Bush Donors Getting Sheepish

A big donor, it seemed, made an eye-popping handover of cash to a super Pac supporting former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush. And then he got a little bashful about it.

It appears Bush’s loaded money men are coming fully around to the realization that they’re probably throwing away their cash.

Initial reports indicated that former American International Group CEO Maurice “Hank” Greenberg donated a stunning $10 million to Right to Rise USA, the super PAC supporting Bush. But then Greenberg told Fox Business News that it wasn’t exactly he who made the big contribution but, rather, the company he controls, CV Starr. And then he went on to criticize the candidate to whom he just, at least indirectly, gave so much support.

“I didn’t make the contribution, the company did,” Greenberg said in an interview with FOX Business. “I like Jeb Bush. I’m sorry he is not living up to expectations, but that’s the reality of it.”

Now that’s the sign of a campaign in deep doo-doo, to resurrect a phrase once used by Jeb’s dad, former President George H.W. Bush. And decidedly lacking the “Big Mo,” to appropriate another HW classic.

The Bush campaign and its associated PAC have run through tens of millions of dollars with nothing to show for it than polls putting him well back in the GOP pack. The latest RealClearPolitics national average puts him at 3 percent.

The Wall Street Journal reports Rise to Rise USA has spent $47 million on advertising, taking a substantial amount out of the super PAC’s war chest, which is believed to have hauled in more than $100 million.

Make that more than $110 million.

Fox Business speculated that Greenberg maybe hedging his bet, even if the bet is a big one.

Greenberg’s statement to FOX Business has been viewed by some GOP fundraisers as leaving the door open to the possibility that the insurance magnate may make a more explicit endorsement of another candidate, such as Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, FBN reported.

“Fundraisers for Rubio have also been lobbying Greenberg for a possible endorsement and financial support, people with direct knowledge of the matter say,” FBN said.