A fascinating extract from Jeff Zeleny's read on the perpetual efforts of the Romney team to land a Jeb Bush endorsement, and his perpetual refusal.
Mr. Bush has made clear in television interviews and in conversations with friends that he is troubled by the sharpening tenor of the race, particularly on immigration.
He voiced his concern directly to Mr. Romney, two people close to him said, urging him to moderate his oratory and views to avoid a collapse of support among Hispanic voters in the general election.
Romney has run to the hard right of both Perry and Gingrich, and has notably used their moderation on some issues to bash them over the head (this, despite Mitt's own former moderation).
Jeb, meanwhile, has been a passionate advocate for making the GOP's tone toward Hispanics more opening and welcoming, and obviously, Romney's done nothing to help on that score this cycle.
There are a couple more interesting points in Zeleny's piece -- evidently, Jeb wanted Romney to "earn it" and wasn't keen on the coronation.
And finally, for conspiracy theorists, here's the presidential version of Area 51 this cycle -- some wonder if Jeb's intransigence on endorsing has anything to do with his own (ahem) presidential designs (the only possible thing I can think of has to do with him emerging from a brokered convention).
But the conspiracy theory has been hurt badly by Romney's expected romp in Florida. If Newt had scored the upset there, you might have seen renewed passion to get Jeb in the race.
[Hat tip: Charlie Spiering]
