Which one of the following phrases best describes President Obama? For good leader, press 1; for good President, press 2; for too party-centric, press 3; for too liberal, press 4; for Socialist, press 5; for bad President, press 6; for undecided, press 7.

Crist leads former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R) by 35 points, 53-18. No Democrat comes close to Crist in a general election. But according to the poll, former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-Fla.) is viewed much more favorably than Crist among Republicans, with 81 percent liking Bush to only 50 percent with a favorable opinion of Crist. That’s the only sign so far of some Crist softness among Republicans — and Rubio’s only chance at victory.–

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In a Fox News interview, former Vice President Dick Cheney continued to blast away at the Obama administration on everything from bailing out the auto industry to closing the Guantanamo Bay prison camp.

He even hinted that he’d like to see another Bush as president.

Said Cheney: “I like Jeb. I think he’s a good man. I’d like to see him continue to stay involved politically… I’d probably support him for president.”

[Emphasis added.]

Rebuild the Party
Announced: November 7, 2008
Mission: “Set in motion the changes needed to rebuild our party from the grassroots up, modernize the way we run campaigns, and attract different, energetic, and younger candidates at all levels.”
Progress: Got all six candidates for Republican National Committee chairman to sign on to its agenda. Launched an interactive site where members could propose, and vote for, an agenda for the next chairman; the site was swiftly taken over by Ron Paul and Fair Tax supports. Heavily pushed volunteering and donating to Jim Tedisco’s unsuccessful campaign to win NY-20.
Status: Active, but much less prominent since the New York election was held on March 31.

The Center for Republican Renewal
Announced: December 16, 2008
Mission: A think tank inside the Republican National Committee charged with “identifying the most innovative ideas and policies from across the nation.”
Progress: Hired some staff in run-up to the RNC chairman’s race.
Status: Disbanded by new RNC chairman Michael Steele on February 6, 2009.

Young Conservatives Coalition
Announced: February 27, 2009
Mission: “To implement a new conservative agenda for the 21st century” and “allow young conservative activists the opportunity to communicate and network with each other, while fostering an environment for sharing resources and strategic coordination to counter the rising young, progressive left.”
Progress: Launched and held a “brainstorming session” at the Conservative Political Action Conference, followed by “Reaganpalooza,” a massive party and “young professional networking event.” Held a “Earth Day Beach Party” outside of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Status: Active.

The Tea Party movement
Announced: February 27, 2009
Mission: Hard to define, but the gist is to protest government overspending.
Progress: Held hundreds of anti-spending, anti-tax “Tea Parties,” heavily promoted by Fox News, on April 15, 2009. Survived some post-Tea Party infighting.
Status: Active, although activity since Tea Party day has largely consisted of protesting a CNN reporter who asked rude questions at the Chicago event and demanding a meeting with President Obama.

Renewing American Leadership
Announced: March 20, 2009
Mission: Unite social and economic conservatives to survive a “crisis in which the secular state, if allowed, will fundamentally and radically change America against the wishes of most Americans,” according to founder Newt Gingrich.
Progress: Web site still under construction.
Status: At the moment, not much more than a promotional vehicle for Gingrich’s upcoming documentary about Pope John Paul II.

Resurgent Republic
Announced: April 28, 2009
Mission: “Promote market-oriented policies, lower taxes and economic growth, and strong national security policies. It will help policy makers, think tanks, interest groups and others advocate for policies that are consistent with conservative principles, and oppose policies that stifle job creation, weaken national security and undermine values that have made America a great country.”
Progress: Released a poll that, they argued, proved that independents were siding with the Republican message. Battled with pollster Stan Greenberg after he argued that the poll was badly sampled and off base.
Status: Still active.

The National Council for a New America
Announced: April 30, 2009
Mission: Bring together Republican leaders to “engage with and empower the American people to develop innovative solutions that meet the serious challenges confronting our country.”
Progress: Held its first event, a pizza lunch with Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.), Jeb Bush, and Mitt Romney, in Arlington. Spent a week defending this from accusations of pandering lobbed by the likes of Rush Limbaugh.
Status: Planning at least four future events across the country.

The John Waters-esque quality comes from watching a young boy making a robust case against doing anything new.

If we don’t know our history, we don’t know where we’re going.

There’s been a little brushback against the acceptance of Krohn on the right, but really, not too much.

“He said it just wasn’t the right timing,” [Marco] Rubio said, recounting a phone call he received this afternoon from the former Florida governor and presidential brother.

Bush, who left office in 2007, cited his desire to explore other professional opportunities outside of politics, Rubio said.

Rubio, a close Bush ally who was waiting on the former governor’s decision, said he would now “seriously explore the opportunity.”

The timing’s never going be right for Bush, apparently: He passed up a challenge to first-term Senator Ben Nelson (D) in 2006, too. (This inaugurated one of my favorite no-hope political drafts of the cycle: Quin Hillyer’s lonely quest to bring Jack Nicklaus into politics.)

But 2010 looked like a much better year. Gov. Charlie Crist (R) will be on the ballot, probably against a token Democrat. With the exception of the 9/11-boosted George W. Bush in 2002, the Cuban Missile Crisis-aided JFK in 1962, and the New Deal-boosting FDR in 1934, first presidential midterms always mean a voter backlash against the incumbent party: 2010 promises to be the best Republican year in Florida since 2004.

It’s easy to draw the conclusion, as a lot of conservatives have, that Bush is a thoroughbred executive who would be bored by the Senate. Or, as W. James Antle III suggests: “Maybe his dad embarrassed him.”