush, after which he blocked the former President's phone number and e-mail address.
In an official statement, George W. Bush said that he "understands and supports" his former brother's decision.
"If I were him, I would no longer be related to me either," he said.
Now, that is true brotherly love and understanding.