The New Yorker‘s Jeffrey Toobin examines why recent Republican presidents and presidential candidates have “disappeared from the face of the earth.” As for our own George W. Bush:
George W. Bush, in contrast, gives the Republicans their own version of the Jimmy Carter problem. Some Republicans criticized Obama for campaigning in 2008 and 2012 as if Bush were still on the ballot, but from a political perspective Obama probably did not run hard enough against Bush, who is much less popular than Carter. It’s true that Americans generally soften toward their Presidents over time, but a George W. revival does not appear imminent. It’s hard to imagine that many voters in 2016 will be pining for a restoration of the Bush years. (This could be an especially pressing problem for one prospective candidate in 2016, George W.’s brother Jeb.)
Then again, maybe he just enjoys painting.
