NYT Is The New People Magazine

Elisabeth Bumiller is angling to take a step-up from her spot normally on the front page of the NYT. She'll likely get those long profiles (3 minute reads) in People magazine. Get this:

WASHINGTON — Bush III? Or has the dynasty run its course?

Those are the questions some Republicans are asking themselves as political talk bubbles up yet again about President Bush's brother Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida and his interest in the White House. The chief driver of the mini-buzz is the current occupant of the White House, who has said twice this month that his younger brother would make "a great president."

No one, the president included, is suggesting that the younger Bush will run in 2008, and Governor Bush, whose second term is up in January, has adamantly ruled it out.

But Republican Party leaders continue to talk seriously about a continuation of the dynasty, a Bush III administration, with Jeb as a candidate in 2012 or 2016, when the memory of the current president's dismal poll ratings will be less of a factor. That, at least, is what happened the last time around: President George Bush's unpopularity at the end of his term in 1992 did not hurt his eldest son when he ran for president eight years later.

"Look, I think he'd be a great president," the current President Bush said in response to a question about Jeb's intentions at a restaurant industry trade show in Chicago last week. "But he said he's not going to run in 2008, and I think you've got to take him for his word. He's been in public life now for eight years, and I think he wants a breather."

Less than two weeks before, the president was more expansive in an interview with a group of Florida newspaper reporters. According to The St. Petersburg Times, Mr. Bush said that he had "pushed" his brother "fairly hard about what he intends to do" and that his political future "is very bright, if he chooses to have a political future."

The president also said, "I would like to see Jeb run at some point in time, but I have no idea if that's his intention or not."

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In the meantime, the current president keeps talking up his younger, larger brother — up to a point. When a member of the audience in Chicago last week told the president that "we love your brother" and that "he's been very good to the restaurant industry," Mr. Bush, not missing a beat, responded to laughter that "he has been eating a lot, I noticed."

Doing America's journalists proud Bumiller. Dare to dream that good job is just around the corner. And great job highlighting chimpy's need to put everyone in their place.