Gordon Forgey

Jeb Bush was on the Charlie Rose show last week. He was making the rounds of some talk shows, and Rose’s full hour was dedicated to him.

Bush is the former governor of Florida. Both his father and his brother were President of the United States. He is a Republican and a conservative.

Although deep in traditional politics, his interview was like a breath of fresh air.

Bush discussed a number of issues. His responses in most cases were predictably conservative.

Yet, in this age of high volume and low tolerance, Bush was temperate in his views and his tone. He was not strident or belligerent.

He said he hoped that the political parties could fashion a “grand bargain” to end the impasse on the economy and growing deficits. Although conservative, he has broken with many unbending conservatives on both fiscal and social issues, espousing a non-judgmental attitude and hoping for more diversity in his party.

He, in fact, complimented President Obama’s presidency in several areas. He was also critical of Obama in others. He didn’t give the president “all F’s” as Republican presidential challenger Mitt Romney and many Republicans have.

Bush objected to the orthodoxy being imposed on followers of both parties.

He will be supporting Romney for president, no doubt about that, but he is able to see both sides of an issue.

Not many Republicans are so willing or see it as so necessary to work out differences with Democrats. Not many Democrats are so willing to work with Republicans.

There must be others out there, in both parties, like him. They are not very visible because they have been driven into hiding.

Everyone else has come out of the closet, surely moderates in both parties will be able to make their presence known, too.

It just might take some courage to do so.

Gordon Forgey

Publisher