Bush clan shows signs of strain

Oh, the many woes of one of the country’s most influential political family, the Bush’s. With the current president’s contested election aside, his twin daughters were caught drinking under age shortly after his inauguration.

Thursday, Jeb Bush’s daughter Noelle was sentenced to 10 days in jail for trying to use a fake prescription to obtain drugs. And as Jeb Bush campaigns heavily to remain governor of Florida, big brother George flew down from Washington Thursday to show his support and help with campaigning.

The Bush family has been a presence in politics for decades. President George Bush Sr. was a player on the international stage for 12 years, serving two terms as President Reagan’s vice president and his own term as commander in chief. His sons, George W. and Jeb, have both been governor of two of the biggest states in the South: Texas and Florida respectively. And in a disputed election two years ago, George W. followed in his father’s footsteps and was elected president of the United States.

George and Jeb have both been in the hot seat since they were elected to their respective offices. George W. has garnered heavy criticism for his treatment of Iraq and his knowledge of Sept. 11, 2001, while Jeb has had to constantly defend his education programs and explain why Floridians can’t vote correctly. Now both men must deal with daughters who have broken the law and given their critics ample mud to sling in their direction.

Perhaps most interesting about the brothers is the similarities one can draw between them. They’ve both had voting problems, daughter problems and are in danger of losing their jobs in their next elections. Even their dad can’t bail them out of this one.

Maybe political clout isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It hasn’t been able to protect the Bush boys from scandal, negative publicity or occasional criticism. And it also doesn’t assure either of them that they’ll be in office come November and 2004.