How Jeb Bush is tweaking his brother's brand of 'compassionate conservatism'

Jeb's 'inclusive conservatism' is a nod to how times have changed

George Bush and Jeb Bush in 2004.
(Image credit: (Mark Wilson/Getty Images))

Remember when George W. Bush sold himself as a "compassionate conservative"? Of course you do. Now, his brother Jeb is using a similar formulation, describing himself as an "inclusive conservative." The difference may seem trivial at first, but the Bushes are no fools when it comes to winning elections. And this difference tells us something about the changing perception of the parties, as well as the changing priorities of left and right.

In both cases, the descriptors seek to soften or modify "conservative." Back in 1999 and 2000, some felt that "compassionate conservative" was kind of backhanded, implying that plain old conservatives aren't compassionate. But the slight to the right was necessary. Until a functioning electoral majority begins referring to itself in Mitt Romney's preferred formulation of "severely conservative," a national candidate for the center-right party will always need to at least claim that he is reaching out to the center and center-left.

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Michael Brendan Dougherty

Michael Brendan Dougherty is senior correspondent at TheWeek.com. He is the founder and editor of The Slurve, a newsletter about baseball. His work has appeared in The New York Times Magazine, ESPN Magazine, Slate and The American Conservative.