Governor Jeb Bush demonstrated again last night (Thursday 7 Jan.) that he just doesn't get it.

As I listened to Sean Hannity interview Governor Bush on Hannity's afternoon radio show, the subject of Donald Trump's words regarding President Bill Clinton's issues with certain women, like Juanita Broaddrick, Paula Jones, Kathleen Willey, and others, came up.  During the conversation, Bush reminded me of the background sound of an adult speaking in a Charlie Brown special: waah, waah, waah.

Hannity asked Governor Bush if it was proper or fair game for Mr. Trump to mention President Clinton's peccadilloes as part of his campaign against Secretary Hillary Clinton.  Bush's answer and follow-on explanation are compelling examples of why he is doing so poorly in the polls, spending $50 million in campaign funds to generate an 11-point drop since his entry into the race.

Bush responded that there are actually two questions: Is it proper, and is it effective?  His answer to the first was good.  Bush opined that President Clinton's personal record with women is fair game in this campaign, which it is.  His answer to the second question put him in the same weak lineup as Senator John McCain and Governor Mitt Romney, both failed presidential candidates.

Bush explained that going after President Bill Clinton in order to attack now presidential candidate Clinton would be ineffective because it's not addressing her record or her policies.  He went on to cite a number of "wonky" talking points about Secretary Clinton's track record in the Senate, referring to the fact that in eight years she co-authored only three pieces of legislation.

His answer sounded like a political science class, not something to inspire the base to get out and vote.

What Bush fails to understand is that attacking Bill Clinton is indeed an attack on Hillary Clinton and her policy positions.  Trump is attacking Bill's sordid past and painting Hillary as an enabler – this in direct contrast to her purported position as the protector of women.  This will continue to help Trump's image as a tough talking straight shooter in the primary, especially with the base.

Some folks, like Governor Bush, worry that such candor will hurt the Republicans in the general election.  I say, "Hogwash!"

There are three major target audiences in the general election: your own base, your opponent's base and the persuadable voters in the middle.  Talking like a policy wonk isn't going to get your base out, and it is most likely not going to capture many of the persuadable voters.  It certainly isn't going to get your opponent's base to vote for you. 

On the other hand, Trump seems to be not only solidifying the base, but expanding it.  On top of that, he even appears to be poaching a few voters off the Democrat reservation.

Here's the best part – and it involves the general election and turnout.  If Trump can paint Secretary Clinton as not only a hypocrite on women's issues, but actively hostile towards them in order to defend her husband and thus protect her own political future, this could depress Democrat enthusiasm and hence turnout.

It's not at all hard to paint Mrs. Clinton as all too willing to sacrifice female victims of her husband's libido on the altar of her political ambitions.  Mr. Trump gets this.  Governor Bush doesn't.