"No Tengo Futuro"

Jeb Bush gave a pretty stark outlook for his future:

MIAMI (Reuters) - The shadow of President Bush seemed to loom large over his younger brother on Wednesday, as the outgoing Florida governor ruled out any plans to return to elected office.

"No tengo futuro (I have no future)," Jeb Bush told Spanish-language reporters in Miami, when asked about any possible political ambitions after he steps down next month.

The popular, two-term governor has often been touted as a savvy politician with a good chance of following both his brother and father, George H.W. Bush, into the White House.

But the unpopularity and dismal job-approval ratings of his brother may have scuttled any plans Jeb Bush may have had for a future in politics after running one of America's most crucial swing states for the past eight years.

Bush did not elaborate on his terse "no future" comment. But he has said repeatedly over the past year that he would not run for president in 2008 and has never seemed comfortable with talk about Bush III or the Bush presidential dynasty.

I'm sure Jeb was referring to his political future, not his personal one. I would think Jeb would be in demand for any number of executive or director positions. He was an outstanding governor and would have made an excellent presidential candidate if his name wasn't Bush. I don't think the American voters look at the presidency as something to be controlled by just two families, which is why I don't think either Jeb nor Hillary will win in '08.

It's really too bad because between the two of them (George and Jeb), I think Jeb would likely have had the more successful presidential administration. He would not have been as polarizing a figure as George has proven to be.