Burning Bushes

Jeb Bush, governor of Florida, is next in the dynastic line. Should he one day ascend to the presidency, will he be a religious zealot like his brother, or will he be a more practical-minded schemer, like his dad?

One hint can be found in Jeb's appointment of a man named Jerry Rigier to head Florida's Department of Children and Families, a choice which caused a flap in 2002. The details are worth recalling in this election season.

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Rigier "once wrote a string of articles that provide a blueprint for turning religious values into public policy, suggest that households headed by women may produce homosexual children and complain that taxpayer-supported day-care centers could put religious day care out of business." He has also come out in favor of "smiting" children with a "rod." Women, according to Regier, should be helpmates to their husbands and "our aim, within the church and outside it, should be to encourage and facilitate mothers working at home.''

When Regier came under fire for these views, Jeb Bush accused critics of being bigoted.

Many wonder if the Bush embrace of fundamentalism is feigned or genuine. In the case of George Bush the elder, I always tended to suspect pretense. In that famous video clip of GHWB describing his "born again" experience, he seemed to be biting his tongue so deeply one feared that blood might trickle out of his mouth.

But George the younger is the Real Thing. So, it would seem, is Jeb.

Remember: If W wins in 2004, Jeb is in line for 2008. I wonder what post Rigier would have in his cabinet?