Apparently some of the "very serious" people in Republican politics have been privately urging Jeb Bush to run for president in 2012, and thus the topic of The Chris Matthews Show's meter question for this week: "Is Jeb Bush the strongest Republican candidate in 2012?" The "Matthews Meter" regulars are split 6 to 6.

It doesn't say much for the Republican field of candidates this year if insiders are pushing for a man whose last name should be mud as their best chance to win back the presidency in 2012. Apparently Bush isn't interested in running anytime soon. I guess he's hoping the media will continue with their turd-polishing exercise of trying to wipe our collective memories clean of how awful of a president his brother was so he can run in 2016. Chris Matthews thinks he could be pushed into running in 2012.